Vrin Parker's Report on Arunachal Pradesh, India Tour

[Guest guest]

VRINDAVANA PARKER'S REPORT ON HIS TOUR OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH, N.E.

INDIA,

http://www.vedicfriends.org/vrindavana_parker_in_arunachala_2003.htm

DEC 20-30, 2003

 

I flew in to Gauhati, Assam from Kolkata, West Bengal. A

Bandh/Strike had been declared for Assam, so everything was very

peaceful. I spent a night at the Vivekananda Kendra, on the banks of

the expansive Brahmaputra River. I next journeyed 10 hrs by bus to

Bandhardeva, Arunachal Pradesh, via Tezpur. I spent the night in

Bandhardeva area then traveled by jeep for 12 hrs on the most rugged

and windy road trip I have ever experienced. I stopped for lunch in

Ziro then arrived in Daporijo that evening.

 

 

After breakfast, I went to a traditional tribal home and had my

first introduction to Apong or Home Brew. It was made of millet and

rice. In an ancient process that took approximately month, only women

were allowed to brew it. It was smooth and tasty. I was welcomed with

traditional tribal ceremonies. Rice paste was put on my forehead and

I was gifted with a beautiful shawl. I tried my hand at archery,

tribal dancing and listened to their melodious singing. After that I

went to a public program on the topic of "Dharma and Religion." I was

the chief guest and spoke to the public gathered. There were about

500 people gathered. I spoke about an hour and the response was very

positive. I spoke about the importance of preserving and enhancing

the Indigenous faiths, lifestyles and cultures.

 

After a public lunch gathering, I attended a program at the

Vivekananda School. There was an excellent presentation, by the

students, of indigenous tribal dancing and singing. I gave a short

talk on the irreplaceable value of Indian culture and its prevalence

all over the world. In a great question and answer session, I was

able to clear up some misconceptions about western civilization.

Whether it's Coca-Cola versus coconut dobs, from every angle it's

obvious that indigenous cultures are highly advanced because they

represent a way of life beneficial for all. On the other hand, the

impact of Western civilization has been environmental imbalance and

social chaos.

 

 

In the evening, I visited a new Shiva temple built for a very ancient

Shiva Linga. A tribal man owns the property. While he was

constructing a house on the land, he had a dream of Lord Shiva. The

next day, he uncovered an ancient Shiva Linga. He dedicated the site

for the construction of the Shiva Temple, now housing the ancient

Sacred Deity. The man formerly hunted but now he and his whole family

had become strict vegetarians. They have completely forsworn violence

in their dedication to Lord Shiva. "We will not kill even an insect."

I had breakfast at his house consisting of baked sweet potatoes,

apong, and some fruit. Then I traveled to the town of Raga. I gave a

lecture to about a hundred people, and it was here that I met the

chief priest for the indigenous Danyi Polo religion in the state of

Arunachal Pradesh. He was in his nineties and appeared very healthy

and effulgent. Through a translator he spoke about the great

struggles his people are going through. He said that through petty

trickery, bribery, and other unscrupulous methods, western

missionaries were destroying the native culture and civilization of

his people. He said that he and the priests of Danyi Polo have

performed many of the same miracles attributed to Christ and other

saints. He felt that such miracles were not very important, that what

matters is to be good, honest, and to love God, and to respect the

religion of others while accepting that everyone has a unique

relationship with the divine. He said it is wrong of the Christians

to attack the faith of our ancestors. As soon as the Christians and

Muslims accept that God is one and that there are different

expressions of love that bring one to God, if they can accept this,

all disputes will come to an end. I asked him to bless me and he said

that he could not. He said that he will pray to God to bless me and

to protect me. Referring to the Christians method of stripping

converts of their indigenous clothing he said "I will never throw

down my sacred cap."

 

 

I then headed to Ziro. Here I went to Hari Village. The local

Tribals, the Aputani, are considered some of the world's greatest

agriculturalists. Japanese researchers investigating various rice

production methods rank them as the world's best. Aputani women over

forty-five years old are tattooed and have large nose plugs. This

practice was banned thirty-five years ago. It's probably an ancient

custom, but I was told that the reason was the Aputani girls are

considered very beautiful so when the Chinese invaded the women all

tattooed their faces and bodies and put big plugs on both sides of

their noses. I must admit, the technique does make them look

otherworldly and extreme. The village welcomed me with songs and

flower garlands. I was later quite surprised by such a wonderful and

warm welcome. It wasn't until after my talk that the people realized

that I was not there to convert them away from their roots. The chief

priestess told me "All we heard was that an American brother was

coming. The Christians say that all Americans are Christians so we

expected that you were here to push Christianity on us. We feel that

the influence of Christianity on Western culture is very negative for

our people. So we are very happy and inspired to hear what you are

saying. Our traditions have kept us strong since the beginning of

time, why give them up?" I encouraged them by telling them that

millions of people are looking towards the ancient indigenous

cultures for solutions for modern problems. They were pleasantly

surprised and humored to hear about the western subculture of body

piercing and tattooing. All along they had been told that the West

was a highly civilized technological wonderland where everyone was a

Christian. And that if they wanted to benefit from the advancements

of technology they also must be Christians. Suddenly they find out

that not only has the West's social balance collapsed, but that

millions of disenchanted westerners are adopting their own ancient

indigenous practices. It's ironic that western missionaries force

their converts to abandon their ancient cultures. Just before I left

the gathering, the tribals had a final request. They wanted me to

stop all the vulgar and scandalous television broadcasts because it

was threatening the tribal youth and their cultural stability. I said

the best way we can deal with the media is to create our own media

 

 

 

An interesting thing about the Aputani tribe is their sacred symbol.

It is the sign of the Sun Goddess. It looks very much like that other

so-called solar emblem, the Christian Cross. So here in the Aputani

regions one can see the prehistoric tribal cross and Christian cross

dotting the same town. Tribal elders rightfully point out that

everything in Christianity, including even the symbol, is already

known to their people.

 

 

That night was Christmas Eve. I spent the night at a hotel. It was

nice to have hot running water because it was quite cold. That night

I was awoken by loud explosive sounds that shook my room. Due to the

continuing Bhutanese military action against Anti-Indian insurgents,

the whole region was on high alert. We were about 100 miles from the

frontlines and insurgents had been captured in nearby Tezpur. The

whole region was highly militarized and politically sensitive. The

booming went on for about a half hour. I turned off my light so as

not to be a target and went to sleep. I later found out that the

explosions are the way the local Christians announce Christmas to the

neighborhood.

 

 

Christmas day, I participated in a Fire Yajna or Sacrifice. The

function was held at the Goddess Gayatri Temple. The Head Priestess

was a local Aputani Tribal. She was fluent in Sanskrit and led the

rituals while explaining the significance of each action. We offered

ghee, colored powders, fruits, coconuts, sandalwood and other sacred

and fragrant items. We all followed along in the chanting and ended

the ceremony by having darshan of all the various Temple Deities. The

experience was very healing and empowering.

 

 

Also in Ziro, I attended the official BJP party's celebration of

Indian PM Vajpayee's birthday. Born on Dec 25 his birthday is

celebrated all over India. I gave a short speech on the true identity

of the BJP. The Bharata Janata Party means the Indian People's Party

rather than a "Hindu Nationalist" Party. The chief coordinator of the

function was the BJP district chief and a practicing Catholic. His

presence was a case in point.

 

 

The next day, Dec 26th, I gave a public lecture on the importance of

cultural preservation. Approximately 300 people attended, including

the local Christian leadership. I spoke on the interfaith efforts in

the West and the need for the Christian and Muslim Conversionists to

practice a non-combative approach. All are welcome to follow their

spiritual traditions, promote their own culture, but without

demonizing the faith and beliefs of others. I also spoke on the

impact of Srila Prabhupada's Krishna conscious movement on the

western world. Throughout the 12 years he traveled the globe, he was

treated with great respect and admiration. Many people, including

Christian leaders, accepted him a great saintly spiritual teacher.

Because God is One, true spiritualists recognize Him in all

religions.

 

 

I took this opportunity to point out the great injustices being

perpetrated in the name of Christian conversion. Friends and family

no longer drink, eat or celebrate together. Converted tribals are

taught to refuse water, food or invitations to traditional

gatherings. Non converted Tribals frequently attend Christian

celebrations while maintaining their ancient native traditions.

However Christian tribals completely divorce themselves from the

ancient ways. Christian preachers refer to the non-converted as

Satans. Converts are ashamed of everything to do with their ancestral

ways. A new pride is instilled in their hearts and minds, the pride

of belonging to the supposedly superior Christian civilization.

Everywhere I traveled the Christians would do everything louder and

longer. Their presentations were flashy and slick. I was also

surprised to note the promotion of beauty contests. Of course, the

standard of beauty and fashion imposed is totally western. Young

girls are instilled with the idea that to be beautiful and successful

they must be modern. They are told that modern means to be western in

outlook, fashion, language and lifestyle and that the old ways are

backwards. Thus the traditional understanding of success and

progressiveness is radically changed. All over India, there is a

belief that western speech and mannerisms is a sign of sophistication

and achievement. It is quite ironic because Western civilization has

failed the West. Therefore millions of westerners are adopting the

ancient indigenous paths of Hinduism, Buddhism and Paganism.

 

 

After my speech a Christian minister informed me that all the

complaints I had heard were exaggerations and untruths. I simply

asked him in all sincerity, "Sir, does this mean that everywhere I go

in this country, everyone is lying to me?" He couldn't respond except

to say that the most important issue is that we have peace and non-

violence.

 

 

Also in Ziro, a TV crew from a local channel recorded all my

speeches. They were all aired in the Ziro area a week after I let. On

Dec 27th, I returned to Itanagar, the State Capital. Here I was a

guest of Tedi Techi, a member of the Nyishi Tribe and the founder of

the Indigenous Faith and Culture Preservation Association. I stayed

overnight in his native bamboo house. The tribals always keep a nice

fire going in the middle of their house. It is considered the God of

the house. We had some delicious food and good conversation next to

this blazing sacred fire. My host was also a videographer and had

produced two documentaries on his tribal culture and traditions. One

video featured the house-warming ceremony of the very house we now

sat. The other documentary was very intriguing. It was the story of

my host's miraculous health recovery. Two years earlier, he was

unable to walk and was scheduled for back surgery. At the last minute

he changed his mind and turned to the native healers of his tribe.

After 3 days of intensive healing ceremonies, he was completely

cured. All the evidence was there for me to see. Though unable to

even walk in the beginning of the video, by the end, my host was

stronger, healthier and full of strength. All the evidence for this

recovery is in the documentary. There were the x-rays, the doctor

referrals and before and after footage among other things. That night

I slept by the fire and had a dream that the dignity of the

indigenous people was restored. In my dream an Abrahamic radical fell

flat on his face as he tried to attack me. The next morning I told

Mr. Techi about my dream. We both agreed that it was a good sign.

 

 

The next day, I attended a press conference. All the National and

Local TV, radio and news agencies participated. I spoke on various

topics for about 2 hours. I specifically raised the issue about

Christian conversions. I pointed out that these groups raise millions

of dollars in the west in the name of humanity. They point out the

impoverished state of the poor and ask for funding to build schools

and hospitals. With this money they will first build churches and

publish literature in a campaign of conversion. In the America

nonprofit groups are only required to use 1%-5% of their funds for

actual charitable work. In this way, some Christian groups have

developed massive humanitarian and charitable organizations yet use

very little of their funding for humanitarian and charitable causes.

The press conference was very well received. Two days later a report

appeared in all the major newspapers of NE India. Vedic Friends

Association Vice President Vrindavan Parker said," Some groups have

made it rich highlighting the wretchedness of India's poor and then

using the proceeds to convert the innocent tribals.All of India's

problems, religious intolerance, can be solved through the indigenous

wisdom and experience."

 

 

After a couple days of rest and various talks at some Danyi Polo

temples, I traveled to the isolated town of Seppa in the NW part of

the State. The drive there was a spectacular vision of waterfalls,

mountains, valleys and wildlife. Every bridge we crossed was manned

by a platoon of heavily armed Indian soldiers. This whole region had

been taken over by China in the 1960s and was still an extremely

politically sensitive area. After a day of travel and a night in

Tezpur, we arrived in Seppa after sunset.

 

 

ARUNACHAL PRADESH VFA REPORT PT 2

 

After a day long journey, I arrived in Seppa, feeling ill and dead

tired. Of course I was expected to give an arrival speech. In the

worst of moods, I did my best to give some encouraging words. It was

a strange situation. Here were all these people enlivened that an

American supporter had come, yet all I wanted to do was have a long

sleep. Fortunately, a majority of the people understood my

predicament. However, a few were not impressed. At one point I spoke

of the collapse of the western family structure. I used my own family

as an example and said that out of my five siblings only two of us

had the same father. This shocked some of the audience and evoked

disparaging laughter. In their minds I should have been ashamed, but

instead I highlighted the fact. I wanted to expose the true impact of

western culture on one of the most basic structures of civilization.

It was crucial that these Tribals understood the real impact of

Western civilization.

 

 

I stayed at the government circuit house and had a delicious

vegetarian dinner. The facility was managed by a wonderful Nepalese

Brahmin family with hearts overflowing with warmth, love and

admiration. I was made to feel very welcome.

 

The next day, I awoke early. Today was December 31st, Danyii Polo

day. It was also the first official Danyii Polo day festival to be

held in Seppa. At the festival site, I was greeted by hundreds of

teenage boys and girls. They were all dressed in traditional

clothing. The boys were decorated with swords, shields, bows and

arrows, helmets, etc. Danyii Polo flags and banners fluttered

everywhere.

 

 

The Danyii Polo flag is similar to the Japanese Banzai flag; a white

field with a red sun burst in the middle. I was invited to join a

procession through the town with hundreds of young tribal men on the

right and women on the left. I was pushed to the front. In front was

a large banner that read,

 

 

 

Loss of Culture means Loss of Identity

 

December 31,2003= Danyii Polo Day.

 

 

As we marched through the town slogans were shouted, fists pumped

skyward, raised swords flashed in the sun, and tribal totems and

banners waved in the air. One friendly tribal named Novam loaned me

his Boar hide body armor, sword and shield, and encouraged me to

shout my support for their cause. As I walked at the head of this

procession, I realized I was actually participating in a protest

march. Born in the late 1960s and sensitive to the ongoing anti-

globalization protests, I've always nurtured nostalgic and romantic

visions of the political underdog. Yet personally, I had never

participated in any such event. Suddenly, here I was leading a

protest march of 500 tribal youth in one of the most remote places on

earth. 80% of the local population had already converted to

Christianity; therefore our march was not greeted with much support.

I noted some angry people spitting in our direction, but otherwise we

were greeted with a mix of interest, bewilderment, and disinterest.

Surely, the sight of hundreds of proud, enthusiastic youth

brandishing tribal swords and flags presented a formidable sight.

What they thought of a white American bedecked in a tribal warrior's

regalia, shouting slogans, I can only guess.

 

After the parade, we all attended a program of tribal singing,

dancing, and speeches. I was privileged to be invited to unfurl the

tribal standard. As the priest chanted hymns, and everyone sang, I

pulled the cord. The banner lifted and a sudden wind unfurled the sun

flag. Bundled in the flag were some sacred bamboo shavings. They all

fell upon my head. The priests said that was a very good sign of

Danyii Polo's blessings. After this all the local priests gathered

together on a hill. As I looked at the scene, it appeared that the

priests were as ancient as the hills. The earth they sat upon, the

stones around them, their clothing and priestly symbols and wizened

faces combined to create a timeless image. Their bright eyes shone

out. They invited me to join them for some singing and photos. The

acceptance and kindness of the tribal priests instilled me with

confidence and gratitude. These priests were the foundation of the

tribal culture. By their acceptance of my presence and words, I was

being validated as a true friend and supporter of the tribe.

 

 

After lunch, I was asked to speak. I started off by offering pranams

to my guru, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and to Mother India.

Upon hearing my Sanskrit prayers, everyone broke out into spontaneous

applause. I pointed out the irony of the situation. Here I was coming

from a collapsed civilization, giving advice to members of one of the

world's most ancient and successful civilizations. However, it is

obvious I have something to share so I am doing my best.

 

 

In my speech, I conveyed my impressions of their culture and land. I

quoted an old Zen proverb on the meaning of beauty. Sometimes in

nature we can see beautiful sights like a sunrise over a lake. A

crane flies over the water, the wind gently blows the leaves and

flowers on the trees. Overall the scene is one of beauty, yet neither

the sun, the lake, the crane, the wind, nor the trees are trying to

create a beautiful scene. Yet the scene is naturally beautiful. It is

a naturally beautiful scene because all involved are following their

true natures. Nothing is being artificially imposed with the intent

to be beautiful. It is just beautiful. In the same way, the natural

functionality of indigenous culture is beautiful and harmonious.

Western civilization has lost this harmony and beauty because it is

out of touch with the earth. Built into the ancient indigenous

cultures is a natural methodology for balanced and harmonious living.

 

 

I spoke about America as well. Yes we all know America is #1

militarily, economically, politically etc. but let's not forget

America also has the # 1 murder rate, accident rate, divorce rate,

prisoner rate and overall crime rate. America is a perfect example to

highlight the impact of western civilization. There is no denying

that European Christianity and commercialism decimated the indigenous

cultures of the world. The same tragedy is now being repeated here in

India's tribal regions. Now is the time for the indigenous people of

the world to unite and put a stop to the ongoing war of cultural

genocide. Preserving indigenous cultural is an issue of global

significance. Due to the ecological degradation of the planet, the

world at large is seeking out a solution. Time and again, various

scientific groups and political organizations, such as the UN, have

concluded that the wisdom and technical know-how of the indigenous

civilizations can save the world. So we must preserve and enhance

this pool of experience not only for the tribals, but for the world

at large.

 

 

Another myth that is repeatedly heard in NE India is that

Christianity means modernity and economic progress. I pointed out

that Japan, with the lowest percentage of Christians in the world, is

one of the most successful nations on earth. It is without a doubt

the most successful nation in Asia. The Philippines, with the highest

percentage of Christians in Asia, is politically unstable and has one

of the worst economies in the world. Latin America, which is

predominantly Christian, sees little economic benefit based on its

religious identity. India, being 80% Hindu, has now become an

economic and military superpower. When these various ethnic groups

immigrate to the USA, again we find that being a Christian is

irrelevant. The most successful immigrants to America are the

Japanese and Indians while the Filipinos and Latin Americans have the

lowest paying jobs. In Europe, it was when people began questioning

Christian doctrine that the renaissance began. Looking at the

statistics it would appear that being a Christian is a liability

rather than an asset. Of course, one's religious identity is an

individual matter. Promoting religion based on the premise of

material gain is completely against the teachings of Lord Jesus

Christ. I brought up this point to expose the hoax that Christianity

automatically means modernity and economic superiority, which is what

they are taught.

 

After my speech and a fine lunch, I was engaged in a discussion

group. A frequent question I was asked is, "What ever happened to the

Red Indians of America?" I explained as much as possible about the

history and ongoing struggle for native rights. I told them of the

strange habit of America. First they will destroy you physically and

demonize your religion. Thus American Indian religion was outlawed

until 1978. After obliterating a tribe, America usurps their native

heroes and names. America uses the image and power invoked by these

words to glamorize its cars, missiles, helicopters, sports teams,

etc. Once destroyed, these cultures are romanticized and studied as

curious members of the human family. Don't let this happen to you.

Take advantage of technology but don't become slaves to it.

 

 

I was asked as to why I would come all the way to this remote

region. What do I have to gain from it? I was a little surprised at

the question. I thought it was obvious. I responded by saying it was

a great privilege to be here. "As an American who feels a burden of

responsibility to the original Americans, I see this as a great

opportunity. I come from the West not to take from you but to give

some encouragement. It is my duty to share some valid information

that instills a sense of dignity in your people. If I witnessed an

innocent being harmed and did nothing to correct the situation then I

would be implicated in the crime. In the same way I can not stand by,

while you are being cheated out of your culture."

 

It was here, in Seppa that I learnt of the local Christian's regular

performance of blood sacrifices. Knowing that conversions would be

slowed by too rigid of a Christian standard, Christian leaders have

changed the doctrine. One of the proofs of the Messiah is that he was

the final blood sacrifice. Thus, according to Christian doctrine,

there is no need for more blood sacrifices. Even the Jews ceased

performing blood sacrifices after the Crucifixion of Jesus. Yet here,

the Christians perform blood sacrifices in order to compete with the

tribal celebrations. The natives are being stripped of their

indigenous traditions. Ironically, it is being replaced by a form of

Christianity that is contrary to the teachings of Christianity. So,

for all intents and purposes these converts are following neither

their original ancestral religion nor Christianity. They have been

forced into a cultural nowhere land.

 

 

While engaged in this discussion, the police suddenly showed up. They

asked me to go with them. I was a little concerned. I wasn't sure if

a complaint had been filed or whether I was getting sucked into some

bureaucratic nightmare. I was escorted to the police station and

taken into the Superintendent's office. As I walked into the main

Police HQ I noticed a large picture of Baby Krishna on the wall. He

was smiling at me. I felt protected. I sat down and handed over my

passport, Indian visa and Inner Line permit. The State of Arunachal

Pradesh is a restricted area. Even Indian citizens require Inner Line

permits to enter. Foreigners can only come in groups of 4 or more and

must stay within certain areas. Actually, when I entered the State, I

reported at the check point and was brought into a small interview

room. My traveling companion informed him I was there for tourism

purposes and to see the non-converted Tribals. The Border Officer

said he was a dedicated Hindu and member of the RSS. He looked over

my papers and permits then happily greeted me and wished me a

successful trip. Just as I was about to leave he looked at me sternly

and said, "Now you must promise, No Christian Missionary activities

allowed," and started laughing. He had already seen my Hanuman locket

and knew I was a Hindu but wanted to make a joke. Now the police in

Seppa apparently wanted to verify my intentions. Here I was, a lone

American, traveling through the region attending rallies and giving

speeches. I was not sure how the police would deal with me. After

going over my papers for about 10 minutes, the police superintendent,

suddenly stood up, smiled and shook my hand. He welcomed me to Seppa

and said he was extremely pleased and happy that I had come from so

far to promote the glory of India's ancient civilization. I offered

my pranams and thanked him.

 

 

After that, I went with some of the tribals for a swim in the nearby

river. It was fresh, rapid, clear and cold. Flowing down from the

nearby Himalayas, it was an invigorating experience. The nights were

very cold this time of year. Yet today was a bright sunny day so we

stayed at the river for an hour or so.

 

 

In the late afternoon, I met with some botanists. They complained

that western pharmaceutical companies had been scouring the jungles

and stealing rare plants and herbs. It is feared that some foreign

patents maybe taken out on this local resource. Therefore these local

experts have begun recording the entire local flora and fauna and its

traditional uses. They have also begun researching the possibility of

filing lawsuits against the corporations involved. I was pleasantly

surprised to hear that the entire State of Arunachal Pradesh had

outlawed logging. It has been difficult for some people. At one

point, whole tribes became very wealthy by logging. Elephants were

generally used but still the environmental degradation was extreme.

After logging was outlawed, the elephants were set loose. Though

difficult in the short term, the anti-logging initiative has

tremendous long term benefit. Fortunately, a majority of the people

seem to agree with this. I also learned about the central importance

of the Mithuns in the Arunachal Tribal culture. Mithuns (pronounced

mit-hoons) appear to be some kind of bovine animal. Generally black

with lower legs colored white, they roam the countryside. They are

semi-domesticated and do not give milk. They are extremely sensitive

to heat and stay in the jungles during the day. For tribal society

Mithuns are sources of prestige, wealth and also have great spiritual

value. A man is measured by how many Mithuns he owns. Though sacred,

they are frequently sacrificed and consumed. Even the Christian

converts fully participate in the Mithun culture. No man can marry

without gifting Mithuns to the girl's family. It usually costs 35

Mithuns to get married.

 

 

Later that evening, I celebrated New Year's Day. The tribal youth

brought over a big stereo and began playing catchy dance tunes from

the Indian pop music scene. A large fire was lit in the middle of the

courtyard and fresh apong or home brew was shared. We spent all night

dancing and singing. Sometimes we would do traditional war dances and

harvest dances and songs. Other times we would dance to mainstream

Indian pop music or western music like Ricky Martin and Britney

Spears. I also led them, at their request, in singing songs to Rama,

Hanuman, Krishna and Shiva.

 

 

In the indigenous tradition all was welcome but not at the expense

of their culture. Thus the tribals had no problem dancing to Britney

Spears and celebrating the Western New Year. As I enjoyed their

company, I felt like Kevin Costner in "Dances with Wolves." Like him

I was also given a local name. They call me Hasmukh Parker which

means Smiling Face Parker. Earlier I had been warned by other tribes

that of all the tribes in AP, the Nyishi are the most dangerous. Of

all the Nyishi, the Seppa Nyishi are considered extremely dangerous.

Here I was dancing arm in arm with them like an old friend and

brother, drinking their home brew. Goodbye 2003 and Welcome 2004!

What a unique place and way to ring in the New Year.

 

 

The next morning, I was invited to a local leader's house. As we sat

on his front porch, a large man arrived. They said he was the tallest

man in the State. He joined us and I was told that he was a local

political leader. The whole time I sat there, he spoke in Hindi with

my traveling companions. Voices began rising and it was obvious some

kind of debate was taking place. I could understand some of the

discussion. Basically the politician was claiming that the Hindus

were bent on enforcing Hindu Dharma on everyone. He said, "Eating

Beef is good for you. So why are you Hindus trying to outlaw beef?" I

broke in to say that I have been a vegetarian all my life and am

healthy. "My brother Bhima, was born and raised a vegetarian and he

is as big as you are, Sir. So Beef is not necessary or good for you.

Why should we support massive slaughter houses for the unnecessary

gratification of the tongue? There is a difference between a tribal

hunting for personal need and massive industrialized animal

slaughter. Hindus never have and never will force tribals to change

their beliefs. Rather, we encourage them in to preserve their

cultures."

 

 

The man considered what I said and then continued speaking in Hindi

to my associates. He also tried to say that no matter what I believed

I was always a Christian because I am a white American. I responded

by reminding him that Christianity is native to the West Asia region

and not Europe or America. To top it off, my mother's side are

practicing Jews and my father's side is German-English. Just as his

people are being converted now, our people were converted over a

thousand years ago. Distance of time does not deny us the right to

return to our Pagan roots nor disinherit us from our ancient

identities. Even Jesus Christ himself was attempting a religious

reformation rather than the founding of a new religion. So in the

same way, millions of westerners are seeking out their roots and

expanding their cultural horizons.

 

 

In general, this local leader seemed inimical to our efforts but in

the end he was cordial and thanked me for coming. He said, "I am a

soldier fighting for the dignity of my people. Outsiders come either

as Christians or Communists or Hindus and try to change us. I am

happy to meet a fellow soldier and wish you the best."

 

 

Since he also spoke about having more of a Chinese identity than an

Indian one I asked him if he prefers China to India. He responded by

saying that he can not support China because they have a one wife

policy. As a man with 24 wives he could never support China for

having such a policy. It seemed to me that the man wanted his own

little empire independent of either China or India.

 

After this meeting we were on our way back to Tezpur, Assam. On the

way we discussed the trip and the people we met. I was told that the

politician we just met was responsible for over-logging the jungles

and has done more damage to the local environment than anyone else.

When the local organizers of Danyii Polo day approached him for

support, he refused. I was later informed that in Arunachal Pradesh,

Christians were less of a problem than the anti-Hindu tribals.

Victims of the British legacy of divide and rule, some of the tribals

refuse to have common cause with the Hindus. This problem was

compounded by the Congress Party's attempt to create dependable

voting blocs. This has caused many Indians to develop a Separatist's

outlook. Therefore some resist the efforts of various Hindu

organizations to create a unified identity. They misconstrue such

efforts as an attack on their unique identities and cultural

independence.

 

 

India is truly a land of contrasts. Its politics and culture are

very ancient and complicated. Nothing is ever simple and there are

many sides to every issue. Yet behind it all, is an eternal

tradition. India has a cultural foundation that allows for true unity

and diversity. Though there are hundreds of languages, thousands of

traditions and millions of people, it is in reality a single grand

civilization. The liberality of Vedic/Hindu civilization has allowed

for an extreme diversity and inclusiveness that is not found in any

other civilization. For example, there are approximately 73 different

schools of Islam, yet not one Islamic country can claim to represent

them all. Only in India can one find all 73 schools of Islamic

thought represented. It is hoped that the true liberality of Hindu

civilization can be understood by the world at large. As the only

indigenous civilization to have achieved a global competitive edge,

Hinduism must take center stage in the indigenous struggle.

Hinduism's vast experience, sustainability and global prominence,

places it in a unique leadership role. It is hoped, that in the near

future, all like-minded peoples will unite and support each other in

the ongoing indigenous cultural renaissance. There is no other nation

in the world better suited than India to lead the way.