Anda di halaman 1dari 4

Rani Gaidinliu As I Remember

September 2, 2015

Rev. Dr. A. G. Kamei.


A social activist
In light of the discussions on various social media forums and literature being written and published,
about and against Rani Gaidinliu, I am compelled to put my personal views on Rani Gaidinliu. It is
painful and indeed a pitiable situation to see, that many hurtful and wrong allegations have been
made about her. Sections of the Naga people are rejecting her and slurs are being hurled upon her
name at home, while she is being acknowledged and exalted, and accolades of her contributions as
a Naga lady freedom fighter are being given nation-wide. I am quite appalled at the sight of the
present Naga society. I never imagined that the Nagas would stoop so low and become as blind as
many of us are today.
Living witness to Rani Gaidinlius life activities
I have been in close association with Rani Gaidinliu since she was given a residence at Agri Colony,
Kohima where she lived till her death on 17th February 1993. In my long years of association with
her, I as a woman came to know her mind, interests and her ideas as a visionary leader. I believe
and hope that my statements about her would clear the air of doubts, resentful allegations and spirit
of denial and rejection hovering over the Naga society.
I believed, and continue to believe, that she bore a rare leadership personality uncommon among
her contemporaries. This could most probably be the reason why so many misgivings, rumors and
negative propaganda born of presumptions or assumptions based on later speculation of her has
been made, thus only serving to distort the Naga history. I used to be with her in her leisure time,
befriending her, talking and joking with her. She treated me as her niece. She would inspire me with
motivating and encouraging stories, examples and words of comfort. She once narrated to me about
A.Z. Phizos statement to her when she refused to join or go with him for a mainstream Naga
struggle. While Phizo came to Luangkaeu village, Tamenglong District, he told Gaidinliu to look after
the affairs at home while he would look up and go to the highest level. She told me that Phizo would
not see the day of Naga freedom. That he would not come back home as he goes to a far away
land.
I perceived that she possessed certain visionary powers to foresee the future. She strongly believed,
that one day the Nagas will rule and reign over their own land. She bore humility, and a smiling and
pleasant personality with a sober countenance. I would say she possessed a noble and royal heart
for humanity. Nehru might have felt and noticed those aspects of her personality, and made him think

of her as a Rani by virtue of her honorable royal personality; not by dynastic descent or heritage nor
by marital status.
Gaidinliu was not an anti-Christian
In all my association with her, she was never inclined to oppose Christianity. S. C. Dev in his book,
Nagaland the Untold Story, stated, She had no ill-will against the faith of Christianity or any other
faith. But she hated the overzealous converts to Christianity who had abandoned the rich cultural
heritage of the Nagas and blindly copied the cheap aspects of western life. She said in an admirable
simple manner: we are Nagas, we should live like Nagas. We have beautiful folklore, and folksongs,
colorful dress and culture. When I see these new converts copying the western way in a cheap
manner it pains me. This simply proved beyond doubt, that she was neither anti-Christian, nor antiNaga Nationalism. She envisioned reforming Naga indigenous faith while at the same time
respecting the Christian faith around her philosophy.
According to Kusumlata Nayyar, Rani Gaidinliu had no communal approach. Instead she was
devoted to all the religions. She once embraced Christianity and was baptized by one Ao gentleman,
Reverend Kijungliba but denounced later for reasons best known to her. She also bore a record of
paying tithe and offering, offered a buffalo for the Christmas feast when she was in Tamenglong
among the Christians. Faith/ religion is a personal matter and right safeguarded by the Constitution
of India. She did not attack the Christian faith but Christians in time past, wrongly opposed and
attacked her bitterly.
Rani Gaidinliu was not a witch or sorceress
S.C. Dev the then Deputy Commissioner Naga hills heard of the fear rending reputation of her as a
witch, sorceress, possessing superpowers, a bloodthirsty killer and so on and so forth, as someone
who could cast magic spells and had the power to do anything or destroy any one in her way. She
used to wear her trademark dark goggles and two wrist watches presented by Indira Gandhi and Y.
B. Chavan, the then Home Minister. She gave importance to, and lovingly preserved gifts of friends.
In regard to this trademark goggle she wore, one day the wife of Y. B. Chavan told Gaidinliu, Rani
people said that since you drink peoples blood too much you have become blind and that is why you
are wearing dark goggles. She proved that her eyesight was good and sharp by displaying before
leaders and threading a thread into the eye of the needle without any difficulty. On another occasion
when certain MPs in a party questioned her as to whether she drank human blood, she abruptly
stood up and promptly responded I am also a human being like you all. Can you imagine, drinking
the blood of other fellow beings? Human blood is pious to me as to anybody else. The MPs instantly
stood up and begged her pardon.

All these imaginary ideas of her, fears and propagations were addressed and refuted as totally
wrong by S.C. Dev at the spot and time of meeting her at her hideout in 1966. She was as
approachable as anybody else. On his arrival Rani asked Dev, Were you not afraid of coming to my
hide-out? S. C. Dev replied in a low voice, Well, yes, a bit scared no doubt, but I believed you and I
came to you as a son to his mother. The news reporter/writer Kelakini Sekhose said, The woman
round whom were woven all kinds of sensational tales of thirst of human blood, human sacrifice,
witchcraft, magic and supernatural power recently came to Kohima, the capital of Nagaland state.
He also stated that, the expedition to Rani hide-out was a fearful trip. In his word Sekhose stated, A
cold shudder ran through his spine- it was frightening. He was not so much afraid even when he
persuaded 300 armed hostiles to surrender in the Sema areas two years ago. The present fear was
casting shadows Ibid. Wrongly implicating her for what she was not is cruel and very unbecoming
in a professed Christian society. No proof could be established in respect of all allegations meted
against her. Such allegations and propagations are therefore clearly baseless.
Rani Gaidinlius contributions
and impact on Nagaland
Nagas failed to see and understand the perspective of Indian politics with respect to the Naga
political aspirations and struggles. To India, Naga Rani is counted as one great Naga contributor to
the Indian freedom struggle. Therefore India felt the indebtedness to the Nagas. What India could
possibly do for the Nagas, in acknowledgement and appreciation of that sacrifice and contribution
and to pay her tribute and honor by giving a special status which according to Nehru was to give a
large autonomy limit to the Nagas as per the written advise to Bisnu Medhi, the then Chief Minister
of Assam. All that India could do was to grant a state to the Nagas as per Indias decision in
principle. This was acted out in a written agreement culminating in the 16 Point Agreement through
and by means of convening a Naga Peoples Convention which was preplanned and masterminded
by India. This act also had two behind-the-scene objectives to end the Naga National insurgency
group and to include Nagas under Indian Union.
Opinions vary as to whether Rani Gaidinliu made any political contributions
towards the freedom movement of the Nagas. We tend to draw hypothetical conclusions from
whichever perspective we are looking from or whatever our own perspectives are. However the
historical fact is that, before the NNC movement picked up its momentum, the sense to liberate from
foreign invasion and the intrinsic desire to maintain our own unique socio-political-cultural identity
was already present in different pockets of the Naga nation. Such was the case of the Naga Raj

movement of Mazoduannang. Gaidinliu, influenced by this Naga Raj movement picked up the
political baton after the death of her cousin brother Mazoduannang popularly known as Joduannang.
Therefore, it would be historically bias if we fail to acknowledge the small NNCs and the little Phizos
that came along the way before NNC was actually formed. Nonetheless, it would be political
assassination if due credit is not given to the immense contribution of the NNC under the leadership
of A. Z. Phizo. To a large extent, this NNC movement became the political springboard to what we
are now.
Heraka which Gaidinliu introduced was a religious ideological concept applied as a political tool to
bring out and preserve the very Naganess, against two great forces of foreign invasion during that
historical context British invasion and Christianity which was seen as a foreign religion. Perhaps
Rani Gaidinliu understood a close relationship between the indigenous faith Nagas professed in
relation to our socio-cultural-political identities? And perhaps all these false allegations and
propaganda amounting to character assassination was thrown upon Gaidinliu then and even till
today, because many people have failed to understand this intrinsic relationship? In many cases it is
also due to sheer ignorance or misinformed understanding of who she was and what she was all
about. In my few years of association with Rani Gaidinliu I saw her as someone very down-to-earth,
passionate for preserving the Naga cultural identity, a woman who loved her people to the extent of
willing to die for the sovereignty of her people. Towards the end of her life she began to love
Christianity the religion she once considered foreign because for her the main agenda is not the
religion but about maintaining our historical identity.
The author is a devout Christian, social leader and activist. She was the Vice President of
Zeliangrong Peoples Convention.

Anda mungkin juga menyukai