Maphava in Hundung village

Yesterday I met Maphava in Hundung village
Life was quite in her place
She spoke of things of the past
Of what life was of the Nagas

Yesterday I drank rice beer in Hundung village
Old men were singing folk songs in one place
Tears rain in my eyes
The songs will die as the old man dies

America is far away
But Naga children like their music, they say
Radio and records have corrupted their minds
In our tradition of memories, they crossed lines

Tomorrow I won’t see Maphava in Hundung village
Life would be noisy in her place
The past would be buried in her grave
And there would be no Nagas left



Note: I had gone to Hundung village in Ukhrul district to do photography with (Guru) Rewben Mashangva. Two of my old classmates Biplab & Sword on a Tata Fellowship were there to do research on Rewben and the roots of his music i.e. the Tangkhul Naga folk music traditions.
I thoughtfully listened to the old men & women singing their folk songs and the verse is an expression of what I felt at that moment.

The photograph is of Maphava, one of the folk singers. She had asked me to send her a copy of the photograph which I would do so.