KNSK attains 25 years; MC says time to introspect, retrospect

Konyak Nyupuh Shekho Khong – apex Konyak women organisation – which was established in the year 1986, celebrated its Silver Jubilee with minister for forest, environment, ecology & wildlife, and excise M.C. Konyak as chief guest.
M.C, who graced the anniversary celebration as chief guest, said such occasion was a time to reevaluate the achievements and failures and a time to introspect and retrospect individually and KNSK as a whole. According to Konyak, the past 25 years have been a concept/preparation period and that following years (26th year onward) should be the achievement period, where all concept and preparations should be put into practice.
Congratulating the KNSK on the occasion, the minister said: “You have not failed to rise to the occasion, not as mere women NGO but as a strong NGO with lots of vigor and vision.” Total liquor prohibition in the State is the greatest achievement of the KNSK, who as a strong NGO, initiated the movement, the excise minister added. Speaking on the role of the women and anti-social elements, Konyak said all the credits for the achievement of men should go to women, adding ‘there is a woman behind every successful man’.

Similarly, he said a good social environment depended very much upon women.
Asserting that social life begins at home, M.C. Konyak said therefore it was the role of women in building them, by guiding their children in the right path, to be a good citizen. On backwardness, he said “no men are born backward. It is us, as individual that made ourselves backward, due to our own failures.” “We have always felt that we are backward in every field but we should not feel so from now on, rather we should work hard and strive to move forward, as there is no substitute for hard work,” said the  minister. In connection with this, he even cited the example of the deputy commissioner Mon, the first female DC of the district who also belonged to backward tribe, and urged upon the Konyak women to inculcate the sense of competition.
He expressed the hope that they would bring laurel and fame to the community. M.C.Konyak thanked the KNSK for assisting the government in implementing various policies of the government.DC Mon Angau.I.Thou, in her short speech, congratulated the founding members of the KNSK, who had worked hard to nurture the organisation from its infant stage till maturity into the 25th year of its “progressive existence.”

Angau said KNSK has been a model for Naga people for its yeoman service to uplift the educational and socio-economic conditions of the people of Mon district and in pioneering and championing to fight social evils. According to her, the Konyaks were second to none in intelligence and skills. “The best indigenous Naga shawl and Mekhelas, threaded beads products, school bags etc… were those woven by Konyak women,” she said, pointing out that when all other Naga brothers and sisters were in very primitive state, the Konyaks were in a very advanced state of knowing the art of making various arms and ammunition and brass utensils and decorative items.
“Though in the present days, Konyaks have been classified as a backward tribe, it was not because Konyaks were inferior in intelligence and physique, but for being unfortunate in lagging behind educationally and economically,” the DC remarked. She said it was only through the empowerment of receiving proper education and hard work, the economic status of the people could climb up to be a world class producer.

Meanwhile, Bano Z Jamir, Addl. chief secretary & commissioner Nagaland, who graced the cultural programme as Guest the Honour described KNSK as one of the most dynamic organisation of the district and even in the state. She said members of the groups were women of determination and dignified in conduct who were symbolised by the theme of the Silver Jubilee celebration ‘Striding, Adapting and Inspiring’. Encouraging the Konyak women to come forward, she said “the changes that we have undergone as a society apply both to men and women”.
She said during head hunting days men and women played different roles but no discrimination existed. However, she said today, with head hunting era gone, similarly, the role of the man and woman has to undergo changes.

Talking about equality she said that Naga women have now come to take up responsibility in places where it was once reserved for the man and cited the example of the Mohung female traditional troupe firing guns. She also mentioned four districts of Nagaland headed by women as D.Cs and two districts headed by women as S.Ps
Speaking on Literacy rate of the district, she said although the literacy gap between male and female have come down to 7.99% (2011 census) from 10.21% (2001 census), which showed progress of women in literacy, yet Mon district is still holds the last position, as of 2011 census.
 Comparing to the 2001 census, Mon district has not improved in the field of Education. In this regard, she urged upon the Konyaks to work hard and ‘take two steps, when others take one step’ in order to be at par with the rest of the Nagas.