Music for social change and youth of our generation.

- Joe Hmachhuana

In appraisal of my love for music, over the past few days I have been trying to portray a musical piece on a guitar which was originally played on The Pena (a.k.a Bana, Bena, or Tingtelia). It is a Folk music instrument found in parts of India and Bangladesh, known by different names in different regions. I for one who is more comfortable with blues progressions and playing close enough to “what is happening around”, my humanly attempts to lure this has so far been averagely sloppy. This musical piece is intricate, precise, demands a steady tempo and attention to detail. It takes me through Cyrillic musical notes just like those buttons one never presses on a calculator. I still haven’t played the whole piece through once perfectly – hoping I probably will someday.



My incident with The Pena’s folklore can possibly be perceived as pun. However it is in order to provide a systematic preliminary to a vast topic on Music, and how unwittingly it intersects through different cultures and create a common interest and identity. I believe that Music is a rehearsal of change and cultural expression of values. Whether you make or listen to music, you are participating in the construction of various forms of emerging and changing social identities.

Different cultures around the World have contributed so much to Global music in sharing positive process of social values worldwide. It is now not only a platform for entertainment but a vehicle for social change.

We Mizos are warm, welcoming people who enjoy sharing the pleasures of life with others: a comforting meal, an inspiring sunset, and a clever joke. We have history we have a rich culture. We have texts, both classic and contemporary. Whether it’s a trip to hell and back, a year’s worth of love poems, or a coarse humor during the plague, there’s a tale for everyone. Out of the lot, Music has been an integral part of us since the first sun rise. And it is definitely one of the things we love to do and talk about.



Mizoram have been ably representing platforms for music lovers. Besides the perseverance of its ethnicity in the criterion of traditional dance and music, the state have been summoning contests in the likes of Mizo Idol and Youth Icon organized by local television networks. The rise of music schools, studios, artists and music channels forms epitomes to honor this gift of passion and it is no mere boast to say Mizoram is one of the richest states in music.

We have come a long way with our love for music from the days of oppression, blending our heritage with Christianity from Colonel Clergymen and from the dawn of integration. Just as time advanced to open up newer concourses, the radios and gramophones ruled the waves. The advent of foreign satellite televisions (esp. MTV) took the scene to another level. Like in other parts of the country, Mizoram saw a barrage of promising and talented musicians influenced by contemporary music of the West. Bands came up like thunder; however they went down the same way.



Owing to the fact that the scene was still at a nascent stage in spite of the amount of talent, it failed to make any impact on the global music scenario. Language being one of the barricades, there was not a ghost of media or union to back up the endeavor.

And so on over the years there have been many clauses that hinder our youth to pursue the passion for music and take it up as a profession. A: they are frowned upon by society who feels these children are undermining the cultural diversity. B: Parents, even though they want their children to achieve in music, they don’t want them to be with a band as they are afraid their kids would get in to drugs and other abuse - *is a valid point with incidents in the history*. C: Friends & relatives, even though they are equally excited and happy for the kid’s talent and dream, they’ll secretly look down upon them until the day they get a real job.

Countless hoardings while there are so many talented youth with big dreams who want to do something meaningful with their lives away from safety and forgettable; yet parked in the confinement of adversities, led by excuses. From here on it becomes really hard for one to place a cursor and get an answer to – What now. Just hard as it is to pinpoint where the current upsurge in dismissive rhetoric on women’s safety policy can begin in this country.




Here is my take-

I strongly believe that passion doesn’t always come with luck. It requires determination and etiquettes in achieving anything you really want. Be it on becoming a sports person, musician, entrepreneur, civil service officer, etc. The support and right guidance from others plays an important role. Be it parents or your friends. Neglecting the course of education over passion is the worst thing one can do. As we embark upon following our dreams, it is our duty to fulfill responsibilities that come along.

Growing up is the most important part of our adult life. It reflects homology with our parents. While in some houses it is peaceful, in others it is complicated. Children show viciousness towards parents as they grow up, starts questioning their values and as a result there is absence of communication between the two parties. In this generation children have access to the media in ways parents never imagined. In that sense, teenage rebellion in many cases is easier than ever before.

To which many parents feel like the Sorcerer’s Apprentice in Fantasia— they feel they’re drowning. And that’s a wrong place for the youth of our generation to lead the parents. What they need is our love and support as much as we need theirs.

Parents think the higher you set your aspiration, the greater chances of disappointment. Parents don’t want to take your dream away, they just don’t want to see you fall and get hurt. And when the ball gets in to our court, it is up to us whether to do it with conviction or not.

I am thankful to my parents for being strong pillars of my life and in what I do. For teaching me respect, giving me education to be able to move ahead and support myself. For giving me experience to gather strength from life’s storms and to live it. Today I love my job as much as I love my music. Through countless blessings from friends and families I learned to cross obstacles, handle the odds of time and life management; to be able to see a paradigm shift in my career. And supporting my passion for music; to build it in the shape it is today. I would continue to play on the stage till the day I feel can no longer perform.

I feel that musicians, actors and sports persons are some of the most driven people in the face of the earth. They face with more day to day challenges in one year than most people do in a lifetime. With every role they stretch themselves, emotionally, physically, risking criticism and judgement. They are beings who have tasted life’s nectar when they poured out their creative spirit and touched another’s heart. In that instant, they felt as close to magic, God, and perfection as anyone could ever be. And in their own hearts, they know that to dedicate oneself to that moment is worth a thousand lifetimes.

My best wishes.

And then somehow I've begun to love waking up in the morning not knowing what's gonna happen, who I am going to meet or where I am going to wind up... coz this moment I am sure. Sure that my life will continue. With or without you.
*where are you my Pangea travel bag???*

A date with a fashion designer

A day in the life of a fashion designer.

She has worked with numerous international labels in the form of Jean Paul, Roberto Cavalli, Guess jeans and owns a private label called ‘Not So Serious’. Pallavi Mohan is living her dream in the realm of becoming one of the renowned fashion designers in the country.

- Joe Hmachhuana
The life of a fashion designer is intimately linked to visions and tastes that change at a moment’s of notice. Designers reflect the society’s sensibilities through factions of design clothing. A great opportunity to wise up the basic knowledge stumbled along on meeting an old friend Pallavi Mohan at a social gathering.

Pallavi finished her graduation from Camberwell College of Art & Design, London and further more importantly she achieved a degree in Textile Design from the Chelsea College of Art & Design. Today Pallavi has been involved in every phase of designing, earning the distinction of running her own private label ‘Not So serious’ which now has been well received across the world and its retail footprint has been increasing swiftly with the support of leading boutiques such as Carma, Ensemble, Aza & Ogaan. Pallavi is the creative force of Magnolia Martinique (textiles industry) where she is the head of product design.

For Pallavi, designing being a creative field, she has been inspired by nature and different cultures. For a very long time her love for travelling helped her immensely to draw new perspectives in her career. Besides it’s the love and passion for fashion designing that keeps her going strong, fashion industry is a highly demanding job which involves risks from the aspects of producing, packaging, delivering and displaying it to the buyers. Perseverance, creativity and a passion to excel are three things that the likes of a person like her would advise to those wanting to start a career in fashion.

On viewing the blogosphere in the gauge of Fashion Street, Pallavi cites 2010 as a year of a mix trend. Her opinion about fashion is simple and familiar. She acquaints everybody is fashion conscious and they are picking up what suits them and that ‘fashion is individualistic and not a blinded trend chase.’

Pallavi was credited as a designer with an outstanding sense of fabric, flawless finish and inspiring originality at the India Fashion Week in New Delhi. Her AW09 collection was also selected by FDCI for the India show in Amalty, Kazakhstan. Her work experience with numerous international labels has given her a privilege of international design sensibility and has broadened her understanding about the demands and functioning of the industry at a global stage.

The parameter of Pallavi’s success in the fashion world has embodied monumentally with the colossal display of her design thrice in a row at Wills India Fashion Week, an Exhibition of her collection in London and Showcase at Prêt a Porter in Paris.

Pallavi has recently showcased her design based on the theme Alice in Wonderland at Wills India Fashion Week 2010 and she will be doing another showcase in Barcelona in June.

On thoughts about her profession; I feel that nobody can teach you to be a fashion designer; one need to have the naturalness and creativity to be able to translate in this profession.

A fashion designer conceives garment combinations of line, proportion, color, and texture. While sewing and pattern-making skills are beneficial, I feel they alone do not create an effect of successful fashion design. Most fashion designers are formally trained but there are a whole lot more needed to kindle a true lifestyle of success in this business...and Pallavi here seems to be proving the right point.
*All thumbs up*

Kukis for a Development Council?

Untold history and misery of the Kuki people who today want something back for the service they have rendered to the country., demands for a development council

- Joe Hmachhuana

The term Kuki, in literature, first appeared in the writing of Rawlins when he wrote about the tribes of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. It refers to "Hillsmen" comprising numerous clans. These clans share a common past, culture, customs and tradition. The term Kuki can be thought of as been synonymous with Mizo and Chin tribes, predominantly all Zo groups.

An important landmark in the history of the Kuki people with considerable social, cultural and political ramifications came with the arrival of missionaries and the spread of Christianity among the Kuki's. The acceptance of Christianity made a departure of their tribal customs and traditions, and along with the spread of English education, it saw the arrival of modernity within the Kuki People.

The first Resistance movement by the Kuki People was the Kuki Rebellion of 1917-19. Kuki was subjugated by the British and divided between British India and British Burma administrations following the 'Kuki Uprising of 1917-19'.Up until the fateful defeat in 1919, the Kukis were an independent people ruled by their chieftains. During WWII, seizing the opportunity to regain independence, Kuki fought with the Imperial Japanese Army and the Indian National Army led by Subhas Chandra Bose. The success of the Allied forces over the Axis group dashed the aspiration of the Kuki people.

Now, for years there has been a well known alert of insurgencies in parts of North East. And it has become a regular daily affair where innocent civilians are deprived of their right or identity and many have lost their lives in a battle to tackle these problems for their people. Over the years Kukis has been fighting for a better future, with groups of humble civilians representing one voice to materialise what has been a dream for years into a reality.

Representing its people, United Kuki Liberation Front (UKLF), one of the militant groups formed in March 2000 submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister to put across a demand to create Kuki (KHULMI) Development Council (KDC) on the model of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council and the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council of Assam, for amelioration of the welfare of the deprived Kukis.

This raises a lot of questions on how the UKLF are planning to go about, especially with the disturbance in the peace march in Manipur and Nagaland. However, contrary to the insignificance of time and conditions; UKLF and its people are thirsty for the outcome of something positive.
*Hmmm*

Shared Solace

In this society, where history has been kept through spoken rather than written words, music has been one essential tool of keeping memories alive—to bring together communities that had once been driven apart.

- Joe Hmachhuana


In a wide a rank of violence and injustice with incomplete explanations yet many theories in parts of the world, if there is one art form that is the precursor of change then it has to be music… a rehearsal of change, a cultural expression of values and beliefs that may still face resistance in our social lives today...existing as dreams waiting to become a reality tomorrow. I just got back from a premier of Songs of Guru Rewben Mashangva, a film produced and directed by Oinam Doren on the musical journey of the folk musician hailing from Ukhrul district of Manipur. It was followed by discussion on masculinities of Folk Music highlighting the works of Rewben and alike.

Rewben is a Folk Singer, musician, composer and researcher and guide for the conservation and evolvement of tribal folk music with 15 years of practice in the field. Rewben is the foremost advocate of Hao music with rich and abundant in depth experience in the field. He plays the Tingtelia (Pena), a violin type instrument which took him 7 years to alter to suit his music, as well as the modern Acoustic guitar and harmonica. Each time he plays in and around his hometown, his son Saka Mashangva accompanies him as percussion player.

I have had a warm privilege to share a stage with him when my band called 'Them Clones' played in Pune several years back. During that time Rewben along with his son performed with Raghu Dixit.

I respect Rewben not only for the music that he has produced, I respect him for his beliefs and effort to prove the world that music alone can fight injustice and open world of possibilities.

*Lage Raho...*

Ima Keithel

Corruption stands correct

The Manipur Government has yet again pushed its State into another level of squabble by neglecting the MoU jointly signed by the representatives of the Ima Keithel and the Government. Leaving the poor and deprived in a tragic loss of livelihood.

- Joe Hmachhuana

The political crap that goes around in Manipur has been affecting the people of villages for decades now. On contrary to the Government’s years of ignorance to implement right doses of justice in this area, civilians are crying in vain on their daily mission to cradle a livelihood to survive. It is a true tragic situation where the rich are getting richer and so on the saying goes.

In order to attest to the rigor... its the glimpse of the poor who sore muscles, shovel gravel, lug woods, dig post holes and lift heavy boulders to reinforce the price of living in disturbed roads of Manipur everyday.

Manipur State Government is held responsible for the dark clouds glooming over Ima Keithel,the second largest women’s market in Asia. Women vendors are deprived of their seats and have descended on the verge of losing hope for what used to be their livelihood.

Displeasure caused by the Government in the name of the modernization has agitated thousands of women traders who have been robbed of their right with corruption, bribery and favoritism. A bulk of corruption leading the permanent license holders into categories of temporary license holders.

A difficult thing to measure or compare, however, is the impact of corruption on poverty versus the effects of inequalities that are structured into law, such as unequal trade agreements, structural adjustment policies, so-called “free” trade agreements and so on. It is easier to see corruption. It is harder to see these other more formal, even legal forms of “corruption.” It is easy to assume that these are not even issues because they are part of the laws and institutions that govern national and international communities and many of us will be accustomed to it—it is how it works, so to speak.

It is no longer a time for a mere combat against corruption; it is battle against the officials’ thrive on domination. Animals higher in the chain eats those in the lower belt. And if you remember we humans are at the top of this food chain. And we are the biggest casualties.

People's choice: Naga Menu

Realising Dreams

For one living away from home town, it's a real desire to contend with a traditional dish, and that’s when some people find a special place in the Nagaland food stall, located in the heart of Dilli Haat. A great deal of affordable Naga cuisine and a must stop over for any food lovers for a quick bite.
- Joe Hmachhuana

To say that the consumption of food is a vital part of the chemical process of life is to state the obvious, but sometimes we fail to realize that food is more than just vital. In order to approach the study of food would be to identify the food variables and to arrange these variables systematically; we may use the word 'Culture'. Culture in a classificatory sense implies pattern or style of food habits.

Determining criterion in this connection, I am proud to publish ‘Realising Dreams’ story of my friend Amenla Longkumer, who along with her siblings Ayinla Longkumer and Chubamanen Longkumer run a scholar of Naga food menu in Dilli Haat. It was the year 1996, when the restaurant came to commencement. And like every other profession in the business field, Amenla too found herself stumbling over few difficult aspects in the beginning. There were many challenges when she started the business, owing to the fact that different people from different background eat differently. And for a restaurant specializing ethnic Naga cuisine, customers were hard to find.

But with passing years and a growth in the proficiency of handling its desired market, the Nagaland food stall today caters to almost every customers from different states and more importantly it kinder foreign clients who make a special effort to grab a grub of Naga special at the restaurant.

Nagaland is known for its wonderfully exotic cuisine, offers the best pork with bamboo shoots. A regular visitor of this place would advice one to experience the authentic cuisine of the State. The famous and delicious Naga Thali has already crossed the universal dividers owing to its magical taste. Akhuni (fermented soya bean) for instance makes a memorable treat. Dishes like Raja Mircha, Ak Ponung, Ak Tsung, Awo Kutsu (special pork head preparation) and Mersu Aaon (Naga’s special fish preparation) swings the rhythm of success at the joint.

Since ingredients do not taste the same everywhere, a special virtue of effort is made to get ingredients transported from Nagaland itself. Special duty is adjudged to summon hygienic food from the management. The restaurant also organize Christmas special, and it makes the visit around this time even more worth while with choir singing carols over the terrific buffet of Naga specials.

The paragon of Amenla’s success is deeply modeled by her hard work and determination. An incredible standard of motive that has helped her pull through the odds without any formal training or education in the related field. Along side many of her achievements; Amenla is acquainted by her sister Ayinla and brother Chubamanen who has added perfect duties in maintaining the service and ambience of the restaurant. In recognition of the restaurant’s remark ability, Delhi Tourism had awarded the Nagaland food stall for its cleanliness and great service among the stalls in Dilli Haat over the years.

The stall represents the essence of Naga tradition and culture through its diamond affair of Naga delicacies. The main target is to focus on the local Naga food items and reach out to new customers. It is a great deal of pleasure to mention that Nagaland food stall represents the food culture of Nagaland and its counterparts, playing a vital role in shaping the realm of North-East states’ tradition and culture to a large number of people in the city today.

Different cultural sects have different eating codes. Men and women, in various stages of their lives, eat differently. Different individuals have different tastes. Some of these differences are overcome through an initiation of reasoning with the differences and providing an innovation to break these boundaries. Amenla and her siblings have achieved those tasks as prescribed, identifying the differences, explaining them, and introducing a new outlet to the other facets of culture, tradition and a monumental like surface to its customers called Nagaland's kitchen which is recently opened and located in Green Park, New Delhi. And I am gonna be heading there straight after work for a major Ak Tsung indulgence.
Bon Appetit!