NAGAS for NAGAS

THE TRADITIONAL NAGA BELT

Our ancestors have creatively made this beautiful piece of art but its uses has been very limited or we don't see its potentials. Usually used with a sheath to carry Dao on the waist,mostly seen during festivals, while working,worn by men. However, if we look closely it has a lot of potential and uses from a traditional point of view like promoting our culture, wearing it for fashion,use it as an alternative to a leather belt. Just wear then observe and see it looks so beautiful on your waist,it's also very comfortable to wear,and it's very light too. I realised its potentials,its beautiful designs,comfort,its usefulness, and its traditional origin and use. I started wearing it, I thought it will be nice to share and encourage one another to wear, use and promote this beautiful and useful piece of art of our culture and showcase it in Nagaland, India,and worldwide. We usually wears a waistcoat, traditional scarf or muffler,a tie,and I think it's time we wear this beautiful traditional belt also. Once its use increase, its usefulness and identity will increase,and its demand will increase,which will help weavers to augment their income and creativity also from sales and designs. This can also be worn by girls and women.

THE SAD EVOLUTION OF THE NAGAS

The only times one will see Nagas united and working as a team or in groups are during festivals, traditional community fishing,government offices,social works,awareness campaigns,which are very good but these are rare,limited,temporary and occasional. However, it's sad to say that one will not see united Nagas,a team or group of Nagas working together everyday to earn by working in the fields, markets,business,construction works,skilled and unskilled works, other kinds of works or places of works. Are we different or more advanced than other citizens of our Country? The people of other states who are non-NAGAS, they also come together in groups or teams like us in many occasions and they have people at the highest level to the lowest positions,but they also come together everyday to work in agriculture, in the Markets, in construction works, in business, skilled and unskilled works,and other kinds of works big or small,and they work together everyday in every fields and employs one another. They are very hard working,motivated,skilled, they have dignity of labour, and many of them even comes to Nagaland to work and earn,settle down because there are so much works,jobs,incomes and opportunities and they are everywhere working and flourishing in Nagaland. While on the other hand many of the Nagas are not working, sleeping, lazy,dependent, wasting time in unproductive ways and things,unskilled, very choosy,proud,unemployed and poor,and some are even forced to steal and extort money forcefully from some hard working people.

The Naga people wants development and growth in Nagaland but when development comes and the works begins or will start to build railways,roads ,bridges,sports stadiums,medical-agri-engineering colleges,government buildings, technology,smart city,and other projects; who will work in these projects? These projects or developments will generate a lot of works,jobs,employment,and provide huge incomes ,skill training,but many Nagas are not going to benefit from these projects because many Nagas will not work in these projects due to laziness,pride,lack of skills,lack of dignity of labour, and lack of local workforce. Thus the contractors, engineers,architects,technicians, will be forced to bring in or hire migrant workers both skilled and unskilled from outside of Nagaland to work and employ them in these projects and thus they will reap all the benefits of jobs,incomes,and skill development whereas the Nagas will only benefit the finished products. We cannot always blame our leaders,contractors, engineers, architects, technicians, employers,the migrant workers,because it's our own faults. We only complain how the projects are delayed,how the projects money are siphoned off by our leaders,the tax collectors,contractors, engineers, architects, and the technicians. We never try to understand how many Nagas lost or will lose an opportunity for jobs,works,incomes,skill development, and experience by not working in these developments projects. Besides there are also many private projects that employs thousands and thousands of migrant workers due to lack of Naga workforce.
How will Nagas grow if we don't work?

How beautiful it will be if Nagas work together from the highest to the lowest,in skilled and unskilled works, from production to creation,selling to buying,growing to eating,working and employing one another, creating jobs and building things,dependent to independent, then only Nagas will grow continuously, become self reliant and self sufficient.

'MISSION UMBRELLA'

When we are determined to work no matter how hot or cold the weather,and even if it rains we should do it. No one was expecting nor prepared for the outbreak of Covid-19 Pandemic. One of the positive impact of this Pandemic in Nagaland is that many Nagas have realised the need to work and earn,and we cannot remain dependent on others all the time.

To encourage and appreciate some of our people who've realised the need to come out and work and break the chain of dependency, today(11/07/20) team 'NAGAS for NAGAS ' consisting of three of us conducted 'MISSION UMBRELLA ' by giving one umbrella to each beneficiary. All the Nagas cannot be food vendors, entrepreneurs, farmers, but while they do their part the Naga consumers should also encourage and help them by buying from our Naga food vendors, entrepreneurs, and farmers. If we all do our part,then we can make Nagaland a self sufficient and self reliant State.

During 'MISSION UMBRELLA ', team 'NAGAS for NAGAS ' also co- incidently met DDADU President and his team who were distributing masks. To encourage one another, team 'NAGAS for NAGAS ' also presented one umbrella to the DDADU President as a sign of encouragement, appreciation, and respect for their good works.

Good news dear Nagas. Many opportunities are coming for those Nagas who are willing to work.While there are already so many opportunities in Nagaland, many of us failed to see those as opportunities. However, the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 or Covid-19 is showing us and reminding us where we failed and what changes and works we need to do. In just 3 months(March,April,May),we learned that our health system was poorly maintained,ill-equipped,and there were shortage of health personnel. We learned that we are lazy,unskilled,reliant and insufficient,we are not united,and we need more good leaders.We learned that more Nagas are required in Agriculture and allied sectors and we need to grow more food.We learned that we cannot be dependent on others always and taught us that Nagas have to do our own works.We also learned that Nagaland needs it's people to grow,only if the Nagas prosper our State will also prosper.There are many opportunities coming for those Nagas who will want to work in health sector,agriculture and allied sectors, businesses, labour sector(both skilled and unskilled),and many more will unfold very soon.Are we ready to work,be ready and be prepared.

Just recently we saw an advertisement in print media about labour requirements for bridge construction works(Sanuoru river bridge,Kohima),which is still incomplete.We can expect many more of such similar advertisements in the near future. As most of the migrant labourers have returned to their native states,Nagaland is facing shortages of labour workforce.Now the questions are,1.Who will fill this gap if not the Nagas?,2.Is this not an opportunity for the Nagas?,3.Is this not our work?,4.Are we going to wait ?,5.Are we ready to work?. 'Be the CHANGE you want to see in the world'. But I request you, be the CHANGE you want to see in Nagaland. Let's start from Nagaland first.

**Please read the article below, this appeared today on Nagaland Post.