We are leaving Nagaland. Although not everything has gone as planned, we are leaving with a bucket full of new experiences & adventures.
[ What Nagaland has taught Me ]
I feel privileged to be born in the perfect time; when centuries of political & cultural isolation among Naga aboriginals & flatland aryans-dravians are over, yet many core traditional customs and rituals still exist. And I could witness some of it.
(2) A Story of Friendship
I could never imagine that it will be emotionally difficult to say goodbye to a family that has met only a few days ago. We shared our ideas and exchanged our opinions. We cooked together, we laughed together. It certainly felt like home. When We got a truck for our inevitable departure, I hugged our host with the hope that we will do all of that again.
(3) Collision of Bengali-Naga Crusine
Naga cuisine seems very simple, yet had great insights into Bengali cuisine and I hope to pass it on to my family. They certainly have some good cooking and preservation techniques with Bamboo, Naga Chilli, Yam, etc. Our great chef Delta came up with a cuisine collision plan and with the help of our host, we cooked like hell. The mixed naga-Bengali vegetables were NOT recommended and certainly deserve a patent.
(4) Story of Cultural Savage
Eating insects, bugs, dogs, etc. has been a part of traditional Naga culture. A significant portion of places can easily access less cruel alternatives with great health, and environmental benefits. That’s why I can never endorse this. But I find it hypocritical when people call it “gross and inhumane” . Because our entire animal industry is based upon mass-level systematic exploitation. Yet even thinking about our own cruel norms is inconvenient and triggers cognitive dissonance. Unmatched, yet both deserve to be called gross. I am gonna urge all anti-speciesist comrades, to not avoid Nagaland. Especially by perceiving it as anything more than what so-called modern cultures practices. You need to visit Nagaland and influence the supply-demand of those products and discuss the philosophy. Nagaland can certainly accept the idea of compassion.
(5) A Story of Friendliness
The only place I visited in India was where an auto-rickshaw driver didn’t take our money because we are guests of their homeland. We have witnessed countless notions of unconditional hospitality and love. Several times I have heard that North-East India is not a friendly place for Bangladeshis. I am gonna unmark Nagaland from this hypothesis.
We are off to our further journeys. I hope the rest of North East will bring new surprises for us.