Philosophical Being familiar with of Cultures and Festivals of North East India, Edited by Dr. Dominic Meyieho and Dr. Joseph Puthenpurackal, Shillong: Don Bosco Publications, DBCIC, 2015, ISBN 81-85408-00-57, pp. 136, Rs. 300.
Today’s fast changing and globalizing environment with its several and many challenges demands from us that we go deeper into knowing the many aspects of tradition. With this inspiration, Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous Cultures, Shillong, conducted a seminar entitled, “A Philosophical Knowing of Tradition and Festivals”. This ebook is a collection of the papers presented at the seminar. The cultures and festivals of North East India to endure will need to rediscover its religious and philosophical roots. The papers mirror the circumstance and society of the persons of the North East and seek out to highlight the indigenous lifestyle.
Thomas Menamparampil discusses the passage of culture to a focal place in human daily life. In the previous, tradition was not regarded quite influential but now we see how society influences the mindsets of communities, their social cohesion, inspiration for reaching certain targets and for adding purposefulness in all that is finished, other than actively playing a important job in economic growth. The author usually takes on a pastoral approach and discusses how cultures can be revived to satisfy the alterations wrought by modernization.
Tharsis Maria Arul Anthuvan affirms that a human man or woman is essentially cultural. A philosophy of society should to deal with the diverse thoughts or philosophies of authors who have acknowledged that the human person is fundamentally cultural and also have systematized or thematised a analyze of cultures and civilizations. Hence, he goes on to present the thought of a couple of philosophers over the ages who have philosophized on society.
Pleasure Kachappilly attempts ‘a Critical Understanding of Cultural Festival’ with emphasis on the Wangala of the Garos. Festival think good importance in people’s daily life in culture and form an integral aspect of society. The Wangala is a pageant of thanksgiving. The author narrates the manner of celebrating the festival typically and contrasts it with the latest circumstance.
Kezhangunuo Kelio methods the festivals of the Angami Naga tribe from a female standpoint. Angami festivals are usually agriculturally related. Womenfolk perform a vital function but are not in the forefront. They are witnessed as initiator, mediator and sustainer but are not presented equal status to men. The author phone calls for a deconstruction of the Angami festivals and a re-building from the feminist point of view.
Joe Francis makes an attempt to fully grasp and interpret how the Mizos make perception of their entire world via their cultural techniques, particularly of Xmas celebration. He requires us by way of the many facets of the celebration and delineates their link to Mizo lifestyle and philosophy.
The Mlei-Ngyi competition of the Zeliang Naga tribe is mentioned in Shaji Mathew’s paper. He walks us by means of the celebration of the festival and presents the final results of a questionnaire put to Zeliang youth. The findings are astonishing. The festival is no more celebrated in its classic pomp, hue or duration. There is a will need for re-visiting the competition, comprehension its cultural richness and drawing inspiration for socio-cultural, economic and religious advantage.
Barnes Mawrie in his paper ‘A Philosophical Check out of Khasi Culture’, details out the genesis of the Khasi society and its link to the metaphysics of the same. Khasi lifestyle is polarized by western materialism and consumerism. He discusses 5 aspects of Khasi society which expose its metaphysical character. They are the Religious and Altruistic sense, Feeling of Kinship, Sense of Great, Sense of Religion and Perception of Custom.
Somingam Mawon’s paper focuses on ‘Understanding classic Tangkhul Naga Festivals and its Relation with Agricultural activities’. There are sixteen conventional Tangkhul festivals and every single is thought of briefly. He concludes with a number of individual observations and remarks.
The Baikho festival of the Rabhas is introduced by Jose Jacob. The continuity and improve that the festival has expert is honestly mentioned. The writer acknowledges the mighty impact of modernity and advises vigilance against losing the authentic genius of the local community.
Dominic Meyeiho’s paper, A Philosophical Knowing of Society and Festivals of the Southern Angami Nagas attempts to cultivate their tradition by a re-reading of its festivals. An endeavor is also produced for developing a cross-cultural dialogue amongst the festivals of the Southern Angamis and the Christian feasts, so that the Church can take root in the lifestyle. Six festivals and related Christian feasts are highlighted. The intention is not to look at but to discover avenues for dialogue.
Theorizing a Sustainable Cultural Id for a World Planet: A Transactional Philosophy of Society by Baudelaire Ulysse, discusses the effects of globalization on tradition and signifies the want for a transactional philosophy of lifestyle for mutual enrichment and progress. The perils of cultural isolation are presented and the plan of openness to other cultures is propagated. Self preservation of cultures ought not to be obtained by using isolation but fairly through transaction. A transactional philosophy of society has assisted maintain and perpetrate regional cultural identities in North East India, and it could possibly be the most efficient system of sustaining local identification in the globalized globe.
The reserve is marred by a couple of grammatical glitches. The layout is pleasurable but the make a difference leaves a little something to be desired. The subjects deemed are insightful and lend to an appreciation of North East Indian society. The ebook has in a way, opened doors to indigenous reflection on North East Indian lifestyle and has paved the way for ongoing experiments in culture.
