New Delhi, Jan. 20: Barriers of language and custom notwithstanding, the Naga tribes and sub-tribes have come together to form a unique troupe. This troupe will showcase the rich culture and history of the community in different countries all around the world.
Named ?Nagas Call for Peace: Creating a Vision of Hope for Our Nation and the World ?, the band?s maiden performance in Bangkok in October spread the message far and wide about the turmoil in Nagaland and the community?s struggle for peace. ?We have received invitations from several countries in Asia and Europe though the tours are yet to be fixed,? said Naga People?s Movement for Human Rights secretary-general Neingulo Krome. The forum had played a cardinal role in preparing the group for the show in Thailand along with the Naga Students? Federation. Krome added that requests have also been pouring in from many cities in south India.
Other delegates from Nagaland, who are in New Delhi, said the interest in Nagas has been enhanced by the ceasefire in 1997 and the subsequent peace talks between the Centre and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah). ?The invitation from a group in Bangkok was due to the role the city has played in the peace process and the interest of the citizens there in knowing more about the Nagas,? a delegate said. The proposed show in these cities will be a virtual replay of the programme at Bangkok. The one-day performance there had a mixture of folk dances, solo and group songs and a drama that delved briefly into the history of the Nagas and the emerging hope in the current peace parleys.
?Unlike the experience in October when we were really left with very little time to prepare, our future programmes will be much better organised. We will improvise upon the existing events to make them more professional,? said another delegate. In fact, the popularity of the Bangkok show was such that the programme was recorded on a CD and shown at different places.
The cultural shows don?t end at dances and songs. There is a message embedded in every event of the programme, apart from efforts at forging new relationships.
?Around the world there are many ethnic groups and communities fighting for a better deal from their respective governments. Through these performances we have tried to explain the important role of negotiations and non-violence in the resolution of long-pending issues,? Krome said. Most importantly, he added, the trend is that of globalisation and nations are now dependent on each other. He added, ?So it?s necessary that you come out of a remote corner and start building up relationships with countries around the world.?