We rejoice at the successful completion of the grand
celebration of unity in diversity at the Naga Heritage Village in Kisama. In spite
of minor hitches, it is clear that the Hornbill Festival has been a huge
success and the state can be proud of its achievement. At this silver Jubilee
celebration of the festival, every speaker, starting from the Chief Host,
Nagaland Governor La. Ganesan, spoke of the Hornbill Festival as an “opportunity
to celebrate our unity in diversity and to strive for a harmonious future
enriched by mutual respect”. The Host Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio asserted that
the Festival “encapsulated the Naga way of life, bringing together all tribes
and communities in a spirit of unity. The deputy chief of mission in the US
embassy, referring to the problems indigenous cultures are facing worldwide,
recommended: “Let us take a piece of Nagaland’s unity, diversity and culture
with us”. Can we not now dream of bringing down this same sense of unity and
brotherhood into actual life, in our homes, villages and towns and why not,
even beyond the borders of our land into the wide world?
The Present Time
It is true that our times look somewhat hopeless.
With so many wars going on all over the world and mini wars in our own country
and the divisions and conflict in our own land, the situation seems beyond
redemption. Add to it, the atmosphere of hatred and bitterness created by the
way the leaders of political parties speak volumes. We are often treated to
unheard of expressions and phrases used in public forums which would have been
unthinkable in the mouths of civilised people some years back! It appears that
decency and good manners have disappeared from the lives and behaviour of most leaders.
A call from the
distant past – Francis of Assisi
But we do have many voices from the past that echo
distinctly even today, calling us back to fundamentals. I want to bring to your
notice one voice familiar to all, that of Francis of Assisi: His call for
universal brotherhood. We know that he considered the whole creation as his
family: Brother Sun, Sister Moon, Brother fire, sister water, mother earth,
etc.
Francis of Assisi had a dream more than 800 years
ago, when he undertook a visit to SultanMalik–el-Kamil in Egypt, which entailed considerable hardship, given his
scarce resources, the great distances to be travelled and their differences
oflanguage, culture and religion. That
journey undertaken at the time of the crusades, further demonstrated the
breadth and grandeur of his love which sought to embrace everyone. Many thought
it foolhardy and doomed to failure. Many even feared that he would not be able
to come back alive from the court of the Sultan. But Francis went with the same
attitude he instilled in his disciples: if they found themselves among nonbelievers,
without renouncing their own identity “they were not to engage in arguments or
disputes, but to be subject to every human creature for God’s sake”. After the
initial suspicion the Sultan was captivated by the simplicity and courage of
that holy man and treated him with veneration. It is surprising that at that
time he urged that all forms of hostility or conflict be avoided and that a
humble and fraternal subjection be shown to those who did not share his
faith.
Fratelli Tutti
(Brothers & Sisters all)
Listening to the distant call of Francis of Assisi
for universal brotherhood, Pope Francis in his letter “Fratelli Tutti” (Brothers
and sisters all) sends out an invitation to dialogue among all people of good
will. He suggests that we dream together “as a single human family, as fellow travellers
sharing the same flesh, as children of the same earth which is our common
home”.Each of us is to bring the
richness of his or her beliefs and convictions, each of us with his or her own
voice, unity in diversity, brothers and sisters all!
Recalling the visit of Francis of Assisi and
following in his footsteps in 2019, Pope Francis had a meeting with the Grand
Imam Ahmad Al-Tayyeb in Abu Dabi where in a joint declaration they stated: “God
has created all human beings equal in rights, duties and dignity, and has called
them to live together as brothers and sisters.” The Covid 19 pandemic exposed
our false securities in spite of all our advancements in science and
technology. The world was not able to respond unitedly to the crisis to the
extent required in spite of our hyper connectivity by means of the modern means
of instant communication. To cite one example: vaccines were cornered by the
rich nations leaving the poor to their own devices! We are indeed connected to
the whole world but are less related to one another on the personal level. The
realisation is gradually dawning on us that no one can face life in isolation.
We need a community that supports and helps us, in which we can help one
another to keep looking ahead and “learn to dream together”.
Dreamers of our
own time
We have before us great leaders of modern times who
dreamt of universal fraternity and contributed significantly to achieving it:
Martin Luther King, Desmond Tutu, Mahatma Gandhiand many more.
Should we not focus on the present dreamers andpromoters of peace and unity in our land?
Among others there is the “Forum for Naga Reconciliation”, formed in 2008. It
has done a commendable job of keeping alive the dream and hope of our Naga
people and all people of good will. Their perseverance in spite of hiccups and
setbacks is truly praiseworthy. Major landmarks in their journey are the “Covenant
of Reconciliation” and the “September joint Accord”. Not looking for immediate
results, they have gone ahead. They deserve the support of all.
Another entity, the Peace Channel, promoted by the
Peace Centre in Chumoukedima, is an emerging youth peace movement aiming at the
transformation of individuals to be peace-lovers, peace-makers and
peace-promoters. The youth is a power for good or evil. If the energy of youth
can be channelled in the ways of peace and unity, we shall have a peaceful
future. That’s what the peace channel is trying to do. And that too deserves
our whole-hearted support.
We have also individuals who have workedfor peace. Longri Ao (1906 – 1981) who was a
missionary and a peacemaker. Natwar Thakkar (1932-2018), known popularly as ‘Nagaland’s
Gandhi’, one of the last Gandhians, who came from Maharashtra and settled down
in Chuchuyimlang, a Naga village caught the crosshairs of insurgency. He
established the “Nagaland Gandhi Ashram”, promoting national and emotional
integration.
We have our own Niketu Iralu, the well-known and
esteemed Peace activist and Naga statesman. He has dedicated and continues to
dedicate his life to the promotion of dialogue and peace.
Permanent Fruit
of the Hornbill Festival?
All these are men who have contributed to help us to
dream and take our share in the realisation of peace and unity in our land and
in the world at large. May their lives spur us on to do our bit even in the
face of seeming odds. Cannot this be the permanent fruit of the yearly Hornbill
Festival?
