By Lalramchhani*
This question seems a bit awkward or even may be considered something which should never be asked. But, in the last ten years of my association with various Mizo tribes both inside and outside Mizoram, I've seen people using the term 'Mizo' in their own context. I also found that each Mizo dialects played a great role in shaping the tribes' outlook towards socio-economic and political life.
The most important factor that identifies the unity and bond of the Mizo tribes lies in respecting each other's dialects. For a Mizo speaking Duhlian, he has to make sure that others around him do not feel threatened. For a Mizo speaking Hmar, he has to see that others are comfortable using or conversing in other dialects. But, how can we reach this level of understanding each others is a big question now.
We must ask ourselves these ten questions as a Mizo:-
- Do I consider myself a Mizo just because I was born in Mizoram?
- Am I a non-Mizo if I'm a speaker of Hmar, Paite, Kuki, Gangte, Lai, etc?
- Should all Mizo tribes speak in the same language?
- Am I a Mizo just because I speak in Duhlian dialect?
- Do I have the guts to say I'm a Mizo?
- Am I courageous enough to accept non-Duhlian speakers as Mizos?
- What do I have in common with people speaking in different Mizo dialects?
- What should I say if someone tells me to speak in 'Mizo trawng'?
- Are Mizos in Mizoram 'real Mizos' and others 'second class Mizos'?
- Am I adaptable and ready to accept the truth that there are many Mizo tribes, not just one Lushai/Lusei tribe?
*Lalramchhani is a social activist.
The Luseis should know that other dialects are also Mizo language. Until that is accepted there can never be a true Mizo Nation
ReplyDeleteif there is one thing which come in the way of people willing to identify themselves as Mizo, it is the double standard of the lusei. they never hesitate to name someone a 'Mizo Pa', Mizo nu' when it suits their interest; otherwise, you are a 'Hmar raltlan', 'north ho'....the list goes on. Secondly, the lusei are too chauvinistic specially with regards to their language to leave room for others to nurture their own. Its time they open up to new realities.
ReplyDeletethey should know that they are just a single letter in the word Mizo, not the whole word!
Congrats to Lalramchhani for her write-up and the Qs(Posers!) raised therein.
ReplyDeleteIn exercise of freedom of speech in view of (her phrase)so used-'a process...in its infancy'.I accept, hope everyone, that chin-kuki-mizo...et al are from one common stock(descendant); then all the tribes and sub-tribes(clans) from this common stock must be all equal, AND to respect themselves equally each other of everything(be it culture, dialect/language and others ) for the UNITY.
Ms Chhani, your Qs 're relevant for us who hailed from the said stock!!!???. My (self/personal) replies to your 10 Qs are herein below:
Q.Nos. 1 to 4 : Emphatic NO.
Q.Nos. 5 & 6: Surely YES.
Q.No.7:FEELING OF ONENESS for being desendants from one STOCK.
Q.No.8:Not Applicable(N.A.) as doesn't arise.
Q.Nos. 9 & 10: Emphatic YES.
LAL,SK,Shillong.
Lal,SK,Shillong/Anonymous's reply of Q.No. 9 'must be read as' "EMPHATIC NO" shouldn't be clubbed together/jointly.
ReplyDeleteIts awesomely depressing to see articles like this popping up the net now and then. Instead of raising awareness and solutions, they mostly ended up like oil thrown at a wild fire raging for decades .
ReplyDelete@ JOY KHAWZAWL : i would like to know your definition of Lusei . Listen just because i inherent my dads title (hauhnar/Lusei) i dont consider myself more of a Mizo than my cousins (aunt's sons) who are Hmar . But yes i do consider myself a much better Mizo than those Hmar etc who refuse to call themselves Mizo . Its a free world , be whatever you want, be a hmar , a paihte ,kuki whatever makes you happy . Just dont forget ''When in Rome you do as the Romans do''
* inherent should be Inherit .. sorry typos
ReplyDelete@above: You are stupid if you think that you can be whoever you want. You can be mizo but will not be a bengali even if u call urself as one. We have our identity by birth. When in Rome do as the Romans, but do not be a Roman even if you are in Rome.
ReplyDeletewell i dont want to be a bengali for that matter and regardless of what you've wrote I'm and will always be a proud Mizo between birth and Death . No ones forcing anyone. If youre not happy staying under the mizo umbrella its a personal choice mate . Life isnt perfect, accept it. After all we are all just human beings on planet earth .
ReplyDeleteI would like to be able to speak Mizo
ReplyDeleteA thra ka ti lutuk...lusei,hmar,paite,lai,mara,biate,kuki,simte,gangte,hrangkhol,vaiphei.etc...are all mizo...lusei are not real mizo they are just the many sub-tribes of mizo...
ReplyDelete