Challenges Faced By The Zomis In The 21st Century

This kind of a post-medieval situation finds similarities in the current 21st century state of affairs in Manipur. Though one may argue that Russia is politically, socially and geographically different and distant from Manipur, there are several reasons which identify with the current situation of our state.

One of the main factors is that Russia is a multi-national state. The first nationwide census taken in 1897 revealed that the true ethnic Russians were a minority in their own land, just the way the Zomi tribe is seen amongst other tribes in Manipur. Also, the identity of the Russian state itself was a matter of debate on where it originally belonged since it had Slavic, western and Asiatic elements. This can be compared to the strategic location of the North-East state, which shares its borders as well as ethnicities with the states of Assam, Bangladesh, Bengal, China and Myanmar. And of course, one need not mention the socio-political isolation of both the regions of Russia in Central Europe and the North-East state of India.

Later in Russia, in the reign of emperor Peter the Great, there arose the concept of “Rossiya”, a word denoting the secular, westernized and cosmopolitan aspect of Russia, while simultaneously there emerged another term “ Rus”, which had more ethnic connotations and stood for the Holy Land of Russia which originated in 1453. This latter term was closer to the people, and had cultural and religious links with the original rural Russian society, much like the concept of Zogam, and Zomi, the people, which took birth in the Paite culture.


But to note that all these similarities which the present 21st century Paite tribe shares with the Russian state in the post-medieval era does not present a very flattering prospect, especially since the atomized society of Russia and its arbitrary state government ultimately led to its decay due to the inherent contradictions in the bureaucratic structure. By drawing parallels between the current Zomi society and the post-medieval Russian society, the intention is not to pass a judgement by pointing out the former culture’s evident backwardness, but rather, it is an opportunity to avoid the past mistakes of history, so that history does not repeat itself.

To merely presume and point out the inefficiency of the bureaucracy, or simply make a written or vocal complaint about the unaccountability of the government, is highly ineffective and if one may opinionate, rather unprofessional and extremely futile. To say that we have and face problems as a marginalized grouping society and as minorities in the country means simply backtracking to the starting point of our worries. If we assume that just voicing them time and again, or taking action only when it’s called for is enough, then we only charge up in a downward spiral of no progress.

Therefore rather than recounting our hurdles and problems, which we all are acutely aware of, we need to chart out an ideology which would help us tackle our problems the best we can. And the solution to face the challenges cannot be made possible in a several-step programme, or in a stirring speech, or even by storming the bureaucracy. It can only be realized through faith and integrity. Denial can be a serious crippling factor, so the first and basic approach is to take an honest look within ourselves and our community, and deal with the internal conflicts and inherent handicaps.

Let us be honest in admitting that our land is a land of peasants. A majority of the citizens in Lamka do not have stable jobs and still rely on the land for subsistence. This speaks a lot about our economy and standard of living. We cannot expect a radical transformation if we ignore the grass-root level. Connected to this is the poor state of education. With barely any scope for higher education, the young and educated leave Manipur for other places to pursue further studies resulting in a severe brain-drain. This scenario can change only when awareness reaches a certain level among people equally in order to mobilize power and channelise it in progressive direction to demand better educational facilities.

An effective mode of modernization needs to be utilized to bring that awareness, and modernization means the need to focus on changes in outlook & perspectives of traditional notions, since all revolutions and changes are first conceived in the minds of people, and actions come through the power of the mind. Very often we mistake modernization as only a cosmopolitan change and secular-cultural shift and assume that modernity is achieved by speaking the English language or utilizing the latest gadget and following the trends in fashion. That is a very narrow and static viewpoint, because that is merely westernization, and not modernization which we’re aiming at.

Our geographical isolation in the map of India cannot be changed, so it is entirely upon us to remove the cultural and racial isolation we face by letting down our defenses and barriers amongst people of other racial, linguistic and religious groups. Most North-East people are stereotyped as reserved, introverted and religious; while, on the contrary, it can go to another extreme belief that they are undignified and immoral.  We can’t change people’s mindsets, but we can definitely change their impression of us. So we need to strike a fine balance in our characters: just reserved enough to be dignified and reasonably loud to make ourselves heard and considered in society.

The biggest and sole agents of change in this regard are the youth. They are the ones who have to meet the expectations required to hope for a change. And in order to shoulder this immense responsibility the youth need the backing of a powerful support system, which can be met through proper education and upbringing. It’s true that finances and education go together. A good education does not necessarily have to involve big money, but financial stability helps in the long run. Our economic condition can be considered under-developed when compared to current urban standards, but there is ample room for improvement which is evident in the rise of living standards in the recent years. Therefore much of the finances used to “improve” individual conditions can be utilised for improving levels of education.

The dynamism needed in this regard can be found in the efforts of organizations like the Siamsinpawlpi (SSPP) and the Young Paite Association (YPA). These organizations should deviate from their identities as cultural organizations and be a link to other political organizations like the All Tribal Student Union, Manipur (ATSUM) which is compelled to fight for the rights of minorities, All Manipur Students Union (AMSU), Manipur Students Federation (MSF). These bodies should strive to be a platform for voicing the opinions of the youth and provide welfare to students who do not have the means to afford better education and also demand increase in better facilities and improvement in the quality of education in Manipur. Both the SSPP and the YPA need to ensure a kind of a collectivism and solidarity required among the Zomis to gain the momentum and recognition needed as a community.

Since actions speak louder than words, we need to supplement our concerns with appropriate decisions. The biggest and simplest ways to develop our community is through basic kindness and a sense of commitment towards one another. If we work towards helping each other to lead successful and developed lives, then community development will manage itself. Success does not imply only academic achievements or promotion to well-paying jobs. We must liberalise our outlooks to view success holistically and approach a kind of success which consists of not just the economic well-being, but also the physical as well as mental well-being of individuals.

There is a subtle but surely prevalent existence of competition within our community against one another. If we try to outdo each other in petty aspects then the fragile community bonds will be pulled apart and will become a distant dream. It is solely in our hands to initiate an egalitarian structure of community, for the state and society cannot do much apart from voicing concerns and create a few laws on paper.

The elite minority of our community need to direct their power and influence for community development and should not misuse their privileged status to promote elitism. We need to step out of our comfort –zones to strive to manifest a culture which we can be proud of and known for, and not continue to live in isolation, as a reference to a mere geographical location on the map.

Ultimately the greatest challenge we face is to bring about a transformation within our culture. We need to break away from common misconceptions and stereotypes. We must emerge from our shells and leave a mark on society. We should not allow ourselves to be known for being submissive, or for our dress and food habits, or for our social standards.

Rather, let us be known for our faith, our beliefs, our diligence and our integrity as a community, which is, our true identity as Zomis.

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