INTROSPECTION AND FUTURISTIC PERSPECTIVE OF ZO TRADITION
Zo tradition and cultural practices has evolved with time. Life style has much to do with economic status, living standards and the capacity to earn. Improvement always effect human life which inturn shapes the value system and altered traditional point of views and practices. Cultural and traditional values has always been the casualty of modernization. Turbulence and dilemma has been instigated by adopting modern art of living to our traditional cultural practices and dogmas. A new social trend is being evolved rapidly in our social and cultural constitution. This phenomena has been observed in various customaries and rituals like marriage , tanukhak, Sialkhumsagoh, puzukholh etc. As oppose to the customary marriage, retrospecting the past one/two decades quiete a sea of change had been there obviously . In earlier days the Zo marriage ceremony which was not as much expensive as it is now was popularly adopted and accepted by the majority. On the other hand much change has been around now the middle and nektawnzong class are scared away from holding socially accepted form of marriage on account of the huge expenditure involved in arranging the party or what we should called the ceremony. The richie and well to do family throw their marriage party in the most pomp and grand way and the common people judge the standard of this party but do not care to look into the reason behind that. We the commoner made a big blunder by judging people on their financial status , giving our high regard to those who could throw a grand party and disregard those who could not.
Our ancestor has set a very simple code for all these – may be in matters of marriage, tanukhak, sialkhumsa etc. their rules is simple and convenient and affordable for everyone rich or poor, haves and have not. All should feel comfortable to follow theirs. But we evolved society had made so much adoption from others wh8ich put more and more burden on our shoulder. Moreover the system become more and more complex demanding heavy expenditure. It is on account of this , what we called expenditure, we have mentioned earlier that middle and nektawmzong class are scared away form taking the social practice of marriage and other ceremonies. On the Tanukhak front we squeeze beyond our limit only that we could come to range with other in terms of Vanken we stretch beyond our capacity putting heavy burden and debt on our own shoulder . the traditional Sialkhumsa and mouvanken is quite simple and affordable it requires only simple day to day implements like, Axe , tuiseng , puanpi sathau biing, etc. with not much in addition. We throng ourselves into a race for more and more Mouvanken even extending to all sorts of items ranging from utensils to durable goods of modern consumer electronics which are technologically advance and expensive , Moreover we fooled ourselves into competing for more and more vanken which our ancestors had never practices. This has resulted in mustering pride and honour those with well to do background who could produce huge Vanken in opposed to that shame and stigma for poor backgrouned who could not garnered good vanken. This may paved way to classification of our society.
In miscellaneous practices of Puzukholh etc we had incorporate so many new practices such as – presenting Puandum or some gifts etc while doing this rituals. All these varieties might ultimately culminated into an undesirable effects, a practice which segregates the rich and poor, or moreover which might be undesired cultural rituals in the future. Because we should realised that a new trend is set for the future for each and every deeds we practice in the present.
In the meantime for all these blunders have not are straying away form taking the socially accepted Holy Matrimony for the fear that they would not meet the trend of standard which is being set by the rich and is widely rampant some took advantage of this to show off and exposed their status and financial position, care should be taken so that these might not paved the way to division of Zo society into different social stratum on the basis of wealth, which might even ultimately run deep into the system of choosing a partner. . Zo society which has been undivided into classes and which has been a solid whole one should strived to adhered to it and commit to preserved it. Is that Zo society been divided virtually into different classes . this is a good question that we should ask ourselves in our hearts and that each and everyone should strive and work hard so that the response is a big –NO . D o we agreed that our society should be divided into say – haves and have not.?
