Neisa Thol
30th January 2015
84
years old Neisa Thol from Kidima village is a proud Angami Naga who believes in
staying true to his roots. He is one among the few remaining sixty(estimated) people
in his village who follows the indigenous Angami religion Krüna. “Our Krüna
(ancestor’s rituals/beliefs) should not be abandoned. This was once our parents
and ancestors’ belief and religion.” exclaims Neisa. Although one of his sons
converted to Catholic, Neisa, his wife and their other two sons still follow
the Krüna and wishes to continue till
they die.
In his
hearth, Neisa owns a Kheluoba- a
unique seat that is only owned (and the right to sit) by individuals or
families who has performed a feast of merit for the entire village. This kheluoba is more than a hundred years old,
as Neisa mentions that the seat was owned by his grandfather.
“Today lifestyles
and culture has changed.” says Neisa who mentions that the most baffling change
for him is the increasing population and the fact that humans are dying early
and despite the abundance of food in variety, it hasn’t prolonged people’s
lives. “In the olden days, people reached the age of 100 and more. People lived
to a century but today most people die at their 80s.”
One of
the rituals that are of utmost value in the Krüna,
according to Neisa is the ritual of the cock which determines the fate of a
village each year. This ritual is often conducted to prevent calamities and
epidemics in the village.
After Sekrenyi, the consecrated/sanctified
cock is brought to a particular area where it is released and predictions are
made in accordance to the movement of the cock. If the cock crows and move its
feet in the dust, the year’s harvest will be good.
If it
flaps its wings, the year will bring good health to the people. However, if the
cock does not make any movements or react, an epidemic is expected in the
village. The cock will then be released and freed.
“Old
days were much better” reminisces Neisa who served as a government teacher in
his village and after retirement, continued to work as a farmer. After
completing his eighth class in a Government School in Kohima, he joined the
Naga struggle for freedom where he served as a Naga Army for four years. He was
jailed for two years in the Kohima Jail by the Indian Army after which he left
the movement and began teaching in the Government school in Kidima Village.
On
being asked about the dangers of losing the Krüna
and ways to preserve it, Neisa replied, “If it is gone, it’s gone!!” However
his concerned wife intervened saying, “Christians are trying to convince us to
convert.” conveying the much confusion to find the balance between preserving
one’s culture and coping with the rest of the changing society.
.
Neisa opines
that the more religion enters a society, divisions also increase. “There are
many denominations within Christianity. This has created rifts within our
people.” observes Neisa.
Strictly
following one’s principles and rituals, is perhaps one much admired element in
the ancestor’s religion. “We (Krüna)
are often labeled as unwise but we are not. We have our own knowledge and
wisdom.” asserts Neisa.
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