“Nagas had a sense of unity & belonging”, says Lorho Pfoze, Member of Parliament-Lok Sabha (Outer Manipur) while addressing the Mao community of Dimapur on its 75th anniversary cum Chithuni festival on Saturday.
By Imna Longchar, TFM Nagaland Correspondent
As the Mao Hoho Dimapur (MHD) celebrates its 75th year of its existence, older than the parent bodies of the many tribal organizations under the aegis of Naga Council Dimapur (NCD), at Mao Community Centre, Asuhe Mao Colony, Kuda Village (B Khel), Dimapur, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, (Outer Manipur), Dr Lorho Pfoze, on Saturday sent a strong message that “Nagas has a sense of unity and belonging” as they belonged to the same community and fraternity. Dr Pfoze was speaking as the chief guest in the programme held on the theme “Celebrating Community”.
Coming together as a fraternity which is one of the best things which had made the Mao people to come together from a village in order to grow together in a place like Dimapur, the Lok Saha MP (Outer Manipur” said that traditionally Dimapur was not “our place” but with people coming together, they formed a community of love and respect. He also went on to add that the theme of the celebration itself was very relevant in the context of the present scenario where the same amongst Naga communities are rare to find today.
Stressing on that the Nagas today are experiencing a “very difficult times” and having being recognized for the same, Dr Pfoze felt and questioned that “Is it not a time for the Nagas” to once again go back to the “primitive ways of living and thinking” that one has to live within own boundaries—back to the head hunting days.
“We may not physically “headhunt” one another’s head, but I think sometimes our attitude towards one another is narrowed down to such lines and this gives us precarious scenario of what will happen to our future tomorrow”, Dr Pfoze added.
Meanwhile, Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from 48 Mao Constituency, Manipur, Losii Dikho, attending as the guest of honour at the same programme acknowledged the Nagaland government and the Nagas in general for accepting the Mao community a family members and and for taking them as their own people.
Stating that there are many opportunities or avenues in Manipur, but according to Dikho, Nagas are caught up in “progress and situation” of the day. However, he said that whenever he sees the progress of the Naga people, he always feels and considers about the their faith in Christ coupled with the spirit of unity amongst whether Nagas from Arunachal,
Assam, Manipur, or the Burma (Myanmar) and the bonding love which all shares till date and is surviving.
“We as Nagas with different tribes, cannot survive and stand alone but we have the spirit of unity and love, a bonding that bind us together and making us strong today and stronger more”, the MLA said. He added that though Nagas had many political problems, the Nagas in Manipur are trying their best to confront the problems.