O Naga Mother: A Cry Against Gaslighting | Dr Suryaraju Mattimalla

“O Naga Mother, Have You Seen?
O Naga mother, have you seen the plight,
Of your children gaslit in the dead of the night?
With whispers of racism, cruel and unkind,
In a land that should cherish, yet seeks to bind.

Portrayed as Cannibals, Shadows of Shame
Have you seen how they paint us, with brushstrokes of hate?
Cannibals, dog eaters, in a twisted fate.
In the halls of so-called excellence, we are but a jest,
Our features caricatured, our dignity suppressed.

Blocked from Sacred Spaces
O mother, have you noticed the doors that are shut,
Restaurants and hotels, where they say, “Not for you, mutt”?
In the capital’s heart, where dreams should ignite,
We find ourselves breathless, swallowed by night.

Breathless Like the Holocaust
O mother Nagaland, do you feel our despair,
Like Jews in the Holocaust, gasping for air?
In this modern-day struggle, we face the same fate,
Untouchables of the mainland, cast aside by hate.

A Minefield of Humiliation
O mother, take me away from this minefield of scorn,
Where humiliation blooms, and our spirits are torn.
I long for Nagalim, where I can be free,
Where no one calls me “chinki,” where my soul can breathe.

The Sacred Air of Our Hills
O Naga mother, I yearn for our sacred land,
Where rivers flow freely, and life takes a stand.
In the embrace of our mountains, I seek my true home,
Not this rented room, where I endlessly roam.

Fear in the Mainland
I’ve seen your face, mother, not fearless, but fraught,
In the grip of their racism, a battle unwrought.
Even our shadows, they cast in disdain,
In their hells on earth, we endure endless pain.

Egalitarian Philosophy
O mother, thank you for the lessons you’ve sown,
In a world of division, you’ve taught me to own,
The belief that all souls, regardless of skin,
Are equal and free, where true life can begin.

Protect Me from Their Violence
Look at the mainland mother, her children in strife,
Their daily violence, cutting like a knife.
Protect me from words that seek to confine,
From their iron walls and boundaries, let me shine.

Gas Chambers of Hatred
O mother, they once gaslit the Jews, it’s true,
But our gas chambers burn bright, igniting anew.
Teach me courage, O mother, in this gaslighting fight,
Create me a Nagalim, where I can find light.

Breathe Freedom’s Air
In the air of freedom, let my spirit take flight,
Where life, love, and liberty dance in the light.
O Naga mother, in your arms, I find grace,
In the heart of our hills, I’ll reclaim my place.”

Dr Suryaraju Mattimalla