WAR OF ASSIMILATION

 By Yochanan Phaltual - Shavei Israel Administrator, India

The reason behind the Maccabean war is the clash between two totally different values and culture. The Greek trying to infiltrate the value systems to every culture they conquered.

When the Greek empire and its culture and ways of life reached the land of Israel, it met with incredible resistance from the Jewish people. Things came to a head when Antiochus, the Greek King finally outlawed the most essential practices of Judaism. The sages refused to back down and were willing to risk everything to preserve the Jewish way. The resulting conflict became the miraculous story of Khanukah.

Everywhere in the world there is as in the past a kind of resistance movements against other cultural invasions. Even in India during the colonial rule of the British, a resistance political movement by the Hindus against Western culture and values let to the foundation of Hindu Nationalism and the birth of the political party Bharatya Jana Sangh, the precursor of the Bharatya Janata Pary (BJP), the second largest political party in India next to the Congress (I) Party.

Today, the BJP champion the cause of Hindutva (Hinduness) and likewise the Shiv Sena party (chauvinist/extremist party) supported a broader Hindu Nationalist agenda. The Shiv Sena protested against the Western values like Valentine’s Day by accusing western civilization as misguiding the Indian youth when they have their own festivals like Holi and Diwali.

Even in China, the political power set up were constantly fighting to escape the grips of western cultures and values which can subservice the course of Chinese society. The Communist Party tries to eradicate or put under control the Western values like – constitution democracy, promoting universal values of human rights, notion of media independence, civic participation and the pro-market ‘neo-liberalism’.

So, the war of assimilation and infiltration continues.

We won the battle of assimilation and resistance over 2000 years ago on Khanukah, but our opponents like the Greek in the past still continue their invasion of alien culture. Then where is our battle field today? To be able to delineate the foreign values we should take note that assimilation takes its form in many different ways and in different degree.

We have Hellenized (assimilated) when we prefer to party and games and sports than to pray. We’ve assimilated when we care about what we look like on the outside and not what we feel like on the inside. We have assimilated when our chief goal is to accumulate wealth/economy rather than to be simply more spiritual and observant Jews. And we have assimilated when we host lavish Khanukah Kut celebrations with feast but fail to give the Kut an authentic Jewish education and Torah values.

The war that the chivalrous Maccabees fought for as they contact the alien culture still continues. Like the oil of the Khanukah refusing to compromise its uniqueness and never blending with other foreign harmful values, we dare not assimilate like the Maccabees.

As we burn the lights of Khanukah, let us bear in mind that we are the torchbearers of morality and civilization for all mankind – a light unto the nations. And let us re-illuminate the flames of redemption and Torah Ohr.

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KUT, OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE IN DESPAIR

Chavang Kut and Chapchar Kut: A Non-Traditional Modernity Showcase

By Yochanan Phaltual - Shavei Israel Administrator, India

In the past the Bnei Menashe celebrated several Kut (festival) in tune with the changing seasons of the year. There are many harvest festivals of the Bnei Menashe that have similarity with the Biblical Jewish harvest festivals.

Regrettably, the advance of Christianity and western cultures discarded many of our customs and tradition. Not only does it change the belief system but also the rites and rituals involved. However, change in the traditional culture does not mean getting rid or abolition of the same. There is continuity as well and this is the reason why some harvest festivals are still celebrated with pomposity, merriment and religious fervor. Kut is celebrated with jubilation when farmers finish harvesting their paddy crops after year long labor. People remember the Almighty G-d and the Creator and give thanks for His abundant blessings.

There are generally four kinds of Kut which were all related to agriculture and whose origin is lost in oblivion as it is based on oral tradition. They are Mim Kut (Festival of Grain/Maize harvest), Pawl Kut(winter harvest), Chapchar/Chapphou Kut (Spring harvest) and Chavang Kut (Autumn harvest).

Picture Source: Bombiel.com

 Kut is a culture and cultures are meant to safeguard the unique customs and tradition of certain ethnic group. These traditional Kut were celebrated with varied traditional fervor. Dances such as Saguol-Kengkhai, Suhtah Laam, Cheraw (Mizo bamboo dance), Phit Laam, Laam-kuol, etc. with indigenous sports like pestle-throw (Suhtum-kho), mithun -jump (Siel-Kal/Siel kungkal), Kibot/buontol kho (wrestling, traditional WWE) and others were showcased. Traditional musical instruments were played in competition such as Goshem (bagpiper), Theile (flute), Pheiphit, Lhem-lhei, Dah (Gong) and Dahcha (cymbals).

The modern day liberty and culture invasion brought about a sea change in the meaning and content of the festivals. With State government sponsorship and thanks to the initiation of political bigwigs, new elements were added to spice up the Kut flavor. It is unfortunate that attractive items like Fashion show, beauty contest (Miss Kut) and the likes which are not in any way essential to promote and imbibe the culture and tradition identity of the people were over emphasized.

In fact, the cultural aspects and elements of celebrating Kut festival have been reduced to MISS KUT CONTEST. The Christian Church lamenting the Kut becoming a kind of reckless license to drink and free-for-all brawl wrestling mania night. Poor Christian society tries to rectify the wrong things by influencing the Kut Committee in a bid to spiritually diversify against the popular Miss Kut contest and Beauty pageant, manage to stage a gospel Kut with the theme “Kut for Christ” in many places.  The result of change is clear and stark – Kut becoming a boring gospel musical show sans all the glam – frills and few crowd with the larger unholy and wild boozers.

Kut is our culture through which the outside world could identify who we are. We let it drain to dwindle in our un-holistic attempt to add more new elements of going with the modern times. Kut is not a showcase entertainment event. We should redefine the celebration in order to protect and relive our culture and tradition by using modern tools and elements.

Until a corrective measure is introduce, our esteem heritage (Kut) will be nothing less than an ULTRA-GLITZY KUT.

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