02 November 2005

S. Thangboi, Healing our social virus

HATTUOMA KULMUUTNA: I NAM ADI’A NATNA-HII

(Religious Fanaticism and Fundamentalism – A Social Virus)
S. Thangboi Zou
Dept. of Geography,
NEHU, Shillong

Manuscript received on 29 Sept. 2005, and revised on 1 Nov. 2005

[S. Thangboi Zou in St. Edmund’s College (Shillong) apat BA (Geography) na zoukhia a, NEHU ah 4th position na nga hi. Tun NEHU ma ah MA (Geog.) final a bawl lai tah ahi. ZSP Shillong Branch ah Vice-President leh Gen. Secretary hina a tu ngai a, tualeh heteng a kisun tanchinbu Zoheisa (2003) leh ZWS Link (2003 – 04) ah zong Editor in nasem ngai hi. Send your comments to: thang_zou@yahoo.co.in ]

ABSTRACT
Khovel khantou toh kituah in, Zou minam pilna-siamna leh neh-le-tah suina lam ah nidang sang in maban sawm tou zel in a kilang hi. Hinanleh maban kalsang in tawina na dia daltu lian khat um a, hattuam kulmuutna natna-hii (social virus) ahi. Tami natna-hii ahileh hun peisa a a chii (seed) na kiphum ahia, tuni chiang in ahing gapha mama hi. Natna zousie a damdawi um hi. A damdawi pen biahna leh khotang lamkaite ban ah khanglaite khut ah um hi. Lamkai-te’n sahkhona kulmuutna khel lam a muna kiching (holistic view) nei kisam tahzet a, tualeh Zou minam kipawlna UZO, ZYO, ZSP ten sakhona lamkaite sang a lungsim piching zaw akua uh poimo ta hi. Amau doctrine (dogma) a kiphut ahilou ziah in, Zou minam hoina ding (minam interest) veng siam pen ding asuah uhi. Khanlai te zong sakhona kulmuutna hii (virus) apat kiveng siam mai a huntawh lou in, tami natna-hii nei numawl-pamawlte suhdamna dia pahlah kisam ta hi.

KEYWORDS
Hattuom-kulmuutna, Nampi’ khanmaw bawh, Kituom khenna, Khotang detdouna, Kipumkhatna, Hattuom leh bieh Pasian

Thumapui
I ZOU NAMPI IN KUMSAWM val hun ana peisate saang in tu in khantouna jat tuom tuom ituonlut ta ua, midangte a bangpi hisih nanleh eima khom in bangtan ahiei khat laisimnalang leh nei-le-lam lang ah ma isawn dawm ta un amuthei hi. Hinanleh tamtenga hun ding leh lungkim thei mai ding hinai sailou a, mailam naw nading lampi saupi umnalai hi. Alangkhat ah, ikhotang hinkhuo(society) lam iet chieng in hun peisate apat tuni tan dongin bangma matalna leh khantouna gending atam seng nai sih hi. Tuniin, bang pentah amah inam-khotang adinga natna thupi, tunitana akhantou ding bang taha khangsah theilou, tahsa leh hagau langa ikivaihawmnate uh lamzang taha peisah theilou, azieh (cause) kichientah suikhiet ahun mama ta hi. I nam leh khotang buoina ziehte khu atam mama ding a, hinanleh tuate lah a chikhat ahileh hattuom kulmuutna zong ahi.

Thuchien Umdan (Facts) [1]
Nguntah in en veng veng lei, hunsawtpi apat i society dammawna leh khanmawbawh khat ahileh hattuom mina i kulmuut seng zieh uh ahi. Tuni tan in koimata in hangsan tahin ipholdoh ngam nai seng sih uhi. Itheilou kal un tami natna in inam pumpi(Zou) adingin hatlana leh basapna lienpi lamchinteng ah a’ngtun zou tahi. Mitamtah tuni tan in zong ibieh Pasian kibang, inam kibang hina piin, ilei-hattuom akibat lou zieh mai mai in lunggel kibang theilou in i um tamawh uhi. Tamkhu I Zou nam in natna hoilou aneite laha khat ahi. Tam thutah koipouin i mit un imu chiet ua, ilungsim un ithei ua, hinanleh ikam un bangma ahoina ding igen kheh ngam sih ua, ikhutte un bangma nna isem ngam sih uhi. Tampen akhawh mama sil ahilam akikhel nuasang pia iphawh khiet pan uh hileh kilawm hi. Tuniin ki-enchien chiet lei ithei mai ding ua, hattuom a ikulmuut (fanatic) seng zieh un bangtan inam sung ah kikhenna, kilang-etna, ki-engsietna, kithutuohlouna leh adang dangte a um tai, mizaat phazoulou hinanlei hattuom bangzaatin ikikhen thang sieng ta uai, chi geeltham ching mama tahi. “… I khotang chibang atawm nou toh, bang ding in tuibang iluong khawmlou…” [2]

Siltung taphot in azieh anei chiet hi. Khumbang kaal ah tam thutah (reality) khu giltaha suizuina leh theichetna nei chiet dingin iki deisah uhi. Nidanglai apatin ihattuom lamkaite chiet un tam kulmuutna chii ang na tukhum zouta ua, hoitah nou a enkol nalai zosopin, tu in aga pha mama lih-liah keei hi [3]. Aga ilouta ngei ua, hinanleh, ikhotang kipumkhatna leh kithutuohnate aman(price) in ipehkhe ta uhi. Khawsahnabei mikhenkhat ten hattuom tungtawn in i society ah kikhenzahna leh kiteltamna ana tun zouta ua, khumkhu tulaia khangthate adinga etton hoilou (pernicious precedent) vawt ahi tahi. Eima mimal meetna ding, ahilouleh, eima pawlpi haatna ding ahipou leh inam/ikhotang kisiet ding zong khawsalou hi ulei kilawm tahi [4]. Akhawhpen tah khu ‘galthuom chikim’– langneina (bias), du-amna, lungkhawhna (egoism), kituompawlna, chietneina lungsimte a kivon in itup (mission)- “agam kehletding” chi toh nna isem ta uhi. Hinanleh mundang gammiel ah vakuonlou in ei leh ei kikal ah mipi (members) ikilah sah zung zung ua, i-unau muongtah a umlaite vasuliing in ikhenzah mawh uhi. Bangtenghileh, Pasian thu a kalsuon ihi ua, akhawhna umsih zong ichimai thei uhi. Tuniin tami nnasep ahoi leh ahoilou pen ibieh Pasian khutah nga mai va ui, nanleh silkhat phuolguuh guollou in kilang a, tuakhu, i society kiguizopna khauzang (thread) tan ta hi. Tami hun in inam leh gam adi’a phattuom ngai pawlpi (philanthropic organisation) ten pan ana halah hileh uh aphattuomna ana ummai theiding in gintat ahuoi hi. Hinanleh amauhte nangawn zong akulmuut ngen ana hive uhi. Rev. Seikholet in Shillong-a athugen nakhat ah “Kukitate pawltuomtuoma ikikhenlaw na uh ahileh Pasian belou in hattuom ibieh zieh uh ahi” ana chi hi [5]. Tu in ei Zoute lah ah zong tangtung tahi.

Awle , tu in ahiding teng hizouta, asuoh ding teng suoh zouta chiin koi phot vai. Muntuom tuom leh biehinn tuomtuoma Pasian iphat uh khu asia ichina hitentun sam lou hi. Hinanleh eiten tami peidan khu hisel taha izui khah lou uh akhawhpen ahi zaw hi. Unau Paite, Mizo, Naga leh Khasi ten zong hattuom khat saanga tamzaw nei thou ua, hinanleh a society un kisietnan neipi tuamlou uhi. Ei Zounam sunga adei huoilou leh ada huoi pen khat khu hattuom-hina lah khiel leh zahkhiel a um khu ahi. Tuami in inam leh khotang detdouna (social & political stability) naah sukhaah mama hi. Laisiengthou in kichientah in ahing kawhmu a, “Eite kiteltam leh kisehsieng dinga a’ng dei hilou in, muong leh kituoh taha umkhawm vadiel dinga a’ng dei hizaw hi” I Cor. 14:33 GNV. Tami Laisiengthou tangtel ana juita hi ulei Philosopher Karl Marx thugen: “Religion is opium of the mass (Sakhuo khu mipite adi’a guu (ganja) ahi)” [6] ana chi khu adihna tanchieng ana um lou ding hiven! [7]. Karl Marx thugin (concept) tulaia ei Zou society toh i et kah chieng in adih mama a, itheilou kal un ina zuidih kha uhi. Rev. Dr. Chinsuanthang in tambang in ana gen hi: “Sakhua limsak leh biakna limsak ichite sanga thupizaw leh ahoihpen, Pathian kipahna tuh Pathian limsak ahi.” [8] Sakhuo/hattuom min iha ngaisah seng chieng in Pasian saangin ahattuom (denomination) in mun poimaw aluo tam zaw zel hi. Khum khu hattuom sung adi’a zong siet kipatna bulpi ahi tuh hi.

Panlah dingdan (Measures)
Bangchin bawl lei tambang natna sudam theiding ihiei? Chi kikup poimaw hi. Amasa pen in, i society sung a lamkaite tung ah kingah dieh set a, tualeh michin tungah zong mawpuohna lienpi um veve hi. Khangtha laisimten zong mawpuohna thupitah liengkou ah puo uhi.

Lamkaite’n bangteng tung ah mipi deina banga nna sem a, eima lungluutna mai enlou a, atamzaw kilungtuohna (concensus) a vaihawm a mapui ding sil poimaw tah ahi. I namsunga hattuom kikhenthang zieha ‘natna hoilou’ a’ng tundan kichientaha a ettha kia veng veng uh ngai tahi. Silkhat tunia kadeidana kapeipi a mabana ikhotang sietna ding ahi khah taleh, ka tawpsan ngam phot angai hi. Lamkai khat in mipi hoina dinga adeidan leh angaidante ataan/piehkhiet (sacrifice) ngam ngai hi. Bible in “…nouman hinkhuo ah puitu tulsawm nei nan ulachin Pa khat bou nanei uhi’ chin gen hi. (I Cor. 4:15). Tami tangtel in eite lamkai tuom tuom nuoi a um hina ulei zong i bieh Pasian kibang ahidan ensah hi. Lamkaite kaal a buoina apien chiengin atangpi in lungtang khawhna (ego-clash) zieh ahi diah hi. “Tua imangbatna hunte uh khu sil umsa (nature) apat hing pieng hilou in eima mihingten i siem khiet thu ahi.” [9] Zousunga hattuom kigawm khawmna dinga pan ana kilate suhpiching ana hizoulouna zieh zong lamkaite kikala kituoh-theilouna/kilemlouna zieh ahi chilei kizuou lou ding hi. Tam thuvui geldoh vai:

“Hunlui a lamkaite khu amipiten azui theiloua, amauh lamkaina gama masawnna umlou, hinanleh alamkaina uh beithei tuomlou amauh damlai sung teng; khumbang dinmun aum ahileh, Pasianin amauhte azah nawnlou ahilouleh ataisan hidinga ginmaw ahi tahi.”

(As people of older generation and in a position of leadership, if people cannot follow them and if there is no progress for the nation under their leadership, and because they are still alive and their leadership cannot end, there is a suspicion that God does not use them anymore or has left them.) [10]
Lamkaite dinga kingaituo pha hun ahi tahi.

Tuabanah khangtha ten zong mawpuohna lienpi nei uhi. Zou sunga laisim lam deuten tambang lunggeel hoiloute apat kikaang koia, mi koi hinanleh, ‘mailien-maineu’ chia en lou a, huptuom paituom neiloua, eima hattuom leh biehnate saanga inam-hina (Zou identity) khu pumpia (holistic view) la a, Pasian khat, i bieh Pa khat ahi chi lunggeel toh kithuom pan ta ding in iki deisah uhi. Ma-angsielna leh lunggeel kohchiih (clan consciousness, dialectal chauvinism, dogmatic intolerance) chiten i namsung a mun anei hun hinawnlou hi. I lunggeel leh i mangmu (vision) te khovel kihendan leh khantoudan toh aki zawh ngai ta hi. I ngaidan khat puohlut ding khu koipou society a mikhat hina dawla i maw puoh chiet uh ahi. Maban a Zou namsunga tambang hattuoma kulmuutna zieha sildeihuoi lou hing tung theiding toh kipel theina dingin phattuomngai pawlpi i neite uh – ZSP, ZYO, UZO leh adang dangten pan alah masat uh ngai hi. Aziehpen tamte khu hattuom doctrine (dogma) leh denomination kikhenna bulphu (base) a ding ahilou zieh un “neutrality” dinmun hina nei uhi. Hattuam kamkaite sang in “vision” sauzaw leh lungsim lianzaw a nei thei ding uhi. Etsahna’n, Shillong ah kum peisate in Mizo Presbyterian leh Baptist pawlpi lamkaite kikaal ah buoina ana um kha a, hanaleh asangnaupangte un lepna bawlpi thei ua, alamkai kulmuut tahte uh khu anuisat giep ua hileh gending theilou in zum mama uh uh kichi hi [11]. Ei khangthate, adieha laisimte, inam/hattuom sunga lamkai leh nu leh pa lunggeel kohchiih neithei nalaite khu i kithuzaw sah lou ua, amauhte ile theisiem sah angai zaw ta hi. Doctrine, dogma, denomination khellam a ngaisutna nei ngai a, kum 21 century a Zou tate dinmun ding leh kikumphatna ding pilvang tah a et ngai ta hi.

Thukhahna
Athutawp ah, i khotang damna ding nang leh kei khutah kinga hi. I hattuomte un min tuomtuom paw nanleh tahsa a ikipawl khawmna te uh (ZSP, ZYO, UZO, etc.) kibang a, tamten namkhat hamkhat ihina kilang sah veve hi. Khotang lam toh kisai sil ahichieng in thakhat leh munkhat a um ihinate suo chietlei inam in damna ngathei pen dingin kinep a um hi. Maban ah sep ding bawlding inei nalai ua, ikitawldam masang un peinading lampi saupi um nalai hi. Inam in lamkai, atawp-santu ding hilou in, a zoutu ding poimaw ta hi. Ikhotang leh biehna kikhen theilou hi. Khatlang ahaat chieng in khatlang basam veve hi. Tam tegel azawh khawm lou uleh atupmun (destination) uh tung thei zosam um tuonlou uhi, aziehpen azuitu khu bangma dang hilou in mipite (mihingte) ma hiveve ahiman in. Bangteng tungah ibiehna hattuom-min saanga ibieh Pasian lungkimna khu poimaw zaw hi chi theikawmin inam leh ikhotang kipumkhatna (social & political integrity) khu kem hoi zaw va ui. I beh-le-phung ki-elna leh denomination thang tawmnate’n khovel a kimudana mei-diil hing malepsah ding a, Zou khan dal ahi zing uhi.

NOTES & REFERENCES:
[1] Zou sung a hattuam kipumkhatna toh kisai lai na kigelh sate na simbe utleh, Singson, Dr. D (1996) “Christian Unity and Ecumenism” Zomi Sangnaupang Pawlpi 1995-96, Churachandpur; pp. 16-17; Lawmthang (2000) Gospel Tangkou April; Chinlunthang (2000) “Hattuom Anapei Dan” – Seminar paper September; Zou, David Lalpi (2000) “Zou Sung a Pawl Kikhenna leh Khotang Hinkhua: Social Dimensions of Denominational Divide among the Zous” in Gospel Tangkou, Vol. XIII, No. 8 (August); pp. 18-26; leh Anonymous (2004) “Kum 50 Khristian Zou Tate Maban” in Jou Christian Association Golden Jubilee Souvenir, MGP-MEP, Churachandpur; pp. 85-89.
[2] Manlun, Zamkholian (2001) Mother Earth- Zogam Calling, Vol II, Side A [audio album].
[3] Zou, S.T. (2004) ‘Chiihoi Tuvai’, (editorial column) ZWS Link, 1(2):1. Shillong: Zou Worship Service Pub. (From 1998-2002 denominational crisis occurred among the Zous in Shillong).
[4] Bulte, Pauliankap (2003) ‘What Ails Our Society?’ in Vanglai Venture, Shillong: Zillai Publication, pp. 12.
[5] Robert, T.H. (2003) ‘Kuki Church Unification: An Account’ in Ahsijolneng Annual Magazine, Shillong: KSO Publication, pp. 13.
[6] Karl Marx in sakhona pen ganja (opium) toh ana tehkah hi. Ganja tepte addict ahi chiang un khawl thei non lou ua, bangma lunggelna leh khotang a sil poimote a ngaisun pha sih uhi. Ganja bang in minautang (working class) te sakhona in bum siang in, atung ua vaihawm ten kimawlna leh amau metna dia azat ahilam uh kithei vateh lou uhi.
[7] Turner, Jonathan (1998) Introduction to Sociological Theory, Jaipur: Rewat Publication.
[8] Chinsuanthang, Dr. Rev. H.S. (2004) ‘I Gam Tunding Nawnna Di’n’ in Siamsin Thugousiah, Shillong: Siamsin Pawlpi Publication. Vol-II, pp.20.
[9] Misao, Seiminlen (2003) ‘The Kuki Society as a Group’ in Ahsijolneng Annual Magazine, Shillong: KSO publication, pp.20.
[10] Robert, ‘Kuki Church Unification’, op. cit. pp. 13.
[11] There was a crisis over Church estate (property) among the Mizos in Shillong based on denominational line.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

This article deals with an area of concern to many educated Zous. The forces of conservatism and religious dogmatism are still very strong in the whole of Northeast India, not only among the Zous.

Before 1950, the Zous were content with their village or "clan identity". But the JCA pioneers attempted to build a more inclusive "Zou tribe" identity on the basis of evangelical ideology. Though the old clan identities do not vanish away completely, the new tribe identity gains increasing importance. But this evangelical imagination was not big enough to accommodate the Zou catholics into its world. The first major divide happened in 1976 on the doctrinal issue of Biblical cannonism. Doctrine always divide people: it divided the Zous in 1976. It makes the Zous insular and a closed society.

Meanwhile social mobilisation on the baisis of tribe identity meets more success among the Paites and Hmars. The Zous are a bit too occupied with dogmatic purity and the next world. So they have no time to focus on their immediate development and education in this world. Meanwhile, the Zomi-Kuki ethnic clash (1997-98) also highlighted the limits of dialectal "tribe-identity" especially in Churachandpur district. So, the more progressive tribes are free to explore more inclusive political identities like Zomi, Zo or Kuki. For the Zous, mobilisation on tribe identity is still the most relevant action.

Since the religious and social life of the Zous are intimately connected, it would be impossible to reform their society without some change in their religious outlook as well. The penetration of modern hothead fundamentalism of the American brand is a matter of serious concern. It provides the worst road map for the unification of the Zous in search of a better future in democratic India.

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