[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hat actually is a Cross Cultural Communication? And what it has to do with us (Human). Every countries, cities, state, tribes, communities etc, has their own customs and cultures, ways of communicating, both verbal and non-verbal etc. and these are what binds them together, helps them live in harmony with each other. If any individual, be it from their own tribe or from another Tribe, Countries, state, etc. try to alter their Culture or Custom, that individual will face the wrath of his own tribe or the tribe. Cross Cultural Communication is about adapting and practicing the Culture and Custom of those Countries or Cities or Tribe, that you are associated with, so that you can win the trust of the your fellow students, if you are studying or colleagues, if you are working and also the people, thus live peacefully and in harmony with the citizen of those Cities, town, village, Countries, etc. you are living in. it is not easy to fully practice and unknown Culture and Custom, but it’s possible, and you must adapt their Culture and Custom, especially if you are planning to be in that City or Country for a good number of years peacefully without being discriminated, ridiculed, despise, etc.We cannot change the culture and the custom of another tribe, but it can be adapted. When the American Missionary came to Nagaland for the first time, they did not teach us “The Nagas”, to abandon our Culture and Custom and adapt their own; instead they allowed us to practice our own Culture and Custom. In fact, they too started to learn our Culture and Customs and that is how they won the trust of the people, which is how Christianity as a religion was spread and flourished in Nagaland. What will have happen, if we were forced to abandon our Culture and Custom and adapt theirs? They might have been killed! And we might still be uncivilized, practicing the same old religion of our Fore-Fathers. Fortunately the missionaries were well educated and they know and knew from history the consequences, if ever they forced to adapt a foreign Culture and Custom. Yes it’s a fact that in the course of time when Nagas accepted Christianity, the missionaries did encouraged the converts to stop practicing certain customary Practices, as it was totally against their new found faith. The result was, some of our customary practices became extinct but 90% of our Culture and Custom remained intact, which we even practice today! The Missionaries were exceptionally well verse with Cross Cultural Communication, and because of that they fulfill the vision to Christianized the Nagas.
Recently we are hearing numbers of disturbing news from the capital of India, about crime committed against the northeast people. Crimes committed are mostly racially motivated and partly hate crimes and rape. The question that I ask myself is, ‘is it entirely their fault or partially their fault’? And can it be stopped, if not, can it be avoided? In my opinion it can’t be stopped, but can be avoided to a certain extent, if we have knowledge about Cross Cultural Communication and put it into practice. Unfortunately the Northeast people have little or no Knowledge about Cross Cultural Communication.
I have spent most of my productive years, studying and working in some of the metropolitan cities of India. During my stay I have come across lots of students and job holders of both sexes from the Northeast. The ways they live in the Cities are similar to that of their own homeland. They live like as if they are living in their own court yard back home, without giving a thought about the Culture and Custom of the local people of the cities they are studying or living in. especially The girls, unlike the local girls who dress modestly, the Northeast girls, they dress exposing portion of their body, which definitely is like inviting trouble, because the local guys used to tease them and the local people don’t approved such dressing. The NE boys, they have this superiority complex, live and breathe the same. This kind of life style is uncalled for, for the local feels like their culture and custom are being invaded, and this provoked them to the extent of not just discrimination but killing and raping. If we dig deeper into this persisting crime committed against the Northeast people, it is not 100% their fault, we too contribute to this kind of crime, because of our life style, our attitude, our lack of knowledge and our lack of sensitivity towards their Culture and Custom.
The only way to avoid and stopped such crimes committed, ridicule, discrimination, etc. towards the Northeast people is to organize awareness programmed in “Cross Cultural Communication”, and also educate them on the importance of CCC. It must be initiated by the Govt. of Nagaland or by NGOs in colleges, before they Graduate, so that after Graduation if they decided to study or work in the Cities, Then they will have nothing much to be worried about, because they are aware of what and how they need to live, so that they can study or work peacefully and live in harmony with the citizen of those cities they live in.
As tourist will be visiting Nagaland to witness the Horn Bill festival, therefore it is our duty to make them comfortable. Most of them have no knowledge about our Culture and Custom, so if when try to follow our custom but in the process if they commit some silly mistake we must not laugh and embarrassed them, just let them try, there is no harm in that. That is exactly the way, how another individual learned the Culture and Custom of the Country, State, Cities, Tribes, etc. he or she is living.
Written by:
Toshi Jamir Middle PWD Kohima.
