Cooking

I love to cook, and in the company of the wife in the kitchen, the food is so good, it's near disaster for the tummy. It nearly bursts. Here is one of those few moments. We were done cooking and I suddenly remembered to capture it through the lens. Video quality isn't that commendable, but the food, heavenly. Enjoy.

My World View - Mizo Christians and Racism

My online life hasn’t been too active albeit frequent mail checks, scrap checks and visiting misual.com. In those times being online, I have come across some few topics that have captured repeated comments. Yes, I am also talking about racism in today’s world, and the concerns raised by the experiences of Mizos outside the state and inside. And it has brought me to an attention which I feel I should also raise from an ethical and religious perspective, a Christian perspective in attempt. Having grown and lived outside Mizoram from the early 1980s, till the days I worked in Mizoram, I have come across and experienced racism in several forms. It reminds me of what a stand-up comedian, Russell Peters once said, that Indians are among the most racist people. Mizos included.

What remains to be examined is the response of Mizos in Mizoram. I have come across remarks like, ‘we were humiliated and cruelly treated upon, and there is no way we should show non-mizos mercy when in Mizoram.’ I was shocked at the response, considering our utmost appreciation and fanaticism of the Christian belief and our acclaimed state of Christianity. I do highly regard each person unique and that they have their own rights as human beings. Yet, in spite of that, our response to people of different race needs to be re-examined. Most of the non-mizos in Mizoram do know the fact that they are living in one of the most peaceful state in India, and where the majority of the populace is Christians. But, our attitude to them, quite un-Christian I should say.

Why?

I would say, in my humble opinion, our (Mizo) difficulty in practicing what we preach, possibly me included. Our Christianity is presupposed to be confined within the four walls of the Church building and the ever frequent ‘lengkhawms’ that we have. And we judge our Christianity, not through ethical and social attitudes, but in the frequency of our prayer routine and spiritual dances. We forgive without forgetting. Condemnation has become one of the major topics of sermon. We take pride in denominationalism. We abhor publicly so many things we do in private. We forget also that the people who introduced Christianity were those who were most brutal and warlike, among the most racist of races. Instead of only picking out Christian ideals and practices from them, we follow their lifestyles instead. Isn’t it time we change, starting from ourselves. And the youths are the ones to bring out the needed change. Else, we all know where all this will lead us into.

Sometimes I wonder whether the non-mizos in Mizoram would see us as practicing Christians. Our faith is not how we look at ourselves, but how people see us. If what we believe is correct, shouldn’t it show, I wonder. I fear that visitors to our land would not notice that we are Christians. I must add, the size of our church building will not deepen our faith. Our action needs to speak louder. The Christian ideal is so moral and good to be hidden or practiced in private. Let our action attract people to this faith. When this Christian ideal reigns supreme, I believe our racist attitude will die out gradually because the Good Book teaches the equality of every life.

What Dreams Come True?

You must have heard the oft-mentioned phrase, 'dreams do come true.' I heard it too. But with questions. Not that I like asking questions, but this phrase had me pegged down for quite sometime. Well it never told you the kind of dreams that come true. Let me clarify myself with these questions: What kind of dreams come true? Is it dreams about work and employment, dreams about success, dreams about love and partners for life, or dreams of fantasy and desires? Or is it dreams conclusively comprising all these and others not mentioned? Lets just say dreams differ as much as people differ, and that a person can have many dreams or no dreams at all, a single dream or still in the process of forming that dream. I confess I am a dreamer of many dreams, and I intend to make some of them come true, I mean if I can't make every dream come true.

One of my earliest dreams was having my sight filled with scottish landscape and its people. Many reasons, one being that as far as my little head can let me recall, we (the scots and Mizos) are the only people called HIGHLANDERS!!! Secondly, I am charmed by their poets and writers, by their missionaries and philosophers, and the pride in which they uphold themselves. I have desired to be able to walk and climb the highlands, look at the majesty of their castles that fills the skyline of their towns and cities. To all these, I have made the dreams come true. But, one rather ludicrous desire I had was to get me a picture taken with a scottish piper in scotland. I have whizzed passed them on many occasions while travelling, and have also walked passed them in the streets on my way to college. In many of the occasions, either I have a camera without a photographer or a photographer without a camera. They eluded me for such a long long time, I was filled with despair for my time in Scotland was really really running out. So one day, I took the wife for lunch and there I saw a sight that had always eluded me. The PIPER, he was just a few paces in front of me. I had a camera, and a photographer!!! And the result is this picture posted about these writing. I am still in the hunt for a colourful Piper still.

All these experiences taught me one thing. Pursuing dreams can be a cumbersome process, no matter how big or small the dream is. But, once accomplished, it is all worth it. You set new dreams to scale and make come true. So, my questions about dreams coming true has been clarified; the phrase 'dreams do come true' can mean any kind of dreams.

Psychological Strategy

Here is the statue of the man Bill Shankly. Any avid fan of Liverpool FC will know how important this man was and is to the club. My endeavour here is not to detail at length his achievements let alone his biographical details. During our recent visit to the museum and stadium at Anfield ('our' refers to me and the lovely wife), I came across a very wonderful weapon employed by the late Shankly to visiting club players. It is in every football lover's intellectual capacity to know that both teams have to walk toward the field from their respective changing rooms. In doing so, they have to pass through the tunnel pictured below, with the poster saying in bold letters 'this is Anfield'.When Shankly put up the poster, he had two thoughts running in his mind; one, to weaken the opposing team, and two, to encourage the home team, obviously. Shankly knew that in approaching the field (with the loud cheering of the fans outside echoed in the tunnel), this poster would remind the opponents where they were playing. It was to shake as much confidence from them as possible. In the meanwhile it was to forecefully tell the home teams that 'this is where they belonged, where they are in control, that Anfield was theirs'. Imagine the opposing players, probably the newly signed and the young players, coming to play here, with the crowds awaiting to jeer, had to look at this before reaching the grounds, it will never be the best feeling... exactly what Shankly had in mind.

Joy over Doubt

Sometimes I think my hopeless devotion for bound books has become questionable. Sometimes. In all these summers spent, alone and in the company of close ones, I never thought that could be a possibility. Yet, here I am, with a slight doubt about this devotion which has been with me for more than a quarter of a century. I sit down and wonder what could have brought such unforeseen irony.
I spent my life as a teen reading classics and drowned myself in the world where words arose emotion, where words explained everything I have ever wished to wish. And just about when teen life reached its zenith, those same words introduced a desire to know the manifold possibilities of how life itself can be manipulated, and how events past can be written to follow desires and perspectives. It brought a realisation that the saying ‘knowledge is power’ has a predecessor, words create power. Bold statement. Today, I still find myself in the hope that I would master this power. I have been so involved with it. At times, I’d miss so many important and interesting things around me because of these bound companions. It made so many things meaningful. Yet, somehow I realised something in the recent times had found a loop in this addiction. I shudder to ponder. At the same time it is too exciting to be wilfully ignored.
Here I am enlightened by the sudden discovery of the ray of doubt over my passion. The welcoming world of fatherhood. This new turn of event has breached my hopeless devotion to books, and has pervaded all my thoughts. Though I have yearned to master words for my own advantage, I declare in all honesty, that they fail to describe what I would be for the coming days of my life, a dad.

Behind St. Colm's. Was having an evening walk, whence it began to snow, as if it was in a hurry.

MIZO CHRISTOLOGY
Zadingluaia Chinzah

Tuna kan course zir mekah hian elective paper (history of Christianity in Africa) tih ka la a. He course hi danglam tak leh ngaihnawm tak a niin ka hria a. Colonialism in a tihbuai ram a ni a, tin missionary pawh an tam a, kohhran chi hrang hrang an awm thu pawh kan hre theuh awm e. An kohhran hi chi hnihin a then theih awm e: mahni-a indin leh missionary ho dinsak kohhrante an ni. Missionary kohhran din a tel ve lo te chanchin hian beng a verh hle mai a. An awm hranna chhan ber nia an sawi chu kristianna an hriatthiam dan leh Pathian thu anmahni nun mil a kalpui an duh vang a ni a, an Pathian thu lak dan hi a fuh riauvin ka hria. An theology in a tum ber nia lang chu Pathian thu hi engtin nge an nunah an lakluh ang a, engtin nge an nunpui ang tih hi a ni deuh ber mai. He theology, tunlai a mizo theologian tamtak in contextual theology an tih chu a ni. Hei hian kan ram kohhran kalphung min ngaihtuah tir nasa hle. Mizo te hian missionary dinsak kohhran leh missionary pek Pathian thu hi mi kan sawi anga kan zawm dawn? tih leh kan khawsak danah chanchintha hi kan senglut taktak em? tih zawhna min pe a. Chu zawhna chu chhan tumin heti hian ka han thai ve nawk nawk a.
Kan sawi tawh angin, kan khawsak zia mila chanchintha kan hriatthiam hi a pawimawhna ber chu kan khawsakzia a nih tawh chuan kan nunnah a bet tlat dawn tihna a ni. Chutiang a nih chuan chanchintha chu keimahnia awm leh keimahni atanga chhuak a ni dawn a, chu chuan he chanchintha kan vawn dan leh nunpui dan kawngah hriatthiamna tamtak min neihtir thei dawn a ni. Chanchintha hi kan nunah hian a ngheh phah sawt ka ring.
BD kan zir laiin contextual Christology hi a lar khawp mai a. Chutah chuan Krista kan hriatthiam dan leh Krista chu kan hnamah lo lut dawn se, tu chanpual (role) ber hi nge a thawh a? tih hi a ni ber a. Mizo theologian ho pawhin an ngaihtuahna an seng tam hlein ka hria. Kan zirna boruak atangin a ni ‘Pasaltha Christology’[1] tih thupui ka hmelhriat. Tha leh fuh ka ti khawp mai a. Fakselna tlem han nei lawk ila. Pasaltha awmzia kan hria. Pasaltha nena inkaihhnawih pawimawh tak chu tlawmna nun te, mahni hmasial lohte, a tawi zawngin tlawmngai hi a ni a. He chanpualah hian Krista hi a ‘qualify’ chiang kher mai a. A dik viau pawhin ka hria. Chhanchhuaktu/chhandamtu a nihna Mizo hriatthiam dan turin, fiah leh fait akin a rawn sawi a, Krista pasaltha anga en chuan Krista mizia tur pawh tamtak mizo takin min hriatthiam tir bawk a. A ziaktute hi an fakawm ka ti hle. Mahse han tit eh ang. Mizote’n Pasaltha ka hriatthiam dan lehlamah chuan sa kap thei, mi lu la thei (indo thiam) a nihna a rawn lang ta tlat mai a. Hetah hian Krista hmel a lang har tlat. Hmangaihna min zirtirtu leh tarlangtu chu sa kap mi ni tur leh hmelma lu la tu chuan belfuh hi har ka ti thin. Pasaltha Christology duangtu te hian hei hi an hmu tho a, mahse mahni mi leh sa venghimtu leh ei in petu angin an sawi ta daih a, a tumna leh thiltih a fakawm hle. Mahse, thisen chhuah thin ni tur chuan Krista chu hmehbel a har duh khawp mai. A nunzia kan thlir phei chuan, pasaltha chu ni rih lo se. Mahse, Pasaltha Christology tichhuaktu leh hemi lama ziaktute hi ka ngaisang riau. Missionaryte min pek loh chanchintha a ni tlat.
Post-colonial theology hi ka ngaisang a, sap ho min awp lai leh missionary te’n kan khawsak zia a, an duh zawng tha min tihsak a, an duhloh chu sual an ti ngawt kha ka lungnawi lova. Chuvangin post-colonial takin Mizo Christology ka tarlang ve duh tlat a ni. Social leh politics lam hawiin pasaltha Christology kan tarlang tawh a, tunah chu sakhuana lawm atangin bul tan dawn teh ang. Kei atan chuan Mizo Christology intanna ber nia ka ngaih chu sadawt leh bawlpu Christology hi a ni tlat. Sadawt leh bawlpu awmzia tlemin han tarlang ila.
Hmasang Mizo nunah chuan sakhaw thil tinrenga puipa ber chu "Sadawt" a ni a. Miin sakhua a biak dawn a piangin Sadawt hi a ruai thin a, Puithiam hna a thawk thin a ni. Lalin a hranin Sadawt a nei a, Sadawt zingah chuan a lian ber leh puipa bera ngaih a ni. Heihi sadawt hna leh a awmzia kan hriattheih dan tawite a ni. Tin, Bawlpu chu natna tidamtu a ni. Damlo leh natna nei a piangin an ko va, anin damlo mar chu a dek a, a chawh apiang chuan inthawi tur a ni. Bawlpu chuan thiam hla an nei a, a natna thawi tur a zirin thiam hla hrang hrang an hmang thin.[2]
An hna chanpual hi kan en chian chuan Krista, khawvel-a a lenlaia a hna thawh pawimawh zinga mi a ni tlat. Krista chuan Pathian hmaah kan ai min awh sak a, kan palai a ni. Kan thiamlohna zawng zawng Pa hnenah a sawifel a, Pa lung tihawi a, Pa nena hmunkhata hlim tak leh muang taka kan chenho theihnan. Hmanlaia sadawt kan tih thin khan he chanpual hi a ni law’m ni an thawh ber thin? Chutiang bawkin kan bawlpu neih thin te kha missionary leh kohhran mithmuhah chuan an dinhmun a tha ber lo hle mai. Missionaryte’n an duhdan min hnuchhiah kha a ni miau a, kan la vawng nung reng chu a ni a. Mahse, Krista thupui pathum ‘tihdam, thu hril leh zirtir’ah khan tihdam rawngbawlna kha a pawimawh hle si a. Kan bawlpu te hian engvangin nge tun dinhmun hi an chan le? Hmanlaia kan pi leh pute’n an damlohna atanga damna an neih theihnan a hman bawlpu hi Krista min hriatfiahtirtu an ni thei a ni law’m ni? Bawlpu chuan damna a thupui ber a, Krista rawngbawlna kha damna a ni tlat. Sadawt leh bawlpu Christology hi missionary te khan lo hmang ta se, chanchintha hi tun ai mahin kan nunpui lehzual tur. Mahse, hman ahnekin sualah min pawm luihtir a, kum za hnuah chuan sual an ni ta reng mai. Sap kristianna leh an chanchintha kalpui dan hi kan hrethiam tak tak thei lo. An nunphung kan tawnpui thiam lova, an nundan zir fe hnuah chanchintha awmzia zir a ngai leh a. Chutiang chu kan tum a, vawiin ka thleng ta chu a ni ta reng mai. Hmanlai Mizo sakhuana nunah chuan inthurualna a lian hle a, tunlai kan kohhran nunah chuan inlakhranna leh kohhran hrang nihna a lian ta hle.
Missionary-te zirtirna kan pawm a, chanchintha kan khawsak leh inrelbawlnaah senglut lovin, keimahni zawk hi kan missionary-te zirtirnaah kan in vawm lut a, kohhran a thang a, kohhran tamtak kan awm phah ta a ni. Kan pi leh pu te value system kan kalsan a, he system ah chanchintha hi lo la lut ta ila, kan va nghet zawk dawn em! Krista hi kan sadawt, kan puithiam, kan palai ah lo hmang tai la, kan bawlpuah lo awm ta se, kan nun a va khawih nasa dawn tehlul em. Sap ho chuan chanchintha an dawn khan, an khawsak ziaah an senglut a, tunah chuan kristianna hi Asia khawmualpui atangin a lo piangchhuak tiin va hrilh ila, an awih tawh lo. Sap sakhuana ve hrim hrimah an ngai tawh. A chhan chu an nun khawihtu pawimawh ah khan Krista hmel a la ta. Heihi a ni tuna Mizo Christology in a tum ber chu.

[1] Lalpekhlua, L.H., Contextual Christology: A Tribal Perspective (Delhi:ISPCK, 2007) hi a PhD thesis University of Auckland, New Zealand, 2005-a submit a ni. Tin, Lalhmachhuana, Pasaltha Christology’- he article hi internet atanga ka hriat a nih vangin a website ka tarlang mai ange. 25th January 2007-a a ziah ni nghe nghe-in ka hria. http://mizoworldconcern.com/Portals/801/articles/Pasaltha%20Christology%20Mizo.pdf
[2] Thangpuii Pa, Hmanlai Zonun. Http://www.chhaktiangzirlaite.info/viewpost.php?post_id=45

Walk the Line