By Toki Blah
The other day a friend who considers himself and who is socially recognised as a champion of tradition dropped by. We got talking and eventually ended up arguing as to “what exactly is tradition, its role and how does one define it?”. Google defines it as “the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation, or the fact of being passed on in this way”. With a gesture of contemptuous disdain, my companion pressed on with his argument that its exactly what the people of Meghalaya have neglected. “We have ignored our past, bartered away our tradition” he said. He vehemently expressed his apprehension that if we don’t wake up, if the trend to ape others continues unabated, we would soon lose all aspects of our indigenous character. “Then what will become of our children?” he asked, “They will be condemned to be hewers of wood and drawers of water?” he asserted with all the gloomy authority at his command.
Now these are the sort of arguments and groundless apprehensions one finds difficult to accept or be reconciled to. They are illogical and absurd in what they state yet sound so patriotic and farsighted to the gullible and the unwary. Actually its the other way round. Had the Hynniewtrep and Achik people refused to go along with the changes of time and history; had they remained blindly loyal and steadfast to obsolete practices and habits of yore, today most of us would be exactly what my friend that day had prophesised – simply hewers of wood and drawers of water, menials in the domestic service of others! Fortunately we allowed change to overtake certain outmoded aspects of our tradition. Our forefathers dragged a plough across their paddy fields. Today, in business or in service we are more comfortable dragging a computer mouse. Many of us have accepted a different faith yet we still remain staunch Khasis and Garos. My forefathers walked half naked. I’m fine with jeans, a jacket or a suit and tie. My ancestors walked to wherever they wanted to go, they had no other option. Nowdays we either drive or fly. Its easier and faster. This in no way implies that the tradition and culture of the Khasis and Garos have been abused or discarded. It simply shows the need to adapt with time. Outdated practices must give way to modernity. Its either that or perish!
The most worrisome question before indigenous people is the status we allocate to tradition – where do we place it? Is it something that simply cannot change? Is tradition rigid and inflexible? If this view is taken then change will always be seen as a threat to tradition; a menace and a challenge to our indigenous beliefs, practices and identity. The fear of upsetting tradition will always prevent us from moving forward. Sadly its what we have been doing for the last 30 years. In reality, whether we like it or not, change is always happening. Paradoxically only change remains constant everything else changes. Even life has to yield to change. Only inanimate objects like stones are impervious to change. So by this logic, we in Meghalaya, ably aided by so called leaders, have consistently been identifying tradition with something lifeless that should remain insensitive to change! Its most worrisome to note how visionless and puny minds; ignorant minds driven more by opportunistic self interest and vote bank politics rather than any vision of leadership, have time and again dragged back our people from embracing change that could have established a better life for us all. Upholders of unreasonable tradition is limited to a few vested interests, but these few, in the name of tradition have caused irreparable harm to the development of the state and its people. The worst victim of such stupidity has been our system of traditional governance (ka synshar khaddar tynrai). It has been suppressed and forestalled from making itself relevant and pertinent to the demands and needs of our times to an extent that it might now, unless checked, even pose a danger to ourselves.
Let us take the governance and management of Iewduh as an example. Iewduh is a traditional market. In fact one of the largest traditional markets in Asia. It is managed and administered by the Dorbar of the Syiem of Mylliem which in turn is traditionally composed of elders from some elitist clans of the Hima. Today a question needs to be answered – whose interest does Iewduh serve. The interest of the Dorbar Hima or the interest of u khun u hajar (the common citizen)? Iewduh is one of the direst and filthiest places in Meghalaya, yet continues to serve as the main market from where all of us derive our food, meat, vegetables, fish and other consumables. Hygiene and cleanliness are nowhere to be found and when it rains the slush is worse than a paddy field. Pickpockets and petty thieves have a free run of the place and by dusk the whole market shuts down because by then it becomes the most dangerous place in town. Meanwhile 21st century non traditional markets in Laban, Rynjah, Umpling and Jail Road do a roaring business till late in the evening. Security in this traditional public place is something the Syiem and his dorbar have failed to provide. Its a bloody disgrace!
Its a crying shame and we put up with it simply because, we think it is improper to question tradition. What poppycock! Control of Iewduh serves the interest of the Syiem and a few of his mytris. In return however the service provided to u ‘khun u hajar’ who depend on Iewduh for their everyday needs falls way below expectations. Iewduh is basically a woman’s market, manned by women and frequented mostly by women commuters. The place however remains one of the most gender unfriendly, hostile and dangerous spots on planet Earth. Its overcrowded, unhygienic, lacking sanitation and public amenities, lacks complete security where women are pushed, pinched, robbed, pawed at and molested everyday. The Syiem and his all male Dorbar will continue to remain indifferent and uncaring to such issues. Talk to women; ask them; empathise with them and the horrible truth will come pouring out. A gender related study on this aspect by an authority such as the State Commission for Women would reveal the atrocious scandal people are forced to bear in Iewduh, all in the name of Tradition. Here is where tradition needs to be questioned. If tradition is unwilling or unable to keep up with the times; if its profile continues to be anti people, antidevelopment , anti progress; if it is unable to orient itself towards better public service then is it still relevant to the needs of the times? The time to speak out has come and educated women together with women organisations of Meghalaya, who realise the discrimination they face in the name of tradition, need to speak out.
As we speak of tradition one cannot overlook the fact that tradition is being overwhelmed by eroding aspects of modern life. Of alarm is the fact that governance in our durbar system has deteriorated more towards attainment of political power and pecuniary assets than genuine service to the people. One hastens to add that not every dorbar and its office bearers have yielded to this temptation but the downward slide appear universal and unstoppable. There are emerging horror stories from certain durbars in the suburbs of Shillong that the traditional office of the Rangbah Shnong and the Semg Samla Shnong are being used for extortion and to forcefully extract money from contractors involved in construction work within the jurisdiction of such dorbar. Contractors are forced to purchase material, sand, rods, boulders, chips and cement only from agents approved of by the dorbar authorities. Those who refuse to comply are harassed and bullied. Is this a legal activity for any dorbar? The traditional service profile of the dorbar system has been overtaken by muscle and greed of the mafia. If not curbed immediately, it might not be long before such durbars become active participants in more serious criminal activities such as the lucrative supply of drugs etc. After all if money starts dictating the role of tradition, it can lead anywhere. Its frighteningly possible yet people are afraid to speak out since it is carried out in the name of tradition. In contrast a simple suggestion to empower women in dorbar affairs and to empower the dorbar system with direct elections is sure to cause a general uproar. Ladies and gentlemen, let us admit a home truth that can no longer be hidden. We are a gullible society and in the name of tradition, been barred and hampered from taking positive decisions aimed at improving our welfare and wellbeing. For how much longer will we allow ourselves to be held hostage by Tradition?