Gleaming lights glare into a young white American woman’s eyes. She walks through the kitchen to the living room. She turns off the TV, as an air conditioner machine makes the sound of a deep river. She sits on a leather couch. Her smile has escaped from her face. She clenches her snow white teeth inside her pursed lips. She gazes at the picture hanging on the wall. Her pitiful face contorts into a grimace. The tears fill her eyes and roll down her face. She takes down the picture and holds it in her hand. Her moderate voice speaks out.
“Did you fight for your people?” She asks the question to the picture. You did not fight to protect your people. You went to kill innocent people in the name of your enemies. Did you sacrifice for the nation? No, you sacrificed yourself for them, who like the war. I hate them. Tell me any benefit of the war.”
Bina becomes furious. She leaves the picture on the tea table and runs to her sleeping room. She slams the door, and she jumps into the bed. Bina hides her face in the pillow. A huge mirror on the wall catches her reflection. When she looks in the mirror, the scene teases her. She throws the pillow at the mirror and pulls the bedcover sheet over her head. She kicks the makeup holder. A flower decorated glass falls, breaks and scatters on the floor. She returns to the living room and sits on the couch and holds the picture.
“Mama, mama” The little baby boy calls for his mother from the stroller.
Bina breaks her concentration from the picture. She gets up and goes to care for Ben.
Ben raises his hands towards her mother.
“Pardon me, baby, I didn’t pay attention,” Bina says.
She catches Ben’s arms and pulls him out from the stroller. She embraces him. Her eyes are pulled back toward the picture.
“Bryan, you left a part of you with me always.”
Innocent one-and-half-year-old Ben smiles when Bina picks him up. Ben’s immature nude feet, growing hair, bud lips, fat cheeks, keen eyes and unclear speaking give a peaceful moment to Bina. She plays, sings and enjoys time with her son. She swings Ben, and she holds him on her chest and lap. Ben’s saliva spills on her shoulders.
Ben gets tired of playing with his mother and begins to close his eyes and cannot keep his head upright. Bina takes him into the sleeping room and she lies next to him on the bed. She caresses his forehead with her loving hands. She covers him with a wool blanket.
Bina goes back to the living room. She shuts the windows and she pulls on the huge curtains. She peers through the skylight, but she cannot see the sky and stars that disappear into the darkness of the black night. She burns a candle, and the aroma of lemongrass and geranium spreads out from the flame. She turns off the lights. The room transforms into a silent and dark place. Bina squats on the floor. The candle’s calm light spreads on her beautiful face. Her breathing, looking, and moving express a sense of mercy in her charming body; she reveals a deep sadness and bows down her head. She cannot conceal it and she starts sobbing. She replaces the picture in the same place on the wall.
“No war.
“War, it destroys lives.
“Peace.
“It provides the freedom to enjoy,” She screams.
“Need peace. I cannot see anymore loss.”
“Yes, I lost you, the American experience. I cannot repress my grief.”
Bina talks to her husband, Bryan. But, he doesn’t speak to her. She goes back to the sleeping room and lies down on the bed to wait for sleep.
Bina says, “I chose to spend my time alone. Forgive me, Bryan. But, your dreams, hopes, myths and beliefs will not die. Our trust in the future is our son, Ben. Many of the U.S. soldiers never had the chance to have their sons and daughters.”
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Thursday, January 31, 2008
An experience (Mother)
My Mother
I liked to eat chocolates so much when I was a child. One day, I had no money, but I wanted to enjoy the sweet taste of the chocolate. My mother used to keep coins inside a tin box, and she never locked the box. I opened the box, and started to search for coins. A minute later, I found a nice book. I was attracted by its cover, and turned the book over. Inside the pages, I found a photograph of my mother. I saw her long black hair, big black eyes, beautiful bright face, and slim bony body with an angelic smile. If an artist, a poet, and a musician saw her picture, they could create their famous creations.
People still say my mother was the prettiest girl in our village when she was young, and she was the smartest and strongest. I believe my mother was beautiful. Yet, she looks strong and charismatic. I am really impressed, and inspired by my mother’s life. When I began to understand about my mother’s life, she became an ideal person. She is everything to me. If I think about my mother deeply, I get a tearful feeling. She bore a lot of hurts, pain, tragedies, and grief for her family and society. I know it was really tragic, traumatic, and miserable. I question myself. How did she face those problems? She sacrificed all her happiness to make her family and society happy. I would say my mother’s life is an open book. If someone writes about my mother’s life, it will be a touching and inspirational biography. I cannot write about my life without including my mother’s story; it intersects and inspires the story of my life.
She had just grown out of her childhood. She had to marry at the age of fifteen. Now, I imagine a moment of my mother’s wedding. At that time, she couldn’t think, and had no defined purpose in life. Also, she couldn’t understand what had happened. She had no choices and devices. In the end, she couldn’t escape from dogmatic customs and traditions. I cannot say that the custom where parents announce marriage agreements for their babies was a good custom. Nepalese society is almost unchangeable, and people cannot make decisions about their fortunes in life. They cannot choose their future. The main causes of this are poverty, illiteracy, inequality, and injustice. It needs to change, and all the people must be equal before the eyes of justice.
My mother suffered because of a superstitious society that she was born, and grew up in. My father was the British Army. After serving for long time, he returned to our village, and he started his political career. He was elected in the president of my village, and he served about 15 years. But, my father couldn’t be a loyal and responsible person toward his family. Next, he chose to spend his further life as a common person. My mother’s painful and sorrowful life started when she married. She faced many problems, but she never grew tired. She fought against injustice, exploitation, and oppression. She still has not grown tired from her social work. She defends poor, disabled, indigent people, and she knocks on the doors of courts and administrations for justice.
Sometimes I say, “Mother you need to retire. And take rest, and pass the time peacefully. You do not need to do anymore in your life”
She replies me, “My son, thank you for your kindness, but it is impossible. My long and tough journey will never end before my death. I would like to continue on my way. Please let me walk.”
Some moments story fresh in my mind. My siblings and I enjoyed childhood with our mother. We were small. She had to visit all over the country participating in various activities. She held many posts in her life. When she used to leave us for a week or a month, we became very unhappy. I sat in the yard, and I waited to her every morning and evening. I passed many nights without sleep in her absence, but when she didn’t come home it made me very upset. When she was with us, she worked, sang, and smiled for us, and we grew in her love and affection. She had an amazing voice, and sang magically. Now I remember I got to sleep many times when she sang to me. When she smiled, I saw a rose on her lips, and felt the smell of gardenia. She gave me her hands, arms, and hugs. I got a lovely feeling from her delicate olive skin.
My mother doesn’t want to live in a chaotic place, so she lives in a secret place where she is bestowed with a laurel wreath of beauty. We live in Kathmandu, but my mother doesn’t want to live there. She didn’t want to leave our village. She would serve in the government for the village and people. She is involved in politics. Before the dissolution of parliament, she was the president/chairman of my village. She wants to develop her pretty and secret village.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
A Critique to J. Kozol's Essay
Are the Homeless Crazy?
The essay “Are the Homeless crazy?” by Jonathan Kozol, was published in Harper’s in 1988. In this essay, Kozol argues an explicit causal thesis that explains and illustrates the plight of homeless in the United States. The author signifies the following factors: homeless were deinstitutionalized form the mental hospital in 1970s, they lost traditional industrial jobs, the shortage of low-income housing and poverty level pay rate. According to the essay, Kozol’s the most significant analysis or abstract is the homeless are not crazy cause is lack of affordable low-income housing.
Kozol argues that general public believes that the deinstitutionalized of mental hospital patients in the 1970s caused a lot of people to become homeless. The author’s argument is against this explanation people who work among the homeless say the cause of homelessness problem is not deinstitutionalized cause is economic rather than a clinical problem. The author proves his argument that the main cause of homeless are lack of low income housing, poverty level wage, and the lost the traditional industrial jobs. This essay indicates that during the decade of the 1970s the government officials in New York deinstitutionalized those who were classified as mentally disturbed. But the author pleads that the cause of homeless is not mental illness but the lack of affordable housing and jobs.
The homeless are displaced from traditional industrial jobs and low income housing. They receive poverty level wages. These wages are not sufficient for families and individuals to survive on. And families and children suffer even more because homeless impacts the children’s upbringing. Kozol backs up his claim by using statistics, which state since 1968 the number of impoverished children living in New York has grown by three million, and welfare benefits to families with children have declined by 35 percent. (18)
The author substantiates his claim that the reason for homelessness are not that people are mentally and emotionally unwell by showing that even for those persons who were ill and deinstitutionalized during the decade before 1980s; the primary cause of homelessness in 1987 is not illness but loss of housing.(20)
He criticizes explicitly the idea that the most of the homeless are former patients from mental hospitals. Sometimes people appear crazy who deinstitutionalized. Kozol presents an example of a homeless woman standing on a traffic island in Manhattan, who was evicted. Kozol mentions a quote from an NYT writer who says, “The paranoids of the street, he says, “are among the most difficult to help.” (21) Then, Kozol says, it is crazy to seek vengeance for being thrown into the street? The absence of anger, some psychiatric believe, might indicate much great illness. (21)
Kozol’s thesis is stated because he argues that the explicitly about the homeless are not mentally ill, and he clarifies and organizes his main idea by using statistics, facts, analysis, examples and explanations. As a short example of statistics, at the same time, federal support for the low-income housing dropped from $ 30 billion (1980) to $ 7.50 billion in (1988). (18)
Additionally, he tries to make his essay persuasive for the readers. He renders the complex cause of the homeless in the United States by trying to prove via informative argument and scientific evidence to counter argument and statements that have been put forward by politicians, journalists and others that the homeless are primary mentally ill. However, Kozol presents a realistic argument about the homeless in the United States. By presenting government policy, which states that deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill is who are deinstitutionalized during decades before 1980, the precipitating cause of homelessness in 1987 is not illness but loss of housing. (20) as opposed to Kozol’s argument that loss of affordable housing and jobs is the cause of homelessness.
This essay is developed in comparison-contrast, cause-effects that are supported by statistics, facts, example, analogies and descriptions. When I read and tried to infer the main idea of essay, I felt that the kind of language used was higher diction. In my personal viewpoint, it was difficult to understand the author language because I speak English as second language. He presents in the scientific technical and persuasive language. He uses figurative languages and various unfamiliar words. For example: deinstitutionalized, hallucination, hypertension, psychiatric and vengeance.
The purpose of this essay, Kozol succeeds to provide information about the homeless problem in the United States. The author conveys to the readers this essay in the causal, evaluative and interpretative methods. He explains and illustrates by his statistics and factual evidence, and disproves illogical argument about the homeless people. He attempts to convince the readers that the main cause of homelessness in the U. S. is not “craziness” but lack of low-cost housing. He is successful to confer his argument and opinion of the government. The government says the cause of the homeless is their use of alcohol and drugs, which makes them psychotic and mentally disturbed. Therefore, they are not able to maintain their regular responsibilities. As a result, they become the homeless, and mentally ill, alcoholic, drug addicts. But author argues that the cause of homeless is lost of traditional industrial jobs, and half of the employees laid off find new jobs that pay poverty level wages.
On this point, he is unsuccessful because he just explains, informs and criticizes the problem of homeless. But he doesn’t present a solution or ideas about how to reduce and solve the homeless problem in the United States. Also, the government needs to carry the responsibilities of the homeless because the homeless are human beings and citizen of this nation. They need humanitarian welfare; they expect the help of the government. The homeless’ last hope is the government, and it is essential that the government must help them. In this way, the author should have reasoned and present some his suitable way, that the government could develop policies do help the homeless.
Kozol’s thesis is clearly stated, and he supports his main idea by presenting factual and statistics evidence the homeless are not crazy but cause is low income housing. He presents his various supporting points and sub-supporting points in the essay that inform logically and clearly, and the essay makes persuasive. Kozol’s argument is that the homeless problem is psychotic or mental ill who were deinstitutionalized from mental hospitals cause is low income house those people cannot afford by poverty level wages. He provides the supporting argument that the homeless is cause of mental illness. As example, pregnant women do not get prenatal care they became mentally ill. Kozol uses academic language in sociological, economical and psychological terms. These languages contain on the rhetorical sense and appear numerous unfamiliar words.
Conclusion:
Kozol’s essay “Are the Homeless Crazy” emphasized that the journalist and politicians believe that a lot of homeless people are formal patients of mental hospitals, and people who were deinstitutionalized from the mental hospital they didn’t go directly on the street they were in low income housing called SROs which were diminished because of gentrification they could not occupy those kinds of house anymore. As a result, they became homeless. The author tries to attempt that other reason is since 1968 the number of the children growing of in poverty has risen and welfare benefit declined. Giving with unusual arguments, Kozol presents the essay very interestingly, and he establishes his intellectual personality and creativity. Kozol succeeds to provide information about the homeless problem in the United States. In addition, he explains and illustrates by hid statistics and factual evidence, and disproves illogical argument about the homeless people. Finally, he is successful to convince to the reader that the main cause of homelessness in the United States is not “craziness” but lack of low-cost housing.
The essay “Are the Homeless crazy?” by Jonathan Kozol, was published in Harper’s in 1988. In this essay, Kozol argues an explicit causal thesis that explains and illustrates the plight of homeless in the United States. The author signifies the following factors: homeless were deinstitutionalized form the mental hospital in 1970s, they lost traditional industrial jobs, the shortage of low-income housing and poverty level pay rate. According to the essay, Kozol’s the most significant analysis or abstract is the homeless are not crazy cause is lack of affordable low-income housing.
Kozol argues that general public believes that the deinstitutionalized of mental hospital patients in the 1970s caused a lot of people to become homeless. The author’s argument is against this explanation people who work among the homeless say the cause of homelessness problem is not deinstitutionalized cause is economic rather than a clinical problem. The author proves his argument that the main cause of homeless are lack of low income housing, poverty level wage, and the lost the traditional industrial jobs. This essay indicates that during the decade of the 1970s the government officials in New York deinstitutionalized those who were classified as mentally disturbed. But the author pleads that the cause of homeless is not mental illness but the lack of affordable housing and jobs.
The homeless are displaced from traditional industrial jobs and low income housing. They receive poverty level wages. These wages are not sufficient for families and individuals to survive on. And families and children suffer even more because homeless impacts the children’s upbringing. Kozol backs up his claim by using statistics, which state since 1968 the number of impoverished children living in New York has grown by three million, and welfare benefits to families with children have declined by 35 percent. (18)
The author substantiates his claim that the reason for homelessness are not that people are mentally and emotionally unwell by showing that even for those persons who were ill and deinstitutionalized during the decade before 1980s; the primary cause of homelessness in 1987 is not illness but loss of housing.(20)
He criticizes explicitly the idea that the most of the homeless are former patients from mental hospitals. Sometimes people appear crazy who deinstitutionalized. Kozol presents an example of a homeless woman standing on a traffic island in Manhattan, who was evicted. Kozol mentions a quote from an NYT writer who says, “The paranoids of the street, he says, “are among the most difficult to help.” (21) Then, Kozol says, it is crazy to seek vengeance for being thrown into the street? The absence of anger, some psychiatric believe, might indicate much great illness. (21)
Kozol’s thesis is stated because he argues that the explicitly about the homeless are not mentally ill, and he clarifies and organizes his main idea by using statistics, facts, analysis, examples and explanations. As a short example of statistics, at the same time, federal support for the low-income housing dropped from $ 30 billion (1980) to $ 7.50 billion in (1988). (18)
Additionally, he tries to make his essay persuasive for the readers. He renders the complex cause of the homeless in the United States by trying to prove via informative argument and scientific evidence to counter argument and statements that have been put forward by politicians, journalists and others that the homeless are primary mentally ill. However, Kozol presents a realistic argument about the homeless in the United States. By presenting government policy, which states that deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill is who are deinstitutionalized during decades before 1980, the precipitating cause of homelessness in 1987 is not illness but loss of housing. (20) as opposed to Kozol’s argument that loss of affordable housing and jobs is the cause of homelessness.
This essay is developed in comparison-contrast, cause-effects that are supported by statistics, facts, example, analogies and descriptions. When I read and tried to infer the main idea of essay, I felt that the kind of language used was higher diction. In my personal viewpoint, it was difficult to understand the author language because I speak English as second language. He presents in the scientific technical and persuasive language. He uses figurative languages and various unfamiliar words. For example: deinstitutionalized, hallucination, hypertension, psychiatric and vengeance.
The purpose of this essay, Kozol succeeds to provide information about the homeless problem in the United States. The author conveys to the readers this essay in the causal, evaluative and interpretative methods. He explains and illustrates by his statistics and factual evidence, and disproves illogical argument about the homeless people. He attempts to convince the readers that the main cause of homelessness in the U. S. is not “craziness” but lack of low-cost housing. He is successful to confer his argument and opinion of the government. The government says the cause of the homeless is their use of alcohol and drugs, which makes them psychotic and mentally disturbed. Therefore, they are not able to maintain their regular responsibilities. As a result, they become the homeless, and mentally ill, alcoholic, drug addicts. But author argues that the cause of homeless is lost of traditional industrial jobs, and half of the employees laid off find new jobs that pay poverty level wages.
On this point, he is unsuccessful because he just explains, informs and criticizes the problem of homeless. But he doesn’t present a solution or ideas about how to reduce and solve the homeless problem in the United States. Also, the government needs to carry the responsibilities of the homeless because the homeless are human beings and citizen of this nation. They need humanitarian welfare; they expect the help of the government. The homeless’ last hope is the government, and it is essential that the government must help them. In this way, the author should have reasoned and present some his suitable way, that the government could develop policies do help the homeless.
Kozol’s thesis is clearly stated, and he supports his main idea by presenting factual and statistics evidence the homeless are not crazy but cause is low income housing. He presents his various supporting points and sub-supporting points in the essay that inform logically and clearly, and the essay makes persuasive. Kozol’s argument is that the homeless problem is psychotic or mental ill who were deinstitutionalized from mental hospitals cause is low income house those people cannot afford by poverty level wages. He provides the supporting argument that the homeless is cause of mental illness. As example, pregnant women do not get prenatal care they became mentally ill. Kozol uses academic language in sociological, economical and psychological terms. These languages contain on the rhetorical sense and appear numerous unfamiliar words.
Conclusion:
Kozol’s essay “Are the Homeless Crazy” emphasized that the journalist and politicians believe that a lot of homeless people are formal patients of mental hospitals, and people who were deinstitutionalized from the mental hospital they didn’t go directly on the street they were in low income housing called SROs which were diminished because of gentrification they could not occupy those kinds of house anymore. As a result, they became homeless. The author tries to attempt that other reason is since 1968 the number of the children growing of in poverty has risen and welfare benefit declined. Giving with unusual arguments, Kozol presents the essay very interestingly, and he establishes his intellectual personality and creativity. Kozol succeeds to provide information about the homeless problem in the United States. In addition, he explains and illustrates by hid statistics and factual evidence, and disproves illogical argument about the homeless people. Finally, he is successful to convince to the reader that the main cause of homelessness in the United States is not “craziness” but lack of low-cost housing.
Friday, January 18, 2008
A Dictator Ruler in Nepal
For eleven years, Nepal has been facing a complex political crisis. Politically, there are three powers: the king, the political parties and the Maoists. These three powers continually vie for political power. In 1990, people moment brought about democracy from an absolute monarchy system and created “The Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal 1990”. The new constitution guaranteed the constitutional monarchy and multi-party parliamentary system. But that system failed when the Prime Minister tried to dissolve the parliament, and the King took this opportunity to sack the Prime Minister and take over the sovereign power of people. Currently, King Gyanendra rules Nepal as a dictator.
When the mysterious Narayanhithi Royal palace massacre happened in 2001, King Birendra and his all of family members were killed in a brutal event. Following that, Gyanendra became the King of Nepal in June 2001. As a King, he has sought to exercise active control over the elected Prime Minister to appoint government of his own choosing. Gyanendra took control on February 1, 2005, accusing Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s government of failing to make arrangements for parliamentary elections and of being unable to restore peace in the country, which is currently in the midst of a widespread rebellion by the Maoists who are waging a “Jana Yudda” (or people’s war).
The King promised peace, security and that democratic institution would be restored within three years. But the insurgents created a massive bloodbath opposing election. Their opposition will likely continue. The government is under Gyanendra’s rule. At this time, the King does not want to restore democracy. He has all the powers of legislative, executive and judiciary. Being the government of the parliamentary system, according to Wikipedia, The Maoist rebel and the government of Nepal, was launched by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) on February 13, 1996. The communist rebels, who call the conflict “Nepalese People’s War”, and aim to establish a “People Republic of Nepal”, control several parts of the country. In 2001, The King of Nepal began deploying the armed forces against the Maoist forces. More than 11,500 people have been killed in the conflict, and an estimated 100,000 to 150,000 people have been internally displaced. The conflict has disrupted most rural development activities, and has led to a deep and complex transformation of Nepalese society. (1)
The King is not able to solve the political crises of Nepal. His ruling period shows that it cannot bring any positive and satisfying results. He must understand the demand of the people. Without the support of people and recognition of international communities, his government cannot be valid. If he defies the opinion of people, Nepalese monarchy will cease to exist very soon.
Nepalese rulers, historically, have established an aristocratic ruling system that never granted rights to the common people. The king is a symbol and this leads and preserves the aristocratic system; they do not want to give up their status quo. They believe that they deserve these privileges as a birth right. In this way, Gyanendra cannot be the symbol of unity for the nation and people because he represents an old legacy.
It worked in the past as Nepal was kept in isolation. Until the1950s, more than 85 percent Nepalese people were illiterate and lived in abject poverty. The autocrat rulers did not provide the opportunities to the people to be educated. Generations of common people spent centuries without modern evolution, exploitation and creation of knowledge. By keeping the people ignorant, the rulers conserved their submissive ruling systems. The rulers only feared and concentrated to save their regimes through minimizing the access of knowledge. Nepalese rulers are still indulging in their self-interest and taking advantage of the common people; it is still one of the main causes of illiteracy and poverty. According to one source of C. B. S. statistics present that in 1952/54, 5.3 percent Nepalese were educated, in 1961 were 8.9 percent, in 1971 were 14 percent, 1981 were 23.3 percent, 1991 were 39.6 percent, and 2001 were 53.7 percent. (Literacy1) As well other sources show that, Nepalese poverty in 1976/77 were 33 percent, and in 1995/96 were 42 percent. (“Changes in Poverty Incidence”) Furthermore, The World Factbook’s statistics render Nepal’s poverty population below poverty line is 31 percent. (11)
In practice, old ideas always prevent entry of the new ideas into a society. The traditionalists cannot convert easily with new ideas, or change their personal beliefs, as these new concepts eliminate their political, social, economical and cultural superiority. In retrospect, it is true that they have established the heritage and identity of a nation. It introduced real and distinct features existing in the current Nepalese social and cultural systems. But these impede new concepts and ideas from being adopted into the society as a whole.
So it just becomes a good slogan for their propaganda. They want to isolate the society from the scientific age and continue on in an archaic path where masters can be the masters and slaves would be always slave. Therefore, this is an unacceptable system in a modern world. Because of the nature of globalization, no society can exist in isolation anymore. As a result, people of Nepal do not want to return to the “primitive” age; instead they are searching for a new identity.
In1990, when people moment brought democracy formally in Nepal they got unlimited rights and duties, but these provisions have not been implemented in practice. According to the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal 1990 article 3, “The sovereignty of Nepal is vested in the Nepalese people and shall be exercise in accordance with the provisions of this constitution.” (2) But people have not fully realized sovereignty as the promise held because the administration and judiciary bodies have not served in the favor of the common people. Leadership and bureaucracy have been corrupt; so general public still have not received proper administration and justice in their lives. Even though the provisions of the constitution provided them right to equality, right to freedom, press and publication right, right to information, cultural and educational right, right to religion, right against exile, the people have not fully received all these of provisions.
Nepalese political scene is changing rapidly. More than a million people demonstrated against the King and his government in Kathmandu the capital of Nepal recently for the restoration of democracy. The choices and demands of Nepalese people have changed; they want to decide their future themselves. At this current situation, their main choice is to choose a political system that represent the people and which can lead to the betterment all sectors of the nation. A country without a good political and cultural system cannot be prosperous. Nepalese people have many choices about the political system and are exercising them to get the best system for their country. Some of the people want active monarchy, some want constitutional monarchy and others want the multi-party parliamentary system. But increasingly today people’s demands are moving towards democratic republic without a monarch.
Although King Gyanendra tries to install his autocratic government, Nepalese people and international communities do not support and accept his steps. He has not gotten any recognition from the international authoritative governments and institutions. It is as though Gyanendra wants to preserve his power, palace and regime through any means including massacre of family members, bloodshed, and the power of cruelty. If we study and analyze about Nepalese regime approaches, historically, Nepalese dictatorial and aristocratic rulers have always established an unjust social cultural practices which still remain unchangeable and these have held back the Nepalese people from their progress.
The king must hand over democracy to the people because they do not want to rule by a dictator where the King is leading a feudal system. The King wants to protect and preserve an aristocrat community, whom praise and pray to the King. The demand of age and time has changed, and the people do not want to live in a slavish society; they want to live in an equitable society. If people want to get these kinds of societies, it can be achieved through democracy where fundamental rights of people are more guaranteed. Democracy creates rule and supremacy of law where people can live equally. But an active monarchy can not provide freedom to the civil society.
* This essay was written in 2006.
Work Cited
When the mysterious Narayanhithi Royal palace massacre happened in 2001, King Birendra and his all of family members were killed in a brutal event. Following that, Gyanendra became the King of Nepal in June 2001. As a King, he has sought to exercise active control over the elected Prime Minister to appoint government of his own choosing. Gyanendra took control on February 1, 2005, accusing Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s government of failing to make arrangements for parliamentary elections and of being unable to restore peace in the country, which is currently in the midst of a widespread rebellion by the Maoists who are waging a “Jana Yudda” (or people’s war).
The King promised peace, security and that democratic institution would be restored within three years. But the insurgents created a massive bloodbath opposing election. Their opposition will likely continue. The government is under Gyanendra’s rule. At this time, the King does not want to restore democracy. He has all the powers of legislative, executive and judiciary. Being the government of the parliamentary system, according to Wikipedia, The Maoist rebel and the government of Nepal, was launched by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) on February 13, 1996. The communist rebels, who call the conflict “Nepalese People’s War”, and aim to establish a “People Republic of Nepal”, control several parts of the country. In 2001, The King of Nepal began deploying the armed forces against the Maoist forces. More than 11,500 people have been killed in the conflict, and an estimated 100,000 to 150,000 people have been internally displaced. The conflict has disrupted most rural development activities, and has led to a deep and complex transformation of Nepalese society. (1)
The King is not able to solve the political crises of Nepal. His ruling period shows that it cannot bring any positive and satisfying results. He must understand the demand of the people. Without the support of people and recognition of international communities, his government cannot be valid. If he defies the opinion of people, Nepalese monarchy will cease to exist very soon.
Nepalese rulers, historically, have established an aristocratic ruling system that never granted rights to the common people. The king is a symbol and this leads and preserves the aristocratic system; they do not want to give up their status quo. They believe that they deserve these privileges as a birth right. In this way, Gyanendra cannot be the symbol of unity for the nation and people because he represents an old legacy.
It worked in the past as Nepal was kept in isolation. Until the1950s, more than 85 percent Nepalese people were illiterate and lived in abject poverty. The autocrat rulers did not provide the opportunities to the people to be educated. Generations of common people spent centuries without modern evolution, exploitation and creation of knowledge. By keeping the people ignorant, the rulers conserved their submissive ruling systems. The rulers only feared and concentrated to save their regimes through minimizing the access of knowledge. Nepalese rulers are still indulging in their self-interest and taking advantage of the common people; it is still one of the main causes of illiteracy and poverty. According to one source of C. B. S. statistics present that in 1952/54, 5.3 percent Nepalese were educated, in 1961 were 8.9 percent, in 1971 were 14 percent, 1981 were 23.3 percent, 1991 were 39.6 percent, and 2001 were 53.7 percent. (Literacy1) As well other sources show that, Nepalese poverty in 1976/77 were 33 percent, and in 1995/96 were 42 percent. (“Changes in Poverty Incidence”) Furthermore, The World Factbook’s statistics render Nepal’s poverty population below poverty line is 31 percent. (11)
In practice, old ideas always prevent entry of the new ideas into a society. The traditionalists cannot convert easily with new ideas, or change their personal beliefs, as these new concepts eliminate their political, social, economical and cultural superiority. In retrospect, it is true that they have established the heritage and identity of a nation. It introduced real and distinct features existing in the current Nepalese social and cultural systems. But these impede new concepts and ideas from being adopted into the society as a whole.
So it just becomes a good slogan for their propaganda. They want to isolate the society from the scientific age and continue on in an archaic path where masters can be the masters and slaves would be always slave. Therefore, this is an unacceptable system in a modern world. Because of the nature of globalization, no society can exist in isolation anymore. As a result, people of Nepal do not want to return to the “primitive” age; instead they are searching for a new identity.
In1990, when people moment brought democracy formally in Nepal they got unlimited rights and duties, but these provisions have not been implemented in practice. According to the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal 1990 article 3, “The sovereignty of Nepal is vested in the Nepalese people and shall be exercise in accordance with the provisions of this constitution.” (2) But people have not fully realized sovereignty as the promise held because the administration and judiciary bodies have not served in the favor of the common people. Leadership and bureaucracy have been corrupt; so general public still have not received proper administration and justice in their lives. Even though the provisions of the constitution provided them right to equality, right to freedom, press and publication right, right to information, cultural and educational right, right to religion, right against exile, the people have not fully received all these of provisions.
Nepalese political scene is changing rapidly. More than a million people demonstrated against the King and his government in Kathmandu the capital of Nepal recently for the restoration of democracy. The choices and demands of Nepalese people have changed; they want to decide their future themselves. At this current situation, their main choice is to choose a political system that represent the people and which can lead to the betterment all sectors of the nation. A country without a good political and cultural system cannot be prosperous. Nepalese people have many choices about the political system and are exercising them to get the best system for their country. Some of the people want active monarchy, some want constitutional monarchy and others want the multi-party parliamentary system. But increasingly today people’s demands are moving towards democratic republic without a monarch.
Although King Gyanendra tries to install his autocratic government, Nepalese people and international communities do not support and accept his steps. He has not gotten any recognition from the international authoritative governments and institutions. It is as though Gyanendra wants to preserve his power, palace and regime through any means including massacre of family members, bloodshed, and the power of cruelty. If we study and analyze about Nepalese regime approaches, historically, Nepalese dictatorial and aristocratic rulers have always established an unjust social cultural practices which still remain unchangeable and these have held back the Nepalese people from their progress.
The king must hand over democracy to the people because they do not want to rule by a dictator where the King is leading a feudal system. The King wants to protect and preserve an aristocrat community, whom praise and pray to the King. The demand of age and time has changed, and the people do not want to live in a slavish society; they want to live in an equitable society. If people want to get these kinds of societies, it can be achieved through democracy where fundamental rights of people are more guaranteed. Democracy creates rule and supremacy of law where people can live equally. But an active monarchy can not provide freedom to the civil society.
* This essay was written in 2006.
Work Cited
Literacy, “Education, Language, Religion and Ethnicity”, CBS, 1995; MOE 2000, CBS 2002.
http://mope.gov.np/population/chapter5.php, 1
The Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal-1990, “The sovereignty”, Article 3, 2
The World Factbook – Nepal, “Population below Poverty line and Unemployment Rate”,
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publication/factbook/geos/hp.html. 2003-2004, 11
Wikipedia, “Nepal Civil War”, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepal_People’s_War, 1
World Bank, “Change in Poverty Incidence”, Poverty in Nepal at the Turn of Twenty-First Century, Vols. I and II. Washington, D.C. 1999.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Chaure Buffalo
My imperfect eyes saw the dawn of morning, the smile of mountains. It looked like a bride, and she smiled from the veil on her face which shone as a pearl. At the same time, the wind blew with the smell of fresh flowers. At the nightfall, I saw evening the sky filled with stars and the moon, and they adjusted their places in the sky. I thought one day the sky would fall down on the earth, and destroy all the planets. I imagined, and I forgot rapidly. This is how I conceived life.
I passed my childhood as a shepherd. In the hills and lowlands near my village, we had sheds to keep in our livestock, and the cattle grazed in the grazing land. We had huge herds of buffaloes, cows, sheep, and goats. We made their milk into curd, ghee, and cheese. I ate and enjoyed the natural milk and curds. We had a big buffalo name was Chaure. She gave us a lot of milk. Her behavior was like a human. She could decode humans, and used to understand the language. I understood her angry and happy moods by her expressions and sounds. She was the group leader. She controlled the group. She had a strong body, beautiful big round horns, long ears, black and bright eyes, and attractive face. I rode her, and passed steep graded horizons with her.
One day, Chaure disappeared from the group. The herd of cattle returned in the cowshed. I saw their painful face because the group leader wasn’t with them. They cried very unpleasant sounds: Boa, Ai, Aiiii….! The sounds spread in the wind and went far. They rammed their horns against the walls and trees. I saw tears in their eyes. I felt that day animals also have love, do love, and weep in tragedy and death. Our family loved Chaure very much. It made us very sad. Many people participated in the search for Chaure. We searched for Chaure in far away places, but we couldn’t find her.
Five days later, we found the dead body of Chaure. She had fallen down from a peak. It was almost 700 meters down inside a forest. When we found her obliterated body, I couldn’t look at her. My soul was covered by darkness, and I lost my sense as a maniac person. It was an unbearable experience in my life. I could not hide the tears in my eyes. The tears fell down from my eyes like waterfalls. I expected that I would find Chaure alive, but my hope died.
Once again, her love attracted me, and I touched her. But I could not feel warming, and Chaure didn’t speak and could not take a breath with her loveable voice. She was cold like ice. The chill froze my heart. The sun vanished in the dim cloud. The surface wet with rain, and the weather wept unpleasantly. The wind didn’t flow, leaves didn’t move, and the trees didn’t dance. My mind spun like a wheel on the grief. Everybody seemed grief-stricken. I heard the sound of loss and despair. With pain in our hearts we buried Chaure, and we returned home. We still have many buffalos in my village, but we never found one like Chaure again.
I have passed through different experiences in my life, but I cannot forget my relationship with Chaure. I forget discos, bars, theatres, concerts, valuable material, and romance, but I will always remember Chaure. I think our love was deep and long lasting.
I passed my childhood as a shepherd. In the hills and lowlands near my village, we had sheds to keep in our livestock, and the cattle grazed in the grazing land. We had huge herds of buffaloes, cows, sheep, and goats. We made their milk into curd, ghee, and cheese. I ate and enjoyed the natural milk and curds. We had a big buffalo name was Chaure. She gave us a lot of milk. Her behavior was like a human. She could decode humans, and used to understand the language. I understood her angry and happy moods by her expressions and sounds. She was the group leader. She controlled the group. She had a strong body, beautiful big round horns, long ears, black and bright eyes, and attractive face. I rode her, and passed steep graded horizons with her.
One day, Chaure disappeared from the group. The herd of cattle returned in the cowshed. I saw their painful face because the group leader wasn’t with them. They cried very unpleasant sounds: Boa, Ai, Aiiii….! The sounds spread in the wind and went far. They rammed their horns against the walls and trees. I saw tears in their eyes. I felt that day animals also have love, do love, and weep in tragedy and death. Our family loved Chaure very much. It made us very sad. Many people participated in the search for Chaure. We searched for Chaure in far away places, but we couldn’t find her.
Five days later, we found the dead body of Chaure. She had fallen down from a peak. It was almost 700 meters down inside a forest. When we found her obliterated body, I couldn’t look at her. My soul was covered by darkness, and I lost my sense as a maniac person. It was an unbearable experience in my life. I could not hide the tears in my eyes. The tears fell down from my eyes like waterfalls. I expected that I would find Chaure alive, but my hope died.
Once again, her love attracted me, and I touched her. But I could not feel warming, and Chaure didn’t speak and could not take a breath with her loveable voice. She was cold like ice. The chill froze my heart. The sun vanished in the dim cloud. The surface wet with rain, and the weather wept unpleasantly. The wind didn’t flow, leaves didn’t move, and the trees didn’t dance. My mind spun like a wheel on the grief. Everybody seemed grief-stricken. I heard the sound of loss and despair. With pain in our hearts we buried Chaure, and we returned home. We still have many buffalos in my village, but we never found one like Chaure again.
I have passed through different experiences in my life, but I cannot forget my relationship with Chaure. I forget discos, bars, theatres, concerts, valuable material, and romance, but I will always remember Chaure. I think our love was deep and long lasting.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
My Foregone Sakewa
It was an absolutely fabulous, pleasurable moment never repeated in my life. Sakewa begins almost at the end of spring at dawn. My curious eyes opened from a long sleep, and I squatted in the hard but comfortable bed. I squinted through the big scenic window; the rain sprinkled. Just a moment later, the sun rose with warm and bright rays. The wind carried an aromatic breeze, and the rivers sang deep and harmonious. The garden, farm, and the hills were covered by the color of green. Trees of banyan, oak, pear, mimosa, and cherry moved on the slow motion. I lost my all senses in the elegant world of the flowers. I took a fresh breath; Sakewa spread into my soul and mind. My excited heart vibrated like an earthquake. I began to think for a moment about what had happened. It was in fond sweet imagination of the Sakewa where I reveled.
Every year, I enjoyed Sakewa with my family, friends, and relatives. We celebrate through dancing, singing, eating, gathering, and with new clothes. We have various fables and factual opinions about Sakewa’s origin, but nobody has proof of the origin of Sakewa. Yet, it is a very sensitive subject, and it requires broad and deep scientific study and research. However, it is a fact that Sakewa is the biggest festival of Kirat Rais which is observed two times a year by Rais’ cultural heritage. The Sakewa festival is a very significant part of the Kirat Rais because it expresses the civilization of the Kirat; it introduces and applies ritual activities, and conveys the history, arts, culture, music, and literature of the Kirat. Sakewa is a traditional and customary fete. It has been observed since the ancient era, and is directly related to the Kirat Rais’ religion. Therefore, Kirat Rais perform their religious activities in Sakewa. The Kirat Rai communities pray and preach to their supreme gods Paruhang and Summnima for their power. They worship and give gifts to the gods and the dead spirits of their ancestors for the good health and harvest.
With Sakewa, an issue rises about the roots of my race. My ancestors were at the forefront of Nepali history, but only recently are we re-emerging back into the mainstream. The history illustrates Kirat Rais are the real and ancient citizens of Nepal. Over the centuries, numerous cultural and authentic identities were lost. Kirat ruled for about sixteen hundred years in ancient Nepal creating a justice system that was directly based on the truth. As a result, the Kirat judiciary procedures proceeded through their spirituality, which was directed by the conduct and quality of a person’s soul. Religiously, they conceived that the human spirit is the supreme, and it defines as good or evil. Pure soul that was in an excellent rank, were graded the highest mark. They were related to the divine power in nature. Their belief guided them to follow the way of honesty.
The Kirat Rais are separated in many subdivisions, and they have different language variations. For example, Sakewa is called by Bantawa language as Sakewa, by Koyu/Koyee as Sakel, by Chamling as Sakela, by Thulung as Wapsi, by Wambule as Dhowanku, by Jimee as Secro, by Dumee as Toso and by Puma as Phagu. However, their language, regular lifestyle, and ritual functions are similar between each other. In Nepal, non-Kirat Rais refer to Sakewa as Chandi Nach.
The Kirat Rais celebrate Sakewa for ten days. It is started five days before the main celebration and then followed by five days of the main solemnization. The Sakewa festival is mainly observed at the Henkungbung/ Chandithan (or a place for the main pray and worship), where the Kirat Rais’ priests (or Nakchhung/ Dhami) perform religious rites. He prays to the gods for power, wealth and prosperity of human beings, and for the protection of the universe and mankind.
The Kirat Rais hold Sakewa many different ways, but it has mostly four main components: Bub (or worship), Laak/ Silee (or dance), Chham (or songs) and Dhami rituals. These have specific guidelines and rules. The worship is the most significant component of Sakewa as it signifies the Kirat Rais’ faith and belief. This occurs in the first five days of the festival. All Rais perform worship in similar fashion but varies in subtle ways according to the Rais’ subdivision’s (or Thar) customs. However, the meaning remains unchanged. Before the main observance of Sakewa, the Kirat Rais are absorbed in various kinds of worships and adorations: Phengma Bub/Devi Pooja (or goddess’ worship), Sohanseng/ Dhara Pooja (or water tap worship), Chaleem Laatma/ Dhanko Biruwa Jhiknu (or rooting out rice sprouts), Hutlung Khutma or Suptulung (Chulaa)/ Agena Pooja (or wooden stove worship) and others. The Maweeyo (or main priests), who worship and pray in Henkungbung (or special place where just main priest can worship and pray), does not get involved in Sakewa Bub activities except for the Sohanseng. Other lower priests of the Rais lead rest of the religious processions.
The dance is the main feature of Sakewa; it carries the real spirit of Sakewa. They dance in a circle to the rhythmic sound of big drums and cymbals, and the loud and melodious songs of the mass. The Sakewa laak (or dance) displays the Kirat Rais’ original lifestyle in the past and the present. During the dancing, Silee Hangpa (or male dance leader) and Hangma (or female dance leader) lead the mass in Sakewa dance with their artistic and skillful movements of hands and feet.
Silee is the art set of a Sakewa dance. The Sakewa dance has various kinds of silees to dance. For examples; Silee Hangpa and Hangma perform dance acts as animals and birds, approach of harvest, hunting, and others. The Silees are divided into about one hundred and thirteen forms. Only the most popular ones listed here: Chasum (or narrative of social evolution), Narowa (or slow bird dance), Tawamakhiyam (or cloth weaving), Jhekwa (or fast bird dance), Phalekwa (or way cleaning) and Shikari (or hunter). Rais dance in different tempos from slow to moderate to fast. In addition, it depends on their Thar (or subdivision) and on the dancing styles of geographic locations. Sakewa dance has diverse principles for the dancing. These are practiced through the Nakchhong (or dhami/ priest dance) and Silee Hangpa/ Hangma.
Another main component is the Sakewa Chham (or song). It has mainly two types of songs. We can define or divide it in specific and general songs. Those songs are also divided in several forms. According to the Koyu/Koyee Rai’s classical norms and values, the Rukhuwa Chaam is a kind of specific song which can be sung by just the Kirat Rais’ priests (or Nakchhung). Common people are prohibited from singing these kinds of songs. Legends have it that if the commoners sing, their gods and ancestors become angry, who consequently punish and curse upon those who perform the misdeeds. These songs are related to Kirat Mundhum (or religious text). Since the Mundhums have been lost through the centuries, exact meanings of the songs remain a secret. General Sakewa songs can be sung by anybody it doesn’t have any social restrictions. These kinds of songs express the feelings of happiness, sadness, tragedies, pain and love, but at the end it leaves the singers excited. A person’s mood is transforms into an enthusiastic gesture of a romantic elation.
The Sakewa pleasure is shared by children and adults both men and women. At the time, they forget all their pain and grief, and they exchange their intimate belongings in hopes of making peace with their psyche. The Sakewa brings about different moments. It establishes a good relationship with novel person. It helps in the making of pure friendships. The Sakewa allows intercommunications between relatives and friends.
Sakewa is the best tool of the Kirat Rais which presents their real identity, and other communities easily identify it to the Rai society and culture. Sakewa is a good opportunity to share the love and affection between each other. In this occasion, a Rai man and woman exchange Binayo (or string instrument played by the mouth) by males and Butte Rulmal (or embroidered handkerchief) by females as valuable presents. They are the symbols of deep love and through exchange it is believed that there will be an eternal love that exists as a mythical dream. Their relation then converts as beloved and a new journey enters into the cosmos.
Mainly, Sakewa is celebrated at the Chandithan, which has several places for praying and worshipping. The Kirat Rais main priest pray and worship in Henkugbung, and other assistant priests worship in the Samkha (or worshipping the spirits of ancestors), Thampuk (or hunter) and Helawa Mang (or prayer for the monkey god). Rais bring gifts to offer to their gods and ancestors. Maweeyo (or main priest) worships with his assistants. They receive every household’s gifts, and Maweeyo prays and offers it to the gods in the name of the bringer of those gifts. Chadinthan becomes a parade ground in which Rais and other people enjoy it in different ways. Some people engage in greetings, dancing and some are involved in singing and playing the instruments. Some enjoy it with variety of tasteful foods and decent alcohol. The audiences are entertained with the festivities.
Also, as another part of the festivities, with shouting and preaching for gods, Chandithan is transformed into a slaughterhouse. They behead the chickens and stab a piglet. This is a moment that is indicative age of the savagery in a bygone hunter society. Because of the remote isolation, my forefathers weren’t infused with new ideas that could have introduced them to new ideas and knowledge. Thus, I feel that the slaughtering of animals is an archaic reflection of the past that is best abandoned.
Unfortunately, the Kirat Rai theology has disappeared in the darkness of history. I feel that I have lost the Kirat Rai glory, pride, brotherhood, and vivid destiny with the succession of history. Every person has a particular cultural upbringing and experience that will shape his/her ideals about their place in a society. But with the loss of doctrines and younger generations choosing to forget their traditional past, I have fears of a complete demise of Kirat-Rai culture. However, hope remains; I have a beloved festival that is left to me by my predecessors. For this reason, Sakewa is etched in my mind with its reminiscent panorama reflected in my eyes.
Every year, I enjoyed Sakewa with my family, friends, and relatives. We celebrate through dancing, singing, eating, gathering, and with new clothes. We have various fables and factual opinions about Sakewa’s origin, but nobody has proof of the origin of Sakewa. Yet, it is a very sensitive subject, and it requires broad and deep scientific study and research. However, it is a fact that Sakewa is the biggest festival of Kirat Rais which is observed two times a year by Rais’ cultural heritage. The Sakewa festival is a very significant part of the Kirat Rais because it expresses the civilization of the Kirat; it introduces and applies ritual activities, and conveys the history, arts, culture, music, and literature of the Kirat. Sakewa is a traditional and customary fete. It has been observed since the ancient era, and is directly related to the Kirat Rais’ religion. Therefore, Kirat Rais perform their religious activities in Sakewa. The Kirat Rai communities pray and preach to their supreme gods Paruhang and Summnima for their power. They worship and give gifts to the gods and the dead spirits of their ancestors for the good health and harvest.
With Sakewa, an issue rises about the roots of my race. My ancestors were at the forefront of Nepali history, but only recently are we re-emerging back into the mainstream. The history illustrates Kirat Rais are the real and ancient citizens of Nepal. Over the centuries, numerous cultural and authentic identities were lost. Kirat ruled for about sixteen hundred years in ancient Nepal creating a justice system that was directly based on the truth. As a result, the Kirat judiciary procedures proceeded through their spirituality, which was directed by the conduct and quality of a person’s soul. Religiously, they conceived that the human spirit is the supreme, and it defines as good or evil. Pure soul that was in an excellent rank, were graded the highest mark. They were related to the divine power in nature. Their belief guided them to follow the way of honesty.
The Kirat Rais are separated in many subdivisions, and they have different language variations. For example, Sakewa is called by Bantawa language as Sakewa, by Koyu/Koyee as Sakel, by Chamling as Sakela, by Thulung as Wapsi, by Wambule as Dhowanku, by Jimee as Secro, by Dumee as Toso and by Puma as Phagu. However, their language, regular lifestyle, and ritual functions are similar between each other. In Nepal, non-Kirat Rais refer to Sakewa as Chandi Nach.
The Kirat Rais celebrate Sakewa for ten days. It is started five days before the main celebration and then followed by five days of the main solemnization. The Sakewa festival is mainly observed at the Henkungbung/ Chandithan (or a place for the main pray and worship), where the Kirat Rais’ priests (or Nakchhung/ Dhami) perform religious rites. He prays to the gods for power, wealth and prosperity of human beings, and for the protection of the universe and mankind.
The Kirat Rais hold Sakewa many different ways, but it has mostly four main components: Bub (or worship), Laak/ Silee (or dance), Chham (or songs) and Dhami rituals. These have specific guidelines and rules. The worship is the most significant component of Sakewa as it signifies the Kirat Rais’ faith and belief. This occurs in the first five days of the festival. All Rais perform worship in similar fashion but varies in subtle ways according to the Rais’ subdivision’s (or Thar) customs. However, the meaning remains unchanged. Before the main observance of Sakewa, the Kirat Rais are absorbed in various kinds of worships and adorations: Phengma Bub/Devi Pooja (or goddess’ worship), Sohanseng/ Dhara Pooja (or water tap worship), Chaleem Laatma/ Dhanko Biruwa Jhiknu (or rooting out rice sprouts), Hutlung Khutma or Suptulung (Chulaa)/ Agena Pooja (or wooden stove worship) and others. The Maweeyo (or main priests), who worship and pray in Henkungbung (or special place where just main priest can worship and pray), does not get involved in Sakewa Bub activities except for the Sohanseng. Other lower priests of the Rais lead rest of the religious processions.
The dance is the main feature of Sakewa; it carries the real spirit of Sakewa. They dance in a circle to the rhythmic sound of big drums and cymbals, and the loud and melodious songs of the mass. The Sakewa laak (or dance) displays the Kirat Rais’ original lifestyle in the past and the present. During the dancing, Silee Hangpa (or male dance leader) and Hangma (or female dance leader) lead the mass in Sakewa dance with their artistic and skillful movements of hands and feet.
Silee is the art set of a Sakewa dance. The Sakewa dance has various kinds of silees to dance. For examples; Silee Hangpa and Hangma perform dance acts as animals and birds, approach of harvest, hunting, and others. The Silees are divided into about one hundred and thirteen forms. Only the most popular ones listed here: Chasum (or narrative of social evolution), Narowa (or slow bird dance), Tawamakhiyam (or cloth weaving), Jhekwa (or fast bird dance), Phalekwa (or way cleaning) and Shikari (or hunter). Rais dance in different tempos from slow to moderate to fast. In addition, it depends on their Thar (or subdivision) and on the dancing styles of geographic locations. Sakewa dance has diverse principles for the dancing. These are practiced through the Nakchhong (or dhami/ priest dance) and Silee Hangpa/ Hangma.
Another main component is the Sakewa Chham (or song). It has mainly two types of songs. We can define or divide it in specific and general songs. Those songs are also divided in several forms. According to the Koyu/Koyee Rai’s classical norms and values, the Rukhuwa Chaam is a kind of specific song which can be sung by just the Kirat Rais’ priests (or Nakchhung). Common people are prohibited from singing these kinds of songs. Legends have it that if the commoners sing, their gods and ancestors become angry, who consequently punish and curse upon those who perform the misdeeds. These songs are related to Kirat Mundhum (or religious text). Since the Mundhums have been lost through the centuries, exact meanings of the songs remain a secret. General Sakewa songs can be sung by anybody it doesn’t have any social restrictions. These kinds of songs express the feelings of happiness, sadness, tragedies, pain and love, but at the end it leaves the singers excited. A person’s mood is transforms into an enthusiastic gesture of a romantic elation.
The Sakewa pleasure is shared by children and adults both men and women. At the time, they forget all their pain and grief, and they exchange their intimate belongings in hopes of making peace with their psyche. The Sakewa brings about different moments. It establishes a good relationship with novel person. It helps in the making of pure friendships. The Sakewa allows intercommunications between relatives and friends.
Sakewa is the best tool of the Kirat Rais which presents their real identity, and other communities easily identify it to the Rai society and culture. Sakewa is a good opportunity to share the love and affection between each other. In this occasion, a Rai man and woman exchange Binayo (or string instrument played by the mouth) by males and Butte Rulmal (or embroidered handkerchief) by females as valuable presents. They are the symbols of deep love and through exchange it is believed that there will be an eternal love that exists as a mythical dream. Their relation then converts as beloved and a new journey enters into the cosmos.
Mainly, Sakewa is celebrated at the Chandithan, which has several places for praying and worshipping. The Kirat Rais main priest pray and worship in Henkugbung, and other assistant priests worship in the Samkha (or worshipping the spirits of ancestors), Thampuk (or hunter) and Helawa Mang (or prayer for the monkey god). Rais bring gifts to offer to their gods and ancestors. Maweeyo (or main priest) worships with his assistants. They receive every household’s gifts, and Maweeyo prays and offers it to the gods in the name of the bringer of those gifts. Chadinthan becomes a parade ground in which Rais and other people enjoy it in different ways. Some people engage in greetings, dancing and some are involved in singing and playing the instruments. Some enjoy it with variety of tasteful foods and decent alcohol. The audiences are entertained with the festivities.
Also, as another part of the festivities, with shouting and preaching for gods, Chandithan is transformed into a slaughterhouse. They behead the chickens and stab a piglet. This is a moment that is indicative age of the savagery in a bygone hunter society. Because of the remote isolation, my forefathers weren’t infused with new ideas that could have introduced them to new ideas and knowledge. Thus, I feel that the slaughtering of animals is an archaic reflection of the past that is best abandoned.
Unfortunately, the Kirat Rai theology has disappeared in the darkness of history. I feel that I have lost the Kirat Rai glory, pride, brotherhood, and vivid destiny with the succession of history. Every person has a particular cultural upbringing and experience that will shape his/her ideals about their place in a society. But with the loss of doctrines and younger generations choosing to forget their traditional past, I have fears of a complete demise of Kirat-Rai culture. However, hope remains; I have a beloved festival that is left to me by my predecessors. For this reason, Sakewa is etched in my mind with its reminiscent panorama reflected in my eyes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
