AT Photo
Kohima, Jan 10: There is tension in the region surrounding Nagaland’s highest peak, Mt Saramati, as three influential Thanamir village organisations on Tuesday united in opposition to the Tikhir Naga tribe's land claim over the land.
The Thanamir Village Council, Thanamir Village Citizenship and Thanamir Village Students’ Union, “strongly” objected to the Tikhir Students’ Union’s anthem, which made a mention of Mt Saramati.
Through a joint statement, the three tribal bodies claimed that the first stanza of the Tikhir Students’ Union’s anthem read as “Langkong-Shamator, tong Saramati vong kyan” which is translated to “from Langkong- Shamator to Saramati mountain” alleging that the Tikhir tribe has claimed the peak as a land belonging to the Tikhir tribe.
"It is imperative to state that Saramati (whose ancestral name as Meramkhanvong in chirr dialect) particularly falls under the jurisdiction of Thanamir village, which is the inhabitant land of the Chirr speaking populace of the Yimkhiung Naga Tribe, who are the sole land owner and custodian," the joint statement read.
"Historically, Mt Saramati was named as Meramkhanvong in Chirr dialect by our early ancestors, who discovered the peak, but later it was renamed Mt. Saramati. Thereby, any Naga tribes can use the name of Mt. Saramati in common nomenclature and to which the joint council strongly oppose /object the use of the name in encroaching on the jurisdiction or territory or claiming it, particularly through any means of writings and compositions," it further said.
While opposing the claims of the Tikhir Students’ Union, the three organisations also directed the Tikhir student body to remove the word Saramati from the anthem before the start of the 43rd session of the Tikhir Students’ Union, scheduled from January 11–14, 2024, at Pokphur Village.
"Resulting of any untoward circumstances through this composed anthem will invite strong repercussions from the land owner and the Yimkhiung Tribe in general," the Thanamir organisations warned.
Dominating the rugged skyline of Nagaland's border with Burma, Mount Saramati stands majestically above its neighbouring peaks in the Kiphire District, near Thanamir Village.
