As indigenous communities, Nagas inherently have strong affiliation with nature. Or say, we used to have. The pace at which our natural heritage is depleting is a very serious problem that needs immediate attention. Our forefathers lived ‘with’ nature. The connectedness they shared with nature was organic. It was taboo to desecrate the natural environment. They lived in harmony with nature.
There are so many stories, songs and testimonies that define how our forefathers lived in harmony with nature. They took from nature only what they needed. They hunted only when they needed to. For them, the rivers were sacred. Our ancestors knew that their existence depended on nature. And nature provided everything that our ancestors needed. The relationship our forefathers had with nature was symbiotic.
If we consider how our forefathers not only survived but thrived in the harsh environment and terrain, we have to admit they were physically far superior than us today. They roamed the hills on foot, cleared jungles with almost bare hands, built villages and homes, and kept our civilization alive. Their physical prowess might have been powered by their symbiotic relationship with nature, the very nature that we deconsecrate. It has been researched and proven true by experts that nature does offer many benefits for the physiological and psychological wellbeing of humans. In fact, spending time out in nature is being recommended as a therapy today.
Shinrin-yoku or “forest bathing” is a term that emerged in Japan in the 1980s as a physiological and psychological exercise. It implies “taking in the forest atmosphere” and was recommended as an eco-antidote to tech-boom burnout and to inspire residents to reconnect with and protect the country’s forests. The Japanese quickly embraced this form of ecotherapy. In the 1990s, researchers began studying the physiological benefits of forest bathing, providing the science to support what we innately know: time spent immersed in nature is good for us. While Japan is credited with the term shinrin-yoku, the concept at the heart of the practice is not new. Many cultures have long recognized the importance of the natural world to human health, including our forefathers.
It is very unfortunate that we have lost this connectedness our ancestors shared with nature. Wanton killing of wild animals and birds, poisoning whole stretches of rivers with chemicals, destroying swathes of forest cover for mono-cropping, and unsustainable development practices have destroyed our natural heritage. If we do not stop right now and rethink our behavior towards nature, there will come a time in the near future, within our lifetime, when our children will question our sanity. To borrow a native American saying, we do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. Can we save what little remains of our natural heritage for the sake of our children? Can we be so selfish to destroy everything that remains of our natural environment and leave nothing for our children? Can’t we be a little considerate towards our children and save them the task of restoring what we have destroyed? Today is the right time to pause, think and reconnect with our natural heritage, and rebuild the symbiotic relationship our ancestors shared. Tomorrow might be too late.