DOT Talks in collaboration with the Department of Political Science is proud to present ‘The Naga Journey: Need of Realism and Reinvention’, the first inaugural seminar in the DOT Talks Seminar Series ‘New Nagaland – A Step Forward’ with resource speaker Kahuto Chishi Sumi, Social Activist & Gaon Bura of Hevishe Village.
About the Seminar: This seminar seeks to shed light on the etymological derivation of the word, “Naga”, and how Tribes should be classified as Nagas. It will examine the impact of modern culture, religion, society and government brought about by Colonialism, Christianity, Education, Nationalism, Democracy and Self-Government on the Modern day Naga people.
This seminar will shed a realistic light on the inability, on all fronts, of the Naga people, especially of the Indian State of Nagaland, to come to terms with modern religion, cultures and governance. It will highlight reasons why the benefits of modernity is not reaching the ordinary Naga in the rural and urban areas.
The seminar will show the collapse of Governance in Nagaland, the abject failure of the Naga Civil Societies, especially the “Apex” Tribal Bodies, expose the hypocrisy of the Baptist Churches, led by the Nagaland Baptist Church Council and get to the root of why the Naga National Movement is dying a slow but certain death.
The talk will conclude with what the Naga people need to do if they are to forge ahead and make a place for themselves in a Modern World. This means understanding basic ethical values, which the literate Naga knows nothing about and the need for transparency. Every Naga, across State and International boundaries, and spanning all social, tribal and Party lines needs to understand that the days when we lived in villages with the fear of having our heads hunted is over; that we have moved on, not to a tribal society, but a multi-tribal and ethnic society and that a modern welfare government is one that caters to all its citizens and protects the weakest of its members.
About the Speaker: Kahuto Chishi Sumi did his schooling from St. Edmund’s College (School Dept.), Shillong, Meghalaya, studied at Science College, Kohima and graduated from Fazl Ali College, Mokokchung. Grandson of Xhekepu Sema, Chief(G.B.) of Lokobo Village, who risked British Colonial Government displeasure, by granting permission to the American Baptist Missionary, Bengt Ivar Anderson, to set up the first Sumi Christian Centre at Aizuto; he is the sixth and youngest son of Nivukhu Sema, a pioneer of Mokokchung Town; who was instrumental in establishing the Town Higher Secondary School, Fazl Ali College, Sumi High School and Nivukhu High School.
Sumi is presently Chief (G.B.) of Hevishe Village, established by his father in 1969, while his elder brother, Inato Chishi, continues as Chief (G.B.) of Lokobo Village.
Sumi has written more than a hundred and forty articles, published in the local papers, on political, social, cultural and religious issues confronting Nagaland. With a vast following in Nagaland, especially among the youth, he has appeared multiple times on National television, has been quoted by National Print Media and is a favorite subject of interviews, on the multitude of issues arising in Nagaland, for YouTube channels of Nagaland.
Date: 23rd September 2022
Time: 10:00 AM
Venue: Auditorium