‘We must represent God’s love for humanity always’

Kohima, Dec. 8 (EMN): ‘Let us hope that there is a sense of renewed hope and comfort in every person and in every home during this joyous Christmas season,’ said KD Vizo, commissioner-secretary for IT&C speaking at the pre-Christmas and book-release programme as its chief guest at the Don Bosco College in Kohima on Dec. 8.

While pointing out advent Christmas to be a time to prepare spiritually for the celebration of the birth of Saviour Jesus Christ, Vizo observed that the Christmas season has a different meaning for different people. However, he asserted that for Christians, the birth of Jesus Christ is the fulfilment of age-old prophecies and the reaffirmation of God’s great love for humanity. ‘It is a generous gift of our heavenly Father and through his beloved son we all know that hope and compassion entered our world,’ he said.

Also noting that normally people tend to celebrate Christmas with lot of feasting, he said that Christmas must be experienced in the heart and should be represented throughout the year. This is to ensure that faith overcomes doubt; hope conquers despair and love triumphs over hate.

The officer called upon all to resolve to honour the spirit of Christmas and strive to keep it throughout the year and hope that ‘prudence, wisdom and understanding’ might descend on all of us. That way, he said, in the years ahead ‘we may fully realize the wonderful dream glory to God in the highest and on earth peace; goodwill toward men.’

Nagaland being a Christian state, Vizo opined further, ‘If we celebrate pre-Christmas in a meaningful way, together we can prove to that this world can be a better place to live with happiness.’ He said that the spirit of Christmas spreads the message of happiness, love and peace to each and every home.’

During the programme, the college released a magazine ‘Promethian’ while the Bosco Music Club performed the Christmas Cantata.

Easterine Kire releases novella
Easterine Kire’s new novella titled ‘Don’t run my love’ published by Speaking Tiger was released at a pre-Christmas at the Don Bosco College in Kohima on Dec. 8.

Giving a brief look into her new book, Kire said that its story was based on a Mizo folktale which her mother narrated. ‘Don’t run my love,’ she said, is a story of a young man who follows a certain tradition in the Mizo society ‘Tekhumevi’ (tiger man or way of tiger); a belief of a young man who looks for power by becoming a ‘dual soul’ with the tiger.

Kire has dedicated her new book to young readers and former students.

The new novella is about a young lady Atuonuo who lives with her widowed mother in Kija, an ancient village of the Angami. Their peace is shattered when Kevi, a young hunter, lithe and possessing ‘animal magnetism’ and better looking than any other man in the village, comes to them at harvest time.

Kevi falls in love with Atuonuo and proposes marriage to her. When the she turns him down unsure of her heart, Kevi angered by the rejection, viciously turns and reveals a side of him that neither mother nor daughter could have imagined in their worst nightmare.

Easterine Kire is a well known poet, novelist, short-story writer and writer of children’s book. Her first novel ‘A Naga village remembered’ was also the first Naga novel to be published in English. Her other novels include Son of the Thundercloud and Bitter Wormwood. Her book ‘When the River Sleeps’ was the winners of the Hindu Prize for 2015.

Kire’s work has been translated into German, Croatian Uzbek, Norwegian and Nepali. In 2011 she was awarded the Governor’s Medal for Excellence in Naga literature.