The Decaying of Vaihlo Culture ( Tobacco Culture) in Mizo Society
In
the words of
E.B. Tylor, "that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society."
[1] Cambridge English Dictionary states that culture is, "the way of life, especially the general customs and beliefs, of a particular group of people at a particular time."
[2] According
to
Oxford
Dictionary
culture
had been
translated
as
- 1. the
arts, customs and
institutions of a
nation, people or
group
2. the
arts
and intellectual achievements regarded as
a
whole.
[3] Culture
can
be summarised
in
the
most
simplest
term as,
“
The
way
of
living
of
group
of
people”.
Culture
is
not
static,
it evolutes , keep
on changing with
the
pace of
time
as people
belief, knowledge, value system
and
with
change economy.
Tobacco, biologically
named
as
Nicotiana Tabacun Linn , a
family
of
Solanaceae [4] , is
a plant
with
broad soft
leave said
to
be
the
native plant
of
America
is the
integral
part
of
culture in
America
and
latter
spread
through
out
the
globe .
It
is
highly
addictive due
to
its relaxation and
stimulating
affects
on
the
users with
it
medicinal properties
and
values
which
too has
deep
attachment and
root
in the
Mizo culture.
Tobacco plants
were grown in
their
jumming farms and
gardens
by
almost
every
one as the
Mizos are
very
much
independent
and
self reliance. The leaves are
harvested
kept
for
some time
till
it
is
semi
dry , then battered, squeezed
or
beaten and
then
dried
and
stored
for
their
own consumption. The
quality
and
the
taste
differ according
to
the area of growing,
processing
or
technique harvesting
and
drying.
As
per
my
knowledge
the
Bunghmun
tobacco
has
high
reputation
in the
Lunglei, Mizoram
area for
it
great
taste.
It
is
sticky
and
moist when
touching.
I
remember
that
in
some people
even
mixed
the
tobacco
with rum and sugar
to
enhance the
taste.
It was in the olden days the male Youths boarded in the bachelor dormitory called Zawlbuk , the children were sent to fetch tobaccos and tobacco container at their homes or light their smoking pipes and cigarettes by the senior youths .Tobacco is so precious that it became their part, like better halves in their life . Most men never parted with their tobacco container so their was a song in Hmar saying,
“ Dumbel lak ding theingil hlak
Thei ngil le la ngei ngei
Thawlawm ding thei ngil zing zing,
Thei ngil le la ngai lo”.
The song meant that when a smoking pipe is forgotten one return to get it but when one forget donation it was not bordered to return to get it back. It shows the attachment of people’s lives with tobacco.
Tobacco was taken in various forms such Chewing, smoking using pipe called vaibel , cigarettes, Tuibur ( it is like Hooka in which hard burned clay shaped like a pot in which dry tobacco is filled and lighted, this is attached with cylindrical shaped jar filed with water a pipe for inhaling the smoke usually taken by older women. Water that absorbed the nicotine is called Tuibur and it is very precious because of various medicinal values. In order to meet the demand of Tuibur tui/water small machines were installed as part of cottage industry and manufactured for commercial purpose . Men folks usually , smoke on pipe make of bamboo and curve hardwood and also in form of cigarettes. When friends get together they would be sharing their tobacco as token of intimacy and acquaintance.
The Mizo practiced primary occupation in olden days in which every one is into jumming, that is clearing of jungle, burning the site and cultivating for a year. The popularity of tobacco among them was the property of insect repellent that had helped them to work with more comfortably in their farms to keep away mosquitoes and other blood sucking insects like vaihmite and at same time it provides relaxation while working. In earlier days older children were thought to smoke by their parents so that working in jungle and farm would more comfortable and easier by protect themselves against insect bites and for utilizing first-aid kit. Some people squeezed the juice from tobacco leave and apply in their body to prevent themselves from mosquitoes bites, leaches and other insect . The nicotine water from Tuibur is effective antiseptic and antibiotic for cuts , sores, boils and wounds, There was saying that tobacco prevent tooth decay so I am tought to take tuibur and chew tobacco by elderly ladies in my young age since I used to have toothache . I had seen my mother-in-law applying the tobacco therapy to cure her skin infection. The tobacco ash is use as stop bleeding caused by leeches in jungle, it reduces the itches cause by the wound from leeches. Once a boy in my neighbourhood was bitten by snake and I remember that he was made to smoke to dilute the poison in his body . In case of an insect bites and stinks tobacco leave are applied . I had seen people smearing the green tobacco leave or if not available at least the ash or the tuibur water ( nicotine water) to make the poison less effective in body . I heard from one women telling me that even swallowing some quantity of tuibur tui ( Nicotine water ) had saved lives from deadly Tetanus in rural area in northern parts of Mizoram. . Once in the mid 1999 during the raining season I badly slipped and felt down from steps on my way to friend’s house. In order to protect me from slipping down the steps I hold the barbwire fencing but my weight pulls me down and I got bad cut in my palm and my arms and badly bled. I ran to my friends shop where they were cleaning the wound and then suddenly I was felling dizzy and sleepy . I told them that I am feeling sleepy , hurriedly they made me sit and told me not to sleep, one of the guy lighted up cigarette and said , “ smoke it”. I smoked and guys too lighted up cigarette smoked and blew the smoke on me, after few second all my sleepiness disappeared and I felt fresh . They say smoking tobacco prevents convulsion . It is said that smoking help to build immunity that resisted to various diseases in the body . According to my knowledge most of the malaria illness and death in Lunglei districts were not an old aged people but the children and youths who are younger generation. Could this be the reason for less nicotine contend in the bodies of younger ??
In
the
olden days
some
people
even
used
thin maize
leave
that
coved
the
corn
to roll
the
tobacco, latter
news paper
called
‘Statement’ was
in
used
because
of
its thinness was
what
my
mother
used
to
tell
me.
I
was born and
brought
up
along
the
Himalaya where
local
people
hardly
smoke
tobacco
so
I
have no
much
idea about
how
to
roll tobacco
for
cigarettes.
When I
got newly married
and
lived in Manipur
my
husband
used
to
smoke
tobacco produced
by
the
local
people.
He
had
no
much
knowledge
about
my
skill
in rolling
tobacco
so
one Sunday
he
asked
me
if
to roll
the tobacco
for
cigarette for
him
and
his
friend . I
did
my
best
by getting
a
white
sheet
of
paper
which
I
used
for
writing
pad , cut into
small
pieces
and
roll
tobacco prevent
the
falling
out
of
the
tobacco . I
tugged
the
paper in
both
the
ends
and
I
put
glue in
the
side so
that
the
paper would
not get
loose . Summing
all
my
skill
and courage I kept
ten
cigarettes
in
each bundles
and
I
made
two
bundles
and
gave to
him .
In
the
evening
when
he
returned
back home
he
was
very
disappointed
saying
that
he
shared
the
cigarette with
his
friends
but
non
of
them
could
smoke
so
they
threw
away
all
the
cigarette and
how
he
felt
embarrassed .
Women folk
in olden days
rolled cigarettes
and
tied with
green
tread
as
symbol and mark
of
well
wished and
token
of
intimacy
to
their
love ones.
In
the
year
1919
about
1000
Mizo
Youths
were enrolled
for
by
the
Germany government for
the
war –fare
of
the
First World War
[5]during
these
time
the local
cigarettes tied
with
green thread’s popularity raised because
these youths
were
presented by
their
girlfriends and
love ones .
Even till today all the local cigarettes are tied with green cotton tread in Mizoram.
It was in 1938 the Yong Lushai Association ( Now re-named Young Mizo Association ), the largest and most popular Non-Govemental organisation , advocated and campaigned for taking local tobacco. During those days manufactured cigarette began to be imported from outside and raised it’s popularity and danger araised to get replace the local tobacco. In order to popularise the local cigarette made from local tobacco the YLA launch popular Tobacco campaign by stating the points such as - (1) To preserve the local tobacco variety that has been in use for long time and is no lesser then imported cigarette, (2) Purchases of imported cigarette is expensive and (3) Local tobacco is healthier ( it is purely organic and grown in local farms) (4) To value ones local production . In pursuance to these campaign Kulikawn Branch (Aizawl) YLA Branch and Thakthing (Aizawl) YLA Branch (Units) had taken the initiative and responsibilities. Kulikawn YLA organised social work in which local tobacco was collected and rolled cigarette on 6.10.38 at Rualkhuma(L) residence in Kulikawn ( Aizawl) in which good number of youths both male and female and even children participated. Cigarette was in bundles, and a bundle consisted of ten Cigarettes . YLA Volunteers organised another social work cum sale/ fair on 8.10.1938 with a banner in which Mickey mouse smoking local made cigarette saying, “ Great taste… nothing like this even in America” , sold the Local Cigarettes at Bazar ( Dawrpui), Aizawl , and earn total of one rupees ( that is they sold out about 100 bundles in a day at the rate of one paise ) . The Thakthing YLA Branch too organised the Local Tobacco campaign and social work to make social work under the Leadership of Pu Hrangaia on 26.10.38. The popular Tobacco Campaign song was composed by Vankhama as below –
Mizo Vaihlo hi zuk ching la
Tui ber mai aw sangau , Zurpui leh Khualzing
Sen a tlem , a hrisel a , Zoram thil a ni bawk a
Tui berah chhuan Lengi zialtir ang che. [6]
( Translation of the song - Smoke Local Tobacco,
The best quality- the greatest taste/flavour – from Sangau, Zurpui and Khalzing, Its is less expensive that meaning you can save money in your pocket , healthier and home production. For the best asked her to roll - cigarette for you .
An American
notable Dana
Ullman, the
founder
of
Homeopathic Educational Services in America had stated that
many
homeopathy
medicine
is
made
from ingredient
of
tobacco
under
the
name
TABACUM and used
in important medicines in homeopathy for various minor ailments, such as dizziness, motion sickness, diarrhoea, and dry cough, as well as numerous serious conditions, such as angina, stroke, cancer, chronic respiratory ailments, and Meniere's disease
. [7]
According to Katarina, “
In olden days in America tobacco was chewed, sniffed, smoked, eaten, juiced, smeared over bodies, and used in eye drops and enemas. Its use varied depending on the culture and location - it ranged from medicinal as a remedy for many ailments, to purely recreational consumed by both men and women, and also mystical - a connection to the spiritual world: it´s purifying smoke was blown over fields before planting, over women prior to sex, blown into warriors' faces before battle, it was offered to gods as well as accepted as their gift. In other words, tobacco smoke was believed to carry blessings, protection and most of all purification”
Even today it is widely used by shamans in the Amazon, where shamans who specialize in ceremonies with tobacco are called tabaqueros. They master the spirit of tobacco and heal illnesses with his/her blow of tobacco. There tobacco is considered a Planta Maestra, i.e. Teacher Plant. These plants are considered key protective spirits, allies and guides to the world of health and healing
.
In pre-Columbian North America, different tribes and civilizations had used tobacco, with one thing in common - they all preferred pipes for smoking. The pipes were utilized for distinct social and ritual purposes, which resulted in their sacred status, same as tobacco itself had. Various tribes used tobacco for various purposes including healing ailments such as earaches, snake bites, cuts and burns, respiratory diseases, fever, convulsions, nervous ailments, urinary ailments, and skin diseases. Other examples of its use was sealing the peace with other tribes, preventing lightning and storms, communicating with spirits and, making an offering to them.
It appears to reduce the risk of ulcerative colitis, sarcoidosis, endometrial cancer, uterine fibroids and breast cancer among women carrying the very high risk BRCA gene. Using organic tobacco with no additives may be a way to utilize these benefits, without many of the risks posed by conventional tobacco .”
Tess Pennington in his article, “ It Ain’t Just For Smoking: Known But Beneficial Uses For Tobacco” in Ready Nutrition has said written that tobacco works well as organic insecticides and pesticides for gardens and farms by making a mixture of to control aphids as under-
- 1 c. compost
- 1 c. tobacco (organic preferably)
- 1 cup. powdered garlic
Tess
Penington further
recommended
that
Tobacco
can
be effective solution
for
controlling
Peach Tree Borers, leave roller larves and caterpillars, Garden Centipede, Gophers and Moles, Spiders etc [8].
Smoking tobacco has drained economy as well as time . It has been observed that a smoker lost his working time for smoking , the aggregated hours lost in his life time could be randomly calculated as time is the most Valuable possession of man. The minimum cost of cigarette packet is not less 25 Rupees (Charminar / Kingstone ) - Navycut amounting Rs 80 . and if a man smoke one packet every day assuming by taking average as Rs 50 per day he would be spending Rs 50 x 353 days = Rs 18,250.00 which is good amount . Health is wealth, if health lost due to tobacco the amount of economy lost that it cause due to lost of productivity and cost of medical treatment .
With the advancement of science and technology , the knowledge adverse effect and of Tobacco on health had be come into highlight and brought into public awareness. According to the intellectuals and scientist Tobacco cause various diseases including- Cancer, Lung Diseases, Heart related diseases etc. By the dawn of the 21st century, in stark contrast, tobacco had become recognized as being highly addictive and one of the world’s most-devastating causes of death and disease.
For example, the
World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that in the late 1990s there were approximately four million tobacco-caused deaths per year worldwide. This estimate was increased to approximately five million in 2003 and six million in 2011 and was expected to reach eight million per year by 2030
[9].
Another
concern is
the
expenditure incurred
on
tobacco instead of utilizing for
some resourceful or benefits things . For a chain smoker
the
expenditure on cigrates may
comes about
36,500
to 40,000
Rupees a year ( ie Rs. 80 - 100.00
per day x 365 days )
and
in 10 years he would
be spending
about 4 lakhs
which is
not
a small
amount
to help
someone in need.
The Vaihlo culture that had taken deep root in the Mizo society began to disintegrate and decay slowly in Mizo society. There was time in the Mizo society when people smoke in Offices, public places like bus and gathering and the second hand smoke has been inhale by almost every one in the society . The alarming rate of cancer in Mizoram made many elites and law maker aware of Tobacco which is consider to be the main root cause of the diseases. Tobacco cessation awareness programmes were organised and awareness programmes were made in papers, meetings and even through printed and electronic medias . Government has enacted laws in this new millennium to prohibited smoking in public places , hospitals and even Government Offices. Anti Tobacco Squads has been form whose duty is to caught the smokers in public places , impose fine and names of defaulter or law breaker were published in news papers. Children below the age of 18 are prohibited to buy Tobacco by law, so notification poster s are found in shops. In most of the education smoking is strictly prohibited so tobacco has lost it’s place in the society slowly and steadily. The tradition of smoking tobacco is slowly left behind with the advancement of time. But if Tobacco is the main factor for deaths than would there be a modern Mizo generation today as tobacco was the part of the culture of the older Mizo society. ???
.
Mercy Sellate,
Dated 30. 8. 2015.
[4] Ramhmul Damdawi by R.Rozika IFS page 103
[5] Interview
with
C.Zairemthanga,
Bazarveng,
Lunglei , Mizoram on
30.8.2015
[6] YMA Chanchin - C.Ropuia page 6
