[Assam] Conversions will distort the Mishing tribe

[Manoj Das]

Dear Rajenda and Ajantaba

A few years back I met a Jaintia lady. She was educated, rich, modern but
agitated at the loss of heritage due to conversion into Christianity. I
said, Christianity gave you education, status, enlightenment and
civilization. She tersely commented that in exchange they lost their
millennium old culture, way of life and heritage; same as Mr. Rongmon Pegu
is lamenting.

Mishings are not strict Hindus, they maintain their way of life. They
normally bury their dead unlike the typical Hindus. They also continue to
pray Dony Pollo, their traditional Gods. You are right in saying that Naga,
Mizo and Khasis have better identities now because of their Christianity.
But those who go by the book, preach that the tribes should shun their
rituals. Identity and civilization will come anyway; the cost of a quick
entry through conversion may be more in the long run. In any case its a
matter of study or research! Off hand- difficult to comment.

-manoj

On Fri, May 30, 2008 at 6:43 AM, Rajen & Ajanta Barua <barua25 at hotmail.com>
wrote:

> I think the writer is confused about religion and heritage
> If the Mishings are Hindus now, they must have been converted to Hinduism
> at one time. Somebody must have converted them to Hinduism taking advantage
> of their ignorance. They have every right to converted to some other
> religion such Islam, Christianity etc. If they get econmic upliftment
> because of that the better.
>
> And what does the writer try to mean by
> "I would request my community members to learn from the mistake of our
> neighbouring states of Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram where inspite of
> having seperate states, the tribes have lost their identity."
>
> I don't understand how the Khasis, Nagas, Mizos have lost their identities.
> I think they have better identities now because of their Christianity.
> Rajen Barua.
>
> From: bg
> Sent: Sunday, May 18, 2008 12:36 AM
> To: assamnet
> Subject: [Assam] Conversions will distort the Mishing tribe
>
>
> Conversions will distort the Mishing
> tribe<http://www.assamtimes.org/Social/1484.html>
>
> Sir,
>
> It is sad to note that taking the advantage of the poverty of the Mishing
> community in Majuli, Dhemaji and Jonai, numerous Mishing families are been
> converted to Christianity by opportunistic Christian missionaries. I am an
> ordinary citizen and can do nothing. As such I thought of writing this
> letter to your newspaper so that I might create an awareness among the
> Mishing tribe of Assam.
>
> I would request my community members to learn from the mistake of our
> neighbouring states of Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram where inspite of
> having seperate states, the tribes have lost their identity.
>
> Our own traditions are no way inferior to the rich Vatican City or Pope.
> The
> poverty in Mishing councils is because of the corrupt politicians among us
> like Bharat Narah, Bhuban Pegu etc., not our customs, beliefs and rituals.
>
> Missionaries can give us money and English education, but cannot return our
> identity when it will be lost by following Christian rituals and alien
> traditions in our day-to-day lives.
>
> If religion is lost, heritage is lost. When heritage is lost, identity is
> lost.
>
> It is time influential socio-cultural organizations of the Mishings, our
> students' union and Mahila samitis launch rigorous awareness drive among
> the
> gullible Mishings or the Mishings will go 'missing' from the cultural map
> of
> Assam.
>
>
> Yours sincerely,
>
> Rongmon Pegu
> Dikhoumukh
> Sivasagar
> Assam
>
> http://www.assamtimes.org/Social/1484.html
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-- 
Manoj Kumar Das
C 172 GF, Sarvodaya Enclave
New Delhi 17 India
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