This is the second part of my conversation with Jelle J. P. Wouters on his book In the Shadows of Naga Insurgency. In this episode, we talk about corruption and the practice of democratic election in Nagaland. We consider how mishandling of developmental funds and electoral malpractices might be better understood when seen as taking place "in the shadows of Naga insurgency." Jelle suggests that these phenomena are not as simplistic as they are often presented. Instead, gleaning from his ethnographic research findings, he recommends that we view Naga societies with all their issues and characteristics in light of what he calls, an insurgency complex. In the Shadows of Naga Insurgency: Tribes, State and Violence in Northeast India is published in 2018 by Oxford University Press, India. Jelle J. P. Wouters is a social anthropologist and currently is senior lecturer at Royal Thimphu College, Bhutan. This is the second of a two part conversation with Jelle. #nagaland #naga #thecontemplativetribal #indiapodcast #northeastindia #nagalim
In this episode, I talk with Jelle J. P. Wouters about his book, “In the Shadows of Naga Insurgency: Tribes, State and Violence in Northeast India, published in 2018 by Oxford University Press, India. Jelle is a social anthropologist and currently is senior lecturer at Royal Thimphu College, Bhutan. The conversation with Jelle is split into two episodes. This is the first one. Do look out for the next one! (Description of the book from Amazon.in) The book is "a critique of the Naga struggle for political redemption, the state’s response to it, and the social corollaries and carry-overs of protracted political conflict on everyday life. Offering an ethnographic under view, Jelle Wouters illustrates an ‘insurgency complex’ that reveals how embodied experiences of resistance and state aggression, violence and volatility, and struggle and suffering link together to shape social norms, animate local agitations, and complicate inter-personal and inter-tribal relations in expected and unexpected ways. The book locates the historical experiences and agency of the Naga people and relates these to ordinary villagers’ perceptions, actions, and moral reasoning vis-à-vis both the Naga Movement and the state and its lucrative resources. It thus presses us to rethink our views on tribalism, conflict and ceasefire, development, corruption, and democratic politics." #nagaland #naga #thecontemplativetribal #indiapodcast #northeastindia #nagalim
In this episode, I continue my conversation with Chao Ma, who talks about his research among Chinese American charismatic movements in the Los Angeles area of the USA. Super fun episode! Also a sneak peak to the kinds of research we dabble in at the Centre for the Studies of World Christianity in Edinburgh! We chat about the varieties and diversity of expressions of Christianity and discuss how charismatic movements are often (mistakenly) understood as cult or heretical due to their divergence. However, Chao points out that these Christian movements must be seen as within the bounds of Christianity and discuss the reasons why he thinks so. In comparison, we also talk about Chao's experience with the cult group known as Eastern Lightning. We close off exploring the differences between the diverse expressions and practices of Christianities and the pseudo-Christian cult groups such as Eastern Lightning. Chao points out the historic "three self" principle of Chinese Christianity: self-governing, self-propagating, self-supporting; and suggest that we also remember a fourth principle, namely self-theologising. Thanks Chao for a stimulating and inspiring episode and for sharing some of these exciting stories of local Christianities in China! Chao Ma's Socials: Twitter World Christianity with Chao (a great YouTube channel in which he introduces some in-depth theologies from World Christianity!) #chinesechristianity #tribaltheology #northeastIndia #worldchristianity #CSWCEdinburgh
This episode is a conversation with Chao Ma, a fellow researcher here at Edinburgh. He joins me from San Diego virtually to discuss an idea that we're both passionate about: Christianity, since its very beginnings, has experienced an outward movement, expanding into many parts of the world. The non-Western forms developed, matured, and indigenised apart from Western influence. They remain an important part of countless peoples' lives, yet are often underappreciated by students of Western church history. To illustrate this thesis, we briefly recount the lesser-known histories of Christianity in the non-western world—East of Judea, North Africa, India and China. It is important to mention that these strands of Christianities emerged and developed quite distinct from the western counterpart. Additionally, they understand their tradition and heritage to be continuous with the early Christianity—a claim that they passionately hold on to. This episode is part one of two episodes and will focus on the global reach of Christianity. In the second section, we continue on the local aspect of Christianity.
This is a REPOST EPISODE of The Wooden Cross Podcast. Few days back, I was a guest at The Wooden Cross podcast, hosted by Imlong Chang, who is podcasting from Tuensang, Nagaland. Thanks to Imlong for allowing me to repost the episode on this podcast. From the description (The Wooden Cross Podcast) Exploring Tribal Theology with Rathiulung KC In this episode I talk to Rathiulung KC currently pursuing his PhD from Edinburgh University United Kingdom. We explore the areas in Tribal Theological landscape and it's importance with the wide theological circle within the established tribal Christian States. We talk about the contextual importance of establishing a strong foundation for the churches and how it can impact the Christian values in tribal states. Episode Music Credit: A New Year by Scott Buckley – www.scottbuckley.com.au https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8y9bdekz8g #thecontemplativetribal #edinburgh #cswcedinburgh #northeastindia #tribal #indiapodcast #tribaltheology #contextualtheology
A conversation with Nuam Hatzaw A Rongmei Naga from Manipur, India & a Zomi from Chin State, Burma walks into a podcast episode in Edinburgh... In today's episode, I chat with Nuam and we talk about what Zomi identity means for her, and in the world today, especially in light of contemporary realities such as international and transnational migration, diaspora communities, advances in communication & technologies... along with a brief detour into some current trends in Southeast Asian studies and tribal studies of NE India. We touched on what it was like to grow up as a Zomi in the UK, and also chatted about the experiences of ethnic solidarity on one hand, and cultural differences on the other. Nuam is a PhD candidate at the Centre for the Study of World Christianity at the University of Edinburgh. She has a BA in anthropology & development studies from SOAS, University of London and MA from the Uni of Edinburgh. Her research interests include World Christianity, postcolonial feminist theology. anthropology, nationalism studies, and development studies. https://www.cswc.div.ed.ac.uk/author/nhatzaw/ For more on zomia concept: https://www.chronicle.com/article/the-battle-over-zomia/ Zomia: a term coined by historian Willem van Schendel in 2002, and expanded upon by James C. Scott in his recent book The Art of Not Being Governed: An Anarchist History of Upland Southeast Asia. Source: http://www.geocurrents.info/cultural-geography/where-is-zomia#ixzz6VgZPEdyC Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southeast_Asian_Massif Episode Music Credit: A New Year by Scott Buckley – www.scottbuckley.com.au https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8y9bdekz8g #thecontemplativetribal #edinburgh #cswcedinburgh #northeastindia #zomia #zomi #burma
In this episode, we continue where we left off in the last episode. This is part two of Flight from Finitude, so make sure you check that episode before listening in on this one. In wrapping up the discussion that moved from Christopher Lasch, to ideas by British sociologist, Geoffrey Gorer in his provocative article, titled, "The Pornography of Death." Finally, we explore some practical, theological and philosophical tips on how we might go about redressing or addressing the problem of aversion towards our limited-ness, finitude, ageing and ultimately towards death. Resources: Christopher Lasch's "The Culture of Narcissism" (1979), Geoffrey Gorer's "The Pornography of Death" (1955), Abigail Rian Evans' "Is God still at the Bedside?" and William F. May's "Sacral Power of Death." "PSYCHOANALYSIS CONFIRMS THE ANCIENT RELIGIOUS INSIGHT THAT THE ONLY WAY TO ACHIEVE HAPPINESS IS TO ACCEPT LIMITATIONS IN A SPIRIT OF GRATITUDE AND CONTRITION INSTEAD OF ATTEMPTING TO ANNUL THOSE LIMITATIONS OR BITTER RESENTING THEM." Christopher Lasch, The Culture of Narcissism (1979) Leave a comment and join the conversation. At the WordPress site. Alternatively, you can drop a comment or message on Instagram. #thecontemplativetribal #indiapodcast #tribalpodcast #tribal #christopherlasch #cultureofnarcissism #manipur #northeastindia Episode Music Credit: A New Year by Scott Buckley – www.scottbuckley.com.au https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8y9bdekz8g
It is no secret that we live in a time that prioritises strength, beauty, vigour and youthfulness. In such a world that values and worships progress & productivity, our own limitedness is a reality that strikes us with anxiety and fear. We want to stay forever young, 18 till I die, and never grow up. Apparently, our attitudes towards aging are not accidental. They are possibly influenced by a disorientation of our values and the failure to accept key points about our human condition. In this episode, I talk about modern/contemporary aversion towards age and growing old--the inevitable but dreaded reality of gaining years that is universal for everyone. We explore the roots of the 'culture of narcissism' and reflect on my own experiences of modern as well as traditional tribal societies, and compare their attitude towards aging. Drawing insights from Christopher Lasch's "The Culture of Narcissism" (1979), Geoffrey Gorer's "The Pornography of Death" (1955), Abigail Rian Evans' "Is God still at the Bedside?" and William F. May's "Sacral Power of Death." Leave a comment and join the conversation. At the WordPress site. Alternatively, you can drop a comment or message on Instagram. #thecontemplativetribal #indiapodcast #tribalpodcast #tribal #christopherlasch #cultureofnarcissism #manipur #northeastindia Episode Music Credit: A New Year by Scott Buckley – www.scottbuckley.com.au https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8y9bdekz8g
In this episode, I reflect on the movie, Arrival (2016) and themes explored in the movie: language, communication and the uknown/the other. This is a hobbyist take on the themes mentioned above, and I invite your comments on what you think about it. Cheers! Arrival (2016) Director: Denis Villeneuve Screenplay: Eric Heisserer (screenplay by), (based on the story "Story of Your Life" written by Ted Chiang) “If you could see your whole life from start to finish, would you change things? Despite knowing the journey and where it leads, I embrace it. And I welcome every moment of it.” Dr Louise Banks, Arrival. For more in-depth commentary, check out the YouTube links: Lera Boroditsky on TED talk: How language shapes the way we think https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKK7wGAYP6k Quick intro to the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8SCy6lhK6U Nerdwriter1 | commentary on Arrival https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z18LY6NME1s Like Stories of Old | commentary on Arrival https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZpPMuvoaok Finally, we can't do Arrival without "On the Nature of Daylight" by Max Richter, can we. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDMe_nUpzMM Episode Music Credit: A New Year by Scott Buckley – www.scottbuckley.com.au https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8y9bdekz8g #thecontemplativetribal #northeastindia #tribalpodcast #indigenouslanguage #naga #manipur #rongmei
Today's episode is a candid conversation and reflection on Change, Transitions and Courage with Azeena Pamei Marak, who joined me all the way from Laos, in Southeast Asia. We talk about how sometimes we go through unexpected turns in our life that pulls us away--sometimes painfully--from our dreams. If we're all honest, I think we have all gone through that experience one time or another in our lives. I hope this episode encourages your heart and motivates you to be brave as you navigate the wide open sea of your life. To make the most of your life, even when you find yourself in a strange place. All you have got is here. All you have got is now. Links- Khuairu Nri: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1fydbumgDo Azeena on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/azeenapamei/ #thecontemplativetribal #northeastindia #indiapodcast
On metaphors, relevance and Christology What is your favourite metaphor or image of Jesus Christ? Do you connect with the metaphors of Jesus as the Lamb of God, Bread of Life, Advocate, Shepherd and Warrior? One of the most exciting things that I do in my research is to study how people around the world are making sense of Jesus Christ in their own language and metaphors. In today's episode, I will take you through the tribal portraits of Jesus Christ. Today we take Jesus Christ to the Naga hills. Get ready, because just like the actual travel through the Naga hills, we have to take the bumpy and winding roads and brings you face to face with military and political complexities, colourful cultures and traditions, daily impoverishments, and yet vivid imagination, creativity and signs of hope. So let's board the bus and let's head up to the hills for a cup of red tea. The four metaphors explored in this episode is drawn out from the book, Christology in Context: a Tribal-Indigenous Appraisal of North East India, written by the Tangkhul Naga theologian, Yangkahao Vashum. He is a professor of theology at the Eastern Theological College, Jorhat, Assam. It's a great book and includes way more that I had time to explore in the episode. The four metaphors are: Jesus as the Rooster of the Sacred Other, Jesus as the Elder Brother and Ancestor, Jesus as the Liberator, and Jesus as the Reconciler. Which one do you find most fascinating and evocative? Which one do you think offers insights and perspectives that you have not thought of? Leave your comment and thoughts on the Instagram post, or at the WordPress post. WORDPRESS: https://thecontemplativetribal.wordpress.com/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/contemplative.tribal/ Background Image: Jesus of Ubud, by Indonesian artist, Ketut Lasia Host: K. C. Rathiulung Elias #manipur #nagaland #Christianity #thecontemplativetribal #tribal #northeastIndia #naga #Christology
When I was a kid growing up in Tamenglong, a small town in Manipur, we would be visited by flocks of birds at a certain time of the year almost like clockwork. These birds appeared by the thousands and would so dense that it would darken the sky... For centuries, the Amur Falcon ('Akhoipuina' in Rongmei) has been taking annual migratory trips across Africa, the Arabian sea, India, Burma and China (sometimes reaching Russia!). (**Somewhat amazing to realise that they have been managing these journeys long before ambitious networks such as Belt & Road Initiative or the Trans-Asian highway were dreamt up!!) In this episode, I talked to Mordecai T. Panmei who is a volunteer at the Rainforest Club, Tamenglong to learn more about these birds. This episode includes bits of traditional legends, folklore, and encouraging news about the ways villages in Tamenglong area are joining in the fight to protect nature. Join the campaign to preserve and fight for our friends, and fellow sojourners of the hills. Make sure to follow and support the work of the Rainforest Club Tamenglong. Find them on their social media sites: https://rainforestclubtml.org/ https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Nonprofit-Organization/Rainforest-Club-Tamenglong-1018674484834295/ https://www.instagram.com/rainforestclubtamenglong/ Mordecai's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mordecai_panmei/
In this third and final episode on "Habits" we consider the theological rationale of habits and how it is crucial to see the practice of habit building and cultivating as part and parcel of the Christian responsibility. By sanctification, we mean the journey of following and imitating Jesus Christ. We suggest that it is helpful to see habit building as part of the spiritual exercise. Along the way, we briefly talk about how theologians such as Stanley Hauerwas and Thomas Aquinas consider habit and character building as part of the Christian journey. Then we chat about how we end up with the preferences and choices in the habits and behaviours that we value for ourselves. The episode is a good closure to the series on Habit with David Blah. Thanks, David for taking the time and the effort to walk us through these important concepts and practical tips.
Welcome back to another episode on the Contemplative Tribal Podcast! Today's episode is a continuation of my conversation with David Blah, who is assistant professor of Counselling Psychology at the Martin Luther Christian University, Shillong. According to research and studies, what is the best way to incorporate good habits in my life? Can I still change despite my age? I feel like I am fated and stuck to the habits and lifestyles that I am wallowing in... I try to develop good behaviours and be a virtuous person but feel like a failure most of the time... If these are your concerns too, you might find this discussion interesting (hopefully helpful too!) Picking up from where we ended on the last episode, we talk about the importance of instrumental value, some practical tips and how neuroscience gives us hope for change. A bit of philosophy, neuroscience, practical wisdom, and of course psychology on this one. If you haven't already, check out the first section of this talk (Making Sense of Habits) so that you can make the most of this episode. And look out for the next (final) episode of my chat with David Blah. So let's get this going. And make sure you share what you learn here with your friends and family.
Welcome back to another episode on the Contemplative Tribal Podcast. Few episodes back, I did a rough amateur take on the topic of habits and the impact that habits have on our lives—most of which were derived from popular level of pop psychology and self-help books. In this episode, I chat with someone who actually knows the topic professionally. David Blah is the Assistant Professor of Counselling Psychology at the Martin Luther Christian University in Shillong, Northeast India. Put on your seatbelt, because today's talk covers a lot of grounds. We ended up splitting our talk into three episodes because there was just too much to talk about! This first one helps us to understand what habits really are, how they are different from other behaviours, and how a peak into our brains—also known as neuroscience—might help us in planning and incorporating healthy rhythms in our lives. Did you know that 40-45% of your life are habitual (this one blew my mind)? Have you ever wondered why you are a better person when you are healthy and well, but you seem to struggle more when you are stressed or are tired after a long day? Can we change habits? If you have a bad habit, are you stuck to it? Is there scientific evidence that we can change? Get your thinking caps on, because we will be exploring some of these topics in the next few minutes.
A few weeks back I was pleasantly surprised when I came across an Instagram profile that was named, "Let's Build a Library" that seemed to have been initiated for a village in Manipur. From what I gathered then, it was a crowd-sourced initiative, appealing to people to donate books and financial support in order to set up a physical library in the village. In this episode, I chat with Nambi Panmei who is a part of the team running this project for a village called Chaengai in Tamenglong district of Manipur. After he gives a brief introduction on the project and their vision through it, we chat about reading culture in rural Tamenglong, the challenge to be creative in a fast-paced & shifting environment, and the responses of people to support and stand together for the sake of society. We conducted this conversation virtually, with Nambi in his village, Chaengdai after having returned from an overnight camping trip, and me in Edinburgh (under lockdown!). The conversation was made even more special by the rural soundscape (rooster crowing and all) that could be caught if you listen in carefully! Nambi is a good storyteller! You will get a glimpse of the life of a rural boy who grew up listening to the stories of Huckleberry Finn, learning to read Sidney Sheldon, and now doing what he can to meet the needs of his village. If you would like to learn more or participate in it, you can reach out to them at their Instagram pages. @lets_build_a_library @nambi_panmei #thecontemplativetribal #naga #tamenglong #manipur #northeastindia #indiapodcast #tribal
The book, Nagas in the 21st Century takes us beyond the common and well-worn portrayals of the Nagas in media, popular culture and imagination. As may be expected, tribal life today cannot be pinned down by simplistic stereotypical representations. One has to be able to make keen observations and be alert to perceive the multi-facets and multi-dimensions that weave together to comprise and make up life. Books such as this introduces perspectives that (hopefully) help us appreciate the complexities of contemporary tribal life. Some might think complexities must be avoided--but if one is to be realistic and be connected to ground realities, complexities cannot be evaded, because such is life--especially tribal life. The chapters in the book themselves are testimonies to that. In this episode, I will take you through an introduction to the book, and explore two chapters from the book that I find particularly fascination. This book is a compilation of essays by scholars of Naga studies. It is co-edited by Jelle J. P. Wouters and Michael Heneise. For more information, click on the academia.edu entry of the introduction to this book (which has been uploaded free on the internet by the editors. Thanks for that!) https://www.academia.edu/32881823/Nagas_in_the_21st_Century_Introduction_to_Special_Issue_2017_The_South_Asianist_5_1_3-19 Content Credits: Music (Intro & Background) Life Is by Cosimo Fogg (201) https://soundcloud.com/cosimo-fogg Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_life-is Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/9MXUHYGvBVY Image: https://ohbenning.tumblr.com/ Instagram @ohbenning
Why do knowledgeable, educated and well-informed people go about behaving in most unintelligent and uninformed ways? In his book, The Social Animal, David Brooks made a provocative statement: "We are primarily the products of thinking that happens below the level of awareness." Our behaviours are linked to a complex of undercurrents that comprise of deep-seated prejudices, perspective, opinion and mindset. This is a realm that is beyond mere intellectual knowledge. To put it in another way, our lives are patterned after our hearts and not primarily our head. In this episode, I reflect on the power of habits to influence the depths of our personality. I emphasise the often neglected "habits of the heart or mind." The thoughts and perspectives that we entertain and indulge in the depths of our mind has tremendous impact on how we ultimately live and behave. Recommended for further reading: Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear; The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg; You are what you love, by James K A Smith; After You Believe by N. T. Wright. #thecontemplativetribalpodcast #tribal #indiapodcast
Episode #2 | Honesty and Responsibility. A conversation with Maker Kashung. Maker is a songwriter and singer based in Delhi. He is the Choir Director at Tangkhul Church, Delhi. When he is not leading or teaching music, he can be found playing badminton, having a good laugh over a cup of tea, or chilling at the mall in Delhi. He is the frontman of the band, Footwings, a rock band. He also has a school of music called SYMOTA NOET, based (for now) in Delhi. I got a chance to chat with Maker for this podcast and asked him a few questions about his primary craft, that is music. Focusing on one particular song, Leikashi Tui and using that as a springboard to talk about the process of song-writing, the importance of honest and responsible art, and the need for steadiness and consistency. Make sure you head over to the WordPress site to get the notes. https://thecontemplativetribal.wordpress.com/2020/03/24/honesty-responsibility-a-conversation-with-maker-kashung/ The YouTube link to the song, Leikashi Tui. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul8lljIxUg4&fbclid=IwAR1V2rIuYPihCdiFNbB_cP19HftFK5e03uGmvzNjzK0eWCvsfAJrGYGgP64
Welcome to the Contemplative Tribal podcast! This is an intro episode in which I talk briefly about the project and the types of podcast episodes that will be covered here. @rathiulung