DIMAPUR, AUGUST 13 : The relevance of Naga nationalism, which germinated in the early part of the 20th century, in the context of today’s globalized community was the central theme of the 5th Morung Lecture Series held here today at the Elim Hall of the Dimapur Ao Baptist Arogo.
Baptist clergyman and political scholar, Rev Dr Wati Aier held court as he delivered a discourse distinguished by–to use the words of the social activist, Niketu Iralu–its “brevity of speech and density of thought” at the latest installment of the Morung lecture.
The topic of engagement was “Nagas: Contemporary nationalism”.
Naga nationalism in today’s context, according to Aier, demands a realistic and relevant deconstruction from its classical narrative of self-determination.
“For nationalism without realism is a sellout. Nationalism without identity is empty,” Aier said.
The narrative of modern political science was dominated by identity, according to Aier. The Naga identity, he said, was something worth making sacrifices and living for. But the assertion of our unique identity should not be at the expense of others’, he reasoned.
“To isolate yourself from others through boundaries is to make yourself less human,” Aier said, while delivering the context that globalization today has enabled the world to transcend the restrictions that come with sovereignty.
“If Naga nationalism, with its grand narrative, is shoved down the throat of the people, it will fail. It (Naga nationalism) must be defined and evolved in context,” he said.
In the present context, according to Aier, it would not be out of place to suggest that Naga nationalism has “grouped people into parties (factions)”. Nationalism could become a “blinding curse” to those who have accepted it “uncritically”, Aier pointed out.
Aier asserted that “nationalistic idealism” must be understood vis-à-vis “national construction”. The former, he said, has tended to be successful only in an idealistic context and “not in taste with national construction”.
On the other hand, “national construction” should enable the building of “an effective Naga institution”, according to Aier. But in our case, it has been most successful in building parties rather than (building) fundamental changes in the lives of our people, Aier said.
Against such a scenario, he reasoned, it was all the more pertinent to deconstruct the idea of Naga nationalism and make it relevant to the present context.
Also, while crediting AZ Phizo for planting the seeds of nationalism among the Naga people, Aier said that the latter’s “imagination remains unmatched” even today. He also shared that Naga people have “an organic integration and not a mechanical integration”.
