FLY ON THE ‘MEANINGLESS WINGS.

“Air India has imprinted the picture of Ao Naga shawl in its aircraft.” Now, how does one look and also react to this at the prospect of seeing ‘Tsungkotepsu’ – The Ao Naga traditional shawl flying atop the wings of Air India Aircraft? Its good, its bad… But I’ll leave it open-ended, for you to say. My question goes beyond the yes-no domain and raises certain issues related to epistemological trespassing which demands due warrant. Firstly, the Ao Naga traditional Shawl have been imprinted on the body of the Air India aircraft without the permission of the Nagaland Government, as reported in the Nagaland Post, dated 29th March 2010. On concerns about permission and channel… since the Shawl belongs to the Ao Naga tribe, what about the consent of the Aos and for that matter, the highest governing body of the Ao’s – The Ao Senden? I think, there has to be a proper consensus between the Government of Nagaland and the Ao senden and concerned unions and units (possibly) on this issue of legitimate permission. This is a serious case of hijacking of our culture on the part of the Air India. At the moment, the word ‘hijacking’ might sound synonymous with a cannonball but what if some larger integral aspect of our culture is hijacked in the near future…Shall we wait for a larger scale hijack?

The paper further carried, “We are glad that they are popularising our culture, and it is the pride of the Nagas that the picture of Ao Naga shawl has been used on the body of the aircraft” Rio said. This disturbing statement triggers my second concern. In this context, I have certain reservations on the idea and issue of ‘popularising’ culture. I won’t call it popularising unless it is properly represented. Even in terms of gaining popularity, how can anyone other than our people know just through the design that is a Ao Naga traditional shawl? As of now, it stands nothing more than a misrepresented design for cheap publicity. The world knows Taj Mahal as a monumental Architectural marvel and Peacock as the National bird of India. But what about our shawl? Can the Air India “accommodate” the essence of the rich cultural heritage inherent in the ‘Tsüngkotepsü’ or even write something on the design as a marker of the identity of the shawl. They are just interested in the ‘eye catching’ design rather than representation of the traditional essence of the shawl. Pray, it does not happen but we never know, what if the Air India patents the design of the shawl? We won’t be able to use or put on even our own shawl. Our culture was never a showpiece culture. It was fully embedded with rich values – moral as well as aesthetics.

Contemporary times and trends have opened up various forms of commersialisation and commodification devoid of a human face, without any consideration for the moral and cultural values. A serious reflection is thus pertinent.

- Asangba Tzudir
JNU