For those who know Wher we have done To ourelves Contents Les We Fog ik 1, The Janse Major ‘ 2 Sosbs 3 3. The Lae Song : el 4 The Curfew Man a 5: The Night aia 6. The Por Maker e Shadows S SB. An Old Man Remembers a 9. The Jouiney na 10. A New Chapter a ‘Scanned with CamScannerLest We Forget Memory is tick ching: ic pcks and chootes what vo preserve and what to discard, Sometimes ii the vl tha triggers the proces ofememberinga grcalos. remember ow the memory ‘of my mother’ specil curry of sun-dried fish used to hau me long afer her death, as though the absence of this exotic dh fiom the family mena made he death more rel than anyhing clse about es Bus grew neo middle age snd beyond, iectuck, sme how memories ate oe fed theough an invisible seve and selections are made, of both the good and the ba, cher to be reserved discarded. suppose life asi own inbuile mechania ‘of puting its howe in oxdee vo hac human beings ean live wth 4 maticum of peace and anguliy * Buc what do you do when it comes to someone elses memory and when that memory is f pain and pain alone? Do you brash icasde and sy i des noe concen me? And ifyou ean do that, ate you the same person tht jou were, before you lent ofthe | pain of fellow human being chink not and that i why, in ‘hese stois, I have endesoured to ree the lve of thote people whose pain has so far gone unmentioned and ‘unacknowledged, Some of them no st that it doesnot matter in the sue way cat some people now sty that che holocaust never Ihappened. When these people sy that i doce not mace ‘mean that these i an inherent calluses in the human that tends to ignore injustice and inhumanity a long sit does fot touch one direct. These series however, ae not about ‘Scanned with CamScanner3 noe are they about cone the land like ape at a ht we a fd es aca ow ing caesar a dnl ina teen op essa he he a ust he phe en a many ted and nn ee enna sated beth in Stak 7 this collection have their genesis in the (Many of hein cears that make up the histor cya te fap oe catben tendon Se Behe ae Se eesti fhe nian mientras FecoiglatSocireate msi bah Be Why ed weed iach nonsense dat mepisrrokers Nelle Setar dere ee wh dec Ros len 9 one te Srcpencrang ehh ata —— usr we Foncor a ote of che impact ef by the supple on thi ne. Ou xc wisdom has avays exe he vite of human beings nig oe ‘Peace with thems: and in hatmeny wich nature or ‘sighbous Ii only when the Nap eambrace sad ee {hic von into he obi of heir inspite ofthe computers ofa fs changing wel. can we sty tht the mernonte of torbulem yeas hive tered us wel Towns Ao ‘Shillong ‘Scanned with CamScannerioence wat the order ofthe, ii Pic Tiee ain ost me woman who ws rid the chaos that hd eng ine ofr ov ie dene tt ol Peon end at ct ta ee Baran ences death rough gt om iycaimed bi The Last Song 1 seemed the lide giel wae born to sing. Her mother offen recalled thac when she was 3 baby, she would carry her piggyback 1 community singing events on festival days. Ax eo0n athe singers took up «tune and gradually when thei collective voices begun to sven volume and harmony her daughter would wwist hotel dhis way and char and ear singing he ova vtsion of the song, mosly conssing of loud sheks and steams. Though smsing 3 i, hee daughter ants ieiated the specator and the singes as well and often, she had to withdraw from the tithering in embarrassment. What the mother considered ‘inreatonable behaviour ina child barely year ol, was actualy ‘the fie indication ofthe eingng genius tht she had given bith ‘When Apenyo, asthe lee gil was elle, could walk and tak a lide, her mater would tke hee eo church on Sundays because she could not be lef alone at home. On other days she was ef inthe care of hee grandmother when dhe mother went to the fields; but on this day there was no one to ake eae of her as everyone went to church, When the congregation sang together Apenyo would sl join, ehough he lil sere were fot quite suaible beeauze of the group singing. Bur whenever thee wat a special number, rouble would begin: Apenyo would toy 10 ng slong. much tothe embarrasmen ofthe mother. ‘Ake evo or three such morifjing Sunday outings, the mother ‘Scanned with CamScanner. ees pings diet spe td Pe ee oe Tin hae ig he hunmed at he A Saye er at Ha ec ofen made her become pensive She ws by nowy a eet is le of et ce ee yo ero ele etal reek em pec Pel evans rac Retasun! Stp ca mimiene sare Nee cite ort ta ttl ana see ee edocs ed eps Be ee ere ceca at erin och Set ASIST da i'd heme af cas Sate oe omen ue Sead hens waded he gs fee ay awn aed wet ee tow eg hee ooh cd apart ee Sarena cde a erecta Keon weg ect aadnd gun ca on fen Wek scat for ta hited news ee oe Titan algae re duped Mant ieerad betogenamdsotris ced tape wl het fete nk er Dated ace hey eee re ‘hk abu lead te ner ing tes opin Somos gies slne nd ed tml chr ws pow nt Te ig ha py ean bce se rep Wen and ego he per fis tad on ts ces geteda caspase weave the cloufil shawl, which would be sold to bring 3 ‘oom Lib epunion ng Barwa gender oc mg a Te LAT SONG . By and by Apeyo too leaned the at from her mother and became an excllne weaver like bee. the meantime, he love for singing too was growing. People soa rine tht net only Aid she love t sing bur ako hat Apenyo ad an exquisite tingog voice. She was inducted into the church choir whete the 0m became the led sopra. Every ime the choi angi was he vice that made even the commonest song sound hesrnly, Along with her singing voice, her beauty ako blossomed a “Apenyo approached hes eighteenth bihday. Her natural beau sezmed 10 be enhanced by her enchanting voice, which ened ber the nickname ‘singing besoin the village, Libeis jy Knew no bounds. She was pay tha al hore yest of loneliness and hardship were well reatded by God through her eau nd talented daughter, ‘One parcial ys, the vilge were an cipecallyexpectane ‘mood because here was 4 big event coming up in the ilge hutch in about sic months time: the dedication of the new ‘church building. Eery member of the church had contibured towards the bulldng fund by donsting fn cash and kind and ie ‘nad akon chem ney thee Years o complete the new strwrtte cftin roof and wooden frames to replace the old ane of bamboo and thatch, In every housheld che womenfolk were planning ‘ew clothes forthe family, brand aew shave for the men and new shins of “ung forthe women. The whole village was being Sprced up for the occsion as some eminent pastors from ‘eighbouring wilges were being invited Fr the dediation service Figs earmarked forthe fens were given special food aten hem up, The service wat planned forthe fist weck of December hich would ensure tha harvesting ofthe fields would be over and the special celebration would not inefee withthe normal ‘Christmas celebrations gf the church The vilagers began the reparation with ret enchusiaim, of joking among thems ‘tha this year chey would have s double Chrstmas! ‘These were, however, woubled times for the Naga, The Independence movement war guining momentum by the day and even the remoustvilapes were gesting involved, if not ‘Scanned with CamScanner“DIESE MIS CALED oy the ds er ye the arene acl eet daca Soe ine arene cet Se a hee Cr aye ce ic wc van ope et rly eerie seems ee ae ae cea terre et te eed eo eee cel a te De ete od Siac atenolol see es ctr net sist de cheat arses Te hhad postponed any decision until afier the dedication. That parent opera cer at ee et lla ope: aap Zcb oe le Sees ct ai eh tn ‘She was going to perform solo on the occasion afer the '°%P % eal me of we te a a rit usr soe » song ofthe che Ar the puter ed he congepon inthe Itroctory pryet a hath onthe ced tr htuph in pe tSpecttn’ he coir woud ng thief ume ee yee Arte songhe cond va angen re snd of unten the dance fw on enn urd ‘hic meine thst wold cay dup cts Bocike coir sang on unbads though eu ui sold Be fend fom among the cod The prorto began Te ook owiehe neds deacon and ered ob cong with {out tmethng ja hanging bed. enor Sund terete thragout he eng nd res ofthe vag Fighened Dabs wih fn sad tenblng in his wie war teling he pope way whee they wee a ato aempe to tunaway orf Therma inncalenceand te conpepton {eee in ter plas une blve thatthe econ Sanday ‘at going tobe deste by the srogan Indian ny "dyson the spreschng wld sounded the cows aed te por or mando come fwd and en Winslow the gona Bu before thay could anring. Spey bare fa hero mb ca to be satan by th sey fel of yung gil ad ot wishing ole her hr export he ene cho bur ie song. The olds were Incense aan a of open dunce fed popes elion ho ete made They pueden hed the pastor td the probs, pedding em with he re oF their guns tons the wating jeer bao the sept of he Shure Some ofthe lagers ed argue wi the oldies and they ro wee hiked and raed, The was ele seme by ihe accompanying Dobsi wo resore tome senbance af order tno ane a steing to hin ard he cow by now rece by fear and ange pn dies in every incon, Some ments ofthe thor Ef thse ngg and were ten {ping to can ay 0 sly. Only Apenya sot her ground Se tng on bus ofthe sation a fan unieen pee ves guidng he Her mother sanding wh ie congregaon: her daughter singing her heir ou ito wth the might ‘Scanned with CamScanneros ‘tS LED Hy ena ob i i i Cs ia at Sesohe = grt Mean as Sad dS Fen der Re ewer ca rede dh aed ee =. a eee oe and debe! tye tle a ses Ee psa ae Sy eae aa eae ea Sere ere cea ee ee areas Se eer a eas ee ee ea Se ater eee esa co eee See eT Timp body, using the woman's new lung’ afterwards which head Mian cece nlGreacass thei turn, even though by the time the fourth ane mounted. he a te ead Tet cheroapras eet bl ac ae ee ee ppl oat a eg xe a sco gungovad ihe vilge sunt, ane oto phe A the sce tying wit elinp odes he Cope leo bickand ig tt thet wor incur oh eres sec tuned ohio andor thm open Bee feeisshe we to ing pte os woe seas ad yal the Bois wee depp pas villagers once again tried to scck sheltes nse the church.” Retin ova the sane of tee oy the Capin sew the goteqe figures af he ero omen bth ead He thou an dro his mea adap hem on he poo oe aid church He then oneed han epson seed be hatch and athisigel hy emp nit be bul, The cts ofthe wounded die ching de te euch poe shat ven those f Go aldo pve te eee tad toe them from he ble ofthe cel elem dane ‘cosine sais net aig pace Ba te ae wane ove ye eg ar wel anc oft sodas ak of al the wits ide the cory che oder ma eno ee ston fe lings herp office te Copeman ppc tat gon mi: Herat hb of ace anand saw wor Dut ikon wee shaking he hough thre cl al se ane te oy pre hws minghinstinta her viginbeyehical dou, the gil unecng eevee ed on hac. He smd daw onthe pound aes mae sft move sy bth ‘evened anger fe onc apn give the ver nd che ald char Soon burt nto Hamer cing the ded andthe dying it Unecognsabe lack mas. The ew chuch sanding rte Gr Fo the od one, cup the Be and wa dy eaaged Ehewhre i the was ce nai verte ft fo go op fet The wind ete bring chun fom tee cure and seated them andthe dues ohowtes, which oo burt {the goun By the ne th nding lcs eh vig with hie sons tnd and eompound he misery ned te ‘Scanned with CamScanner“TSE HIS CALLED Hone » : ol ih ee perth ong omen wee ising ee ial Merc he vung poster wee Ket alone when 1 became i isdn bong to this vile. Bu they wee ra eave amediey apd thetened i880 Unee rn ery sree Creed renews of what had happened hereto ‘ilar bald ale theta fe The seach fr the il iting ee aga only he est morning The found out hi among evonsbepn seretaingpenons wee Apenyoanaher mother. hen geen fly ma hen, ear dionered that many villages stained te wounds well injures fom seer beatings. Ab, Ifember af the choir were not accounted for An old oman ‘Thue hore was quite cose tothe church tol the atch pay Caches Some people suanig towards the old church, ‘When he siligetarived atthe burntot ste ofthe ol church biking. heir won upiions were confirmed, Among the raindtended aes ofthe old chatch they found mse fran bones whe clean by the nigh un Andon what was nce the porch ofthe old church, they found > sepa mae And though ae of fate a pce of Apenyah new shawl was found lite bene he pl of charted bones. Mother and oughly togetber in that pile The villagers gathered a dhe ‘ones af the at choi members and put them in 3 common callin but those ofthe mater and aughicr they put ima separ one. Ate a sombre and song-less Funes serie, the {qestion arose a8 to where ro bury them. Though the whole village hod embraced Chrisianiey long ago, some of she ld persis and adios had not Sen touly abandoned The deus of these unforenate people were cosiered 9 Be from unnatural cues nd cconding to aio they could ot ‘beburied nthe vllgegroveyad, Chiang ono Christi ‘Some younger one preted How can you sy that They We mum of hc deg theca, The ol sountted this by saying So wha, ee ace el Nagas ren =? And for us some things never change’. The debate went on 0m time unl sor of compromise wae reached: they ¥0 nie LST ONG a be buried jst outside the Boundary ofthe graveyand to show thar thir flow vilager had nor sanded thir emg to + remote forest ste. Buc there wat 2 sipultion: no headstones ‘ould be ected fr any of them. “Today these gravesies ie evo ny pray nelson the peimete ofthe village gj and fone no fila th the histone ofthe vilage.particully abou what happened om tha rea Sunday shiney old yeatr ago une can coy mite these 09 rounds ying to stay above grou level The eth may one day fallow chem up orp them open go revel che charred bones Noone news whac will happen tothe grave withourheadoner for evento those with elaborely decorated concrete suc Inside the hallowed ground of the proper gravevatd, howing mati of bone of hore who ded maul det. Bu the ory fsa happened othe ones beesth the gray hole without ‘he headstones espacial of the young gi hovel song died ‘sth he ne beth lived oni the soul of shove who survived ‘he daces day ofthe village ‘And whit shou the Captain and his band of capits who though tha they had bugoe al the evidence of hei rime? No fone knows forse. But the underground nerwor, which seem le to Fertec out the desist of secrets, especially about Depeuaotsof exceptional eruceyon inact vilageri managed ‘ot only piece togetee the event af tht black Sunday, but Als to szetain heen ofthe Capi Ale several yes oF ‘fen fasting intligeneghering, he wareaced toa aiitany hoi in bg ci whee e wat bing hep in 2 maximum secutey cof inte alam PS, Ie is a cold night in December and in 2 semore village, en ld worl ising by the earth fire witha group of student who sve come home for dhe winter haliye. They love ving het listen to her store, but tonight granny is not het ‘tual chispy 2 she looks much older and stems to be agiaed ver something, One ofthe oye ask her whether the it not fesing well and tl her ha if, they ean come back another igh Bur inead of ansvering the quesion, she old woman, ‘Scanned with CamScanner“TSE MLS C59 Hons e ous cepacia Seung area ad eer tha hey annot hes anything, ‘they were born. Scoryteller and audience serain vo listen more Sh cece ‘peculiar glow on her face and she seems co have changed int * eadeeciea tarot geri meinen eee eney cca a 3 Theol kool whps ound andr te poops shogh sing hn forth tie Str ear and wih nine anc inher oe eds eto Wa ‘hier, Youn ot ed sour ong ou de or boa shout Aen Ten coe and ine aye “Tht ons ol Deer gh nem igs ld sory aes the yong fe bd wand eg Ames of est dst oh ba ath among het aint a nang Singer tang her sog enone mow swe ‘weeping for her ravaged and ruined ‘en ae ‘Scanned with CamScanner