Rev. E.W. Clark, the first American missionary to set foot on the hills of the Nagas, reached Molungkimong (an Ao village) in the early 1870s and established the first church here in the Naga hills on 22nd December 1872. He worked in high earnest and against overwhelming odds and it was through him that the Ao people became the first amongst the Nagas who came to know and accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. Similarly, Rev. C.D. King, the first American missionary to set foot on the lands of the Angamis, also reached Kohima on 25th February 1881 and it was none other than him who gave baptism to the first four converts amongst the Angamis in the year 1885. (These first four converts amongst the Angamis were Lhousietsü, Lhouselie, Sieliezhü and Zierietsü). Thus, it was with the arrival of these two missionaries to the lands of the Nagas and the subsequent conversions and baptisms initiated by them that the gospel of Jesus Christ took a deep-rooted foothold in the hitherto secluded and barbaric hills of the Nagas. Slowly but steadily, this message of love, peace and hope would go on to engulf the whole hills inhabited by the Nagas here in South-East Asia. Indeed, if we take a look at the manner in which this gospel of Jesus Christ implanted by the American missionaries went on to conquer the hearts and minds of the Nagas, we certainly cannot fail to see the hand of God at work here in our land and amongst our forefathers.
I wonder how exactly missionaries like Clark and King first shared the message of Christmas to our forefathers or how exactly they celebrated their first Christmas here in the Naga lands during those early years. However, as the years progressed and more and more Nagas became children of the true living God in the new kingdom of God, I am sure that the celebration of Christmas here in the so-called hills of the head-hunting Nagas got warmer and warmer.
I have also heard and read about those Naga patriots who celebrated Christmas far away from home in the deep jungles of Burma and China during the Indo-Naga conflict years in the 1960s and 1970s. It is said that these Naga heroes walked on foot all the way to China to beg for arms and ammunitions to safeguard their national rights and freedom against Indian aggression. Many of these Naga patriots never saw home again as they perished in unknown lands and unknown territories. And during Christmas times, as they were trapped deep inside unknown jungles, they would listen to Christmas songs in their radios with tear-glistened eyes and empty stomachs and think about warm food and warm kitchen-fires at home.
During my childhood years (early 1980s), Christmas cards were an indispensable part during Christmas season. All kids of my age would go out with their parents or elders to buy Christmas cards and give to their friends and classmates. One noticeable feature of Christmas season during those years here in the place where I grew up was that as Christmas approaches, all mothers would get busy knitting sweaters for their kids. Thus, all kids (including myself) would usually get one hand-knitted sweater every Christmas knitted by their mothers. During my childhood years, Christmas cards were usually given alone without any other attached items. However, as of now, a trend seems to have developed where Christmas cards and cakes are usually given together to loved ones.
And from the earliest of times that I can remember, the songs of Jim Reeves and the Boney-M have always been a part of Christmas celebration here in Nagaland. Songs like ‘Silver Bell’, ‘An old Christmas card’, ‘Feliz Nevida’, ‘Mary’s Boy Child’ etc and etc have always been inseparable with Naga Christmas for the last many years and it seems like this will not change even in the coming years.
I belong to the Huruotsu clan of L. Khel, Kohima village and for the people of our clan, Christmas and New Years have always been special because of the get-together which we always have at the Rev. Siliezhü compound (Siliezhü Kitiezha) situated in the premises of the Khedi Baptist school here in L. Khel, Kohima village. During these get-togethers, Christmas and New Year feasts are held and programs are also held where the elders often share their thoughts and concerns. Variety Shows are also held in the evenings where any member can present any item of his/her choice. During the earlier times when television was present only in few homes, movies were also shown in the evenings during our Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Despite the chilling cold that usually engulfs Kohima during the Christmas season; the month of December has always been a warm season in certain ways. This is so because the month of December also happens to be a wedding season. Usually, many weddings are lined up during this month and we keep ourselves warm by attending one delicious and extravagant wedding feast after the other. With the Hornbill festival now a permanent feature of our calendar year, the month of December has indeed become not only the month of Christmas and weddings but also of culture, music, parties, festivity, and glamour. And yes, it is now the Hornbill festival that heralds in the onset of the Christmas season here in our beloved land.
Thus, with all these colorful programs and events decorating the month of Christmas, a debatable issue that really rears its head up would be this – ‘With all these hula-bullas around, can Christmas still find its real and meaningful celebration here in our lands?’
It is often said that Nagaland is a Christian state and almost all Naga families are Christian families. If this is so, then Christmas is undoubtedly one of our biggest and most important days in our calendar year because Christmas is considered and celebrated as the birthday of Jesus Christ, our lord and savior. And I believe there is nothing wrong in celebrating Christmas with money in our pockets, delicious foods in our tables, colorful lights and stars in our houses and compounds and all sorts of captivating and appealing items crowding our shops and markets. And it is this Christmas gusto in our land which makes me realize how lucky and fortunate the Nagas have become. We are lucky and fortunate because our land is no longer a war-torn country, we are lucky because none of us is so poor as to be unable to put food in our dining tables (In fact, some amongst us are so rich that they can live out the rest of their lives without working again for a single day), we are lucky and fortunate because we are well connected to the outside world by means of which our markets and shops are crowded with all the goods and materials which we need and want, we are lucky because our land has become a land of opportunity where all can find the means for his livelihood and also find ways to contribute to the society…….
However, the fact still remains that Christmas in itself does not need any of these to find its true meaning and essence. Christmas can always be celebrated meaningfully and unforgettably by anyone and anywhere with whatever resources they have - even in the lands where there are no cakes to be eaten, where there are no cards to be bought and given, where there are no churches to be attended, where there are no sermons to be said or heard, where there are no shops to go to…….
