Belonging is good, Tribalism is not

Human beings are a social species. We are given to living and commuting in familiar groups. Our need for empathy, compassion and communication is in our nature – that is our ‘belonging’, our capacity and need for our tribe. Belonging is good.

Unfortunately, there is a dark side to this. Humans are as brutal as any other animal species. Being the most evolved species, our achievements are extraordinary but we are also destructive and hostile. As such, tribal animosities have always been part of our history.

Now, tribalism does not simply mean jingoistic affiliation to the statuary or official definition of ‘tribe’. There are various definitions of tribalism and in modern usage, tribalism also refers to people who share common ideas and allegiances. Tribalism is defined as “behavior and attitudes that stem from strong loyalty to one’s own tribe or social group.”

The behavior of a football team’s fans or members of a particular political party are also defined as tribalism. However, in our parlance, tribalism is understood as animosity between one Naga tribe and another. The negative aspects of Naga tribalism are known to every self-aware Naga. In fact, it cannot be wished away that tribalism is undoing Naga society today.

And these negative aspects of Naga tribalism are often fueled by the discernment of a threat, whether perceived or real. Tribalism promotes fear, anxiety, and prejudice, all of which make us more susceptible to fake news, propaganda, and animosity. In essence, tribalism is plain insecurity and jealousy. We fear ‘them’ because we are insecure or are jealous. Simple as that.

When another tribe progresses because of whatever reason, we are given to playing the ‘tribalism’ card instead of appreciating them for the progress they have made. Likewise, when an individual from another Naga tribe scales greater heights of success, we are given to get jealous instead of appreciating the achiever. This proves just how myopic we become when we let tribalism shroud our perception.

For instance, the ensuing Dr. T. Ao Trophy that is going to be played in our backyard on a clay pitch is viewed from a ‘tribalism’ prism by some. That, we have been deprived by the ‘others’ of an astro turf playground, while comfortably ignoring the fact that it is the same case almost everywhere in Nagaland. We should not let tribalism blind us from the facts lest we become myopic, bigoted and prejudiced. We should rather be leading the movement for a state-of-the-art playground in each and every district; we should rather be making the moves to prove that we deserve one.

To conclude, Naga people need to ask ourselves certain questions if we want to do away with tribalism. Questions like, why do we divide ourselves into “us versus them”? What psychological causes are at the root of tribalism? Who is promoting tribalism? What can we do to overcome tribalism and how? The answer lies within each one of us.

Editorial