Imphal, November 30 2010: The launching of the book "Kuki Society: Past, Present and Future" came as a breath of fresh air for the Kuki community who has been stifled by past baggage while trying to grapple with the changing realities induced by modernity.

The book hopes to exorcise the ghost of the past and bridge the gap between the old and the new in a way that the modernity holds promises rather than being dreaded as an invasive monster.

'Kuki Society: Past, Present and Future' was launched today by Kuki Research Forum at Classic Hotel in Imphal in the overwhelming presence of academicians and intellectuals from the community.

The event was scripted to coincide, in all good intent, with the 78th birth anniversary of the sociologist, the late Dr TS Gangte, a pioneer in the research of Kuki culture and society.

Delivering a keynote address on the occasion, the chairman of Kuki Research Forum, Ngamkholet Haokip traced that the book is the outcome of a seminar held in February 19 and 20, 2010 at Sielmat Christian College , Churachandpur district of Manipur, which was organized and sponsored by the Forum in collaboration with Kuki Students' Organization.

The book is being hailed as pioneering work in the field of education vis-à-vis Kuki society, a medium perhaps for staging silent battles with which young learners through the application of the knowledge may realize a peaceful transition from the identity politics thrown up by the ever changing realities of the time.

The book will be a stage for contesting differences by the application of discourse on Kuki tribes with varying strips of A-Z to unravel the irony of modernity with its inherent divisiveness, Ngamkholet implied, and the Forum pursues in providing avenue for the findings of the solution to pervasive societal problems and its publication subsequently.

He further expressed the need to write about history, culture and tradition of Kuki tribes which will help augment scholars in their academic pursuits.

Speaking as chief guest, Thangkhosei Haokip, president, Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) eulogized Kuki Research Forum for bridging the gap in the minds of the people between the conflicting claims to tradition and modernity through the publication of the book.

He said that scholars are singularly responsible to try and connect the two systems of thought processes.

For this reason, the Kuki people, including scholars, need to meet regularly through seminars and workshops in hammering out an understanding between the two conflicting ideas to arrive at an understanding and growth of Kuki society.

Thangkhosei lamented that within the Kuki fold there is a divisive tendency, but expressed optimism that the community has sprung back to being united regardless of the force of disunity.

It is therefore time for the Kukis to put its house in order to undo years of segregation under external rule.

Dr Priyadarshani Gangte, a lecturer and president of Dr TS Gangte Memorial Trust encouraged Kuki Research Forum to research on the origin of Kukis just as scientist research on the origin of human kind.

Historian Prof Lal Dena of Manipur University , speaking as functional president on the occasion, said that clanism and clan-centrism is one chronic disease which continues to plague Kuki society and stands in the way of Kuki integration, begetting clan rivalries for supremacy over each other.

He hoped that the book "Kuki Society" will create a situation for peace and harmony to sprout forth and flourish amongst the Kukis who speak variegated dialects among them.

Comment