By Cassandra Syiemlieh
In an age where there is so much oppression, threats, cold and callous cruelty, sexual exploitation, rapes, horrifying murders committed only against women folk alone it unconsciously makes any woman lose faith in her own customs and traditions, no matter how menfolk blow their own trumpets to kingdom come. Practice what you preach! Sad to say, it is never absorbed. In their day-to-day life, women don’t see that traditional values are perpetuated. Therefore how can a woman believe in values that are not concrete? Her five senses crave for them. Nothing happens but rather the reverse that can even invite a Divine Intervention on the Jaitbynriew. Woman, take heart! God does not make you in vain. The bitter truth is that man cannot live without a woman.
How inspiring it is when world famous song-writers display in their songs the poetical and ethereal colours of a woman and how a man’s jaw drops in looking at such ladies of character. The recent Noble Prize winner Bob Dylan wrote a song entitled “She Belongs To Me”, where one verse is sufficient to be quoted.
She wears an Egyptian ring
That sparkles before she speaks
She wears an Egyptian ring
That sparkles before she speaks
She’s a hypnotist collector,
You are a walking antique.
Who says that human beings are perfect in every way? Men have their own defects, women too. Peter Sarstedt released the song in 1969, entitled “Where Do You Go to, My Lovely”.
The song seems to cast a picture of a woman’s desperate struggle for security in whatever way that is possible. Here are a few selected stanzas.
You go to the Embassy parties
When you talk in Russian and Greek
All the young men who move in your circle
They hang on ever word you speak! Yes they do.
I’ve seen all you qualifications
You got from the Sorbonne,
And the paintings you stole from Picasso,
Your loveliness goes on and on, yes it does.
They say that when you get married
It will be to a millionaire,
But they don’t realise where you come from
And I wonder if they really care or give a damn!
The question arises: Who is to blame? A woman’s wiles or a man’s lust and short-sightedness? One can recall the historical, beautiful and exquisite Cleopatra of Egypt. During her reign, the Roman Empire turned upside down, on account of her charm, beauty and brains, in preserving and expanding her own kingdom. Man should understand that is also part of what womanhood is made of -an intense and innate Patriotism!
Billy Joel sings with affection and understanding certain aspects in a woman’s personality. In the song entitled “She’s Always A Woman To Me”, his voice carries the words:
And she only reveals what she wants you to see
She hides like a child,
But she’s only a woman to me.
In the second verse he says:
Yeah, she steals like a thief
But she’s always a woman to me.
However in the third verse, Billy Joel sings emotionally:
But she’ll bring out the best
And the worst you can be
Blame it all on yourself
Cause she’s always a woman to me.
Most important is the chorus, with the following words:-
Oh, she takes care of herself
She can wait if she wants
She’s ahead of her time
Oh, and she never gives out
And she never gives in
She just changes her mind.
If famous singers – songwriters, sing so wholeheartedly with an understanding of a woman’s plus and minus points, why not menfolk of Meghalaya sing together on a Woman’s Day?
As a lady citizen of Meghalaya, I feel happy to see that a large section of society at least still take an interest in the innumerable compositions of Khasi, Pnar and Garo songwriters who praise the precious qualities of womanhood. For example – the compositions of Bah Beriwell Kyndiah, Bah Brektis Wanswet, Skendrowel Syiemlieh and his family, Kong Listrimai Syiemlieh and many other song-writers.
In a nutshell I’ll only refer to some of their poetic symbols on woman. To them, a woman is a “Tiew Lamationg” – a symbol of modesty and humility; “Tiew Lily” – a picture of chastity and purity of heart; “Tiew Kulab Saw” – a picture of the glowing beauty of woman and many others. I am not well-versed in Garo songs, hence I am unable to quote them. It is a fact that a native song touches double on a native.
In spite of songwriters showing the path to respect women one loses hope when life shows otherwise. Today, why is man so cruel and hard-hearted towards the female species of his own kind? In a Khasi and Pnar society, is there no more joy in rejoicing the birth of a female infant in a family, when she is so soon being mauled and raped? Who cares for the mother, previously respected as the “Lukhimai” of the hearth and home, when she is brutally raped, murdered and discarded as a piece of junk? Where is man’s conscience? Where are the knights of tradition? Nowhere and nothing! Is it because victims of the “bloodiest of bloodiest” happen to be women only? A friend remarks “Silence reigns where cowards live!” Customs and traditions are not gently “Blowin’ in the Wind”, but ignominiously thrashed by a Satanic hurricane. Only it is good to remember that a Woman is a Phoenix of fire- She rises again from the ashes!
(The author is former teacher of St Edmund’s College, Shillong)