Transition of Nagas From Hard Working Culture to a Dependent Economy

Nagas are good in spending huge sums of money lavishly and little known about the knowledge of conserving, preserving and progressing Economy. Due to lack of good Economic knowledge and wanting to spend heavily on sky rocketed commodities , many people have jump into bankruptcy; from riches to rags, from zenith life to pauperise condition and finally landing in the search for easy money or easy means of livelihood by accumulating capitals by ways of unfair means. Interestingly, Nagaland state is not the producing state but a consuming state and hence our economy is draining away daily to outside Nagaland.

The Nagas famously known by outsiders as hard working tribes since time immemorial has today lost its importance. The Nagas have transformed to a dependent culture and today the term ‘hard working Nagas’ have no more meaningful tag to exist by its name. Nagas were known for truthfulness, simplicity, purity, courageous and the most valuable being a hard working people. But unfortunately, today nagas is a laze naga who prefer easy economy instead of earning money through sweat, pain and tears for livelihood and we often opt or incline towards easy means of livelihood for prestige and status issue. Our great grandparents during early days had strived hard with their honest and truthful attitude for the survival of their families and existence. Though skirmish battle took place to protect their boundaries from the invading enemies and sometimes in order to extend their territories for survival, they waged war and involved in ‘Red Tapism’ otherwise they were hard working and lived on an independent economy. But now sadly, Nagas have become too lazy and greed for easy money and dependent economy is becoming our own culture in Naga liberal society. Hence in order to protect our fizzle economy we must work hard irrespective of profession, work etc.

As far as our Nagas mindset and mentality is concerned, we yearn for easy cash and easy flow of economy. It’s true that we don’t have huge industries like other advance states in India but we should keep on pondering and ask ourselves by building our own industries through our own initiatives. If we invent something new which is adaptable and vital to Nagas way of life and livelihood then it can also be a means of small industry which will provide job opportunity to thousands. But ironically, the problem is, currently with over 70 thousand Naga educated unemployed youth spreading all over Nagaland, we tend to opt for finding and getting ‘white collared job’ only. In such a stagnated economy of state even the professional farmers don’t bother to do farming in the rural areas. Moreover our land is very fertile and if the farmers do extensive farming then it can at least consume the state populace with reasonable price or even can export to other states thus saving our economy for building an economic rich state. But unfortunately, today they (farmers) mostly depend on governmental schemes for their survival. Our economy has been looting away by outsiders making us more difficult to survive with the price rise in essential commodities. We the Nagas can pay any amount without second thought for what we wants and this trend needs to be check.

Our beautiful Nagaland state is the creation of God which transformed from animistic religion to Christianity. By virtue of being Christ believers we are blessed with physical as well as in spiritual entity with rich natural resources, awesome flora and fauna all over Nagaland. Many Naga leaders both over ground and underground had died as martyrs protecting our supreme nation. Nagas are not destined to be ruled by others but by ourselves choosing and selecting our own path. If Nagas want to succeed as an independent nation, we must first work hard and become economically self sufficient and independent economy. Our state must be the producing state instead of consuming state in order to flourish our economy to a pristine glory and to live as an independent nation with independent economy.

Nagaland is witnessing on a large scale influx of immigrants and the flooding of plain people to our state. Despite having the policy of Inner Line Permit (ILP) the non Nagas traders control huge economy in our own soil and becoming ourselves an employee of the mainland Indians and non locals as an employers in business establishment. This could probably be checked only if we venture out something new and become adaptable to it by starting our own business venture and at the same time employing non locals(if necessary). Let Nagas also build a vibrant economy by taking up the construction work of a building which were being done mainly by the non local workers. This could provide job opportunity to our Naga educated unemployed youth and also preventing further damage from being draining of our wealth outside state. We need to protect and preserve our economy in order to become an independent economy through hardworking and dedication. I’m not against non locals or plainsmen but these are my concerns for a sick and stagnated Naga society at present scenario. In every nook and corner of our state Nagas are less visibility in terms of doing business by mainly confining the younger generation indoors and hunting for government job only.

To sum up; if nagas want to become a self sufficient economy and self reliant for sustainable livelihood then we should take up the job with dignity and integrity. Our dreams should not only be limited of buying a plot of land and building a palatial building on it but building a vibrant nation state is vital point for our peaceful existence on earth without fear and segregation from the rest of the world and by giving the best quality of education, health, waiver loan, schemes, policies, good sports facilities etc in order to match other industrialised nations in the world in terms of infrastructure and quality living.

Yarangchang Imchen
Lirmen Village