Women Issues in Mizo Society

Hmingthanzuali & H.Vanlalhruaia

"We must agree that most women want freedom and most women want equality as well. This is what makes us similarly human. That we may define these constructs differently also makes us uniquely human."
- Zillah Eisenstein

Abstract: Women Issues is new and complex in Mizo society. My purpose is to show how the present Mizo society fails to incorporate women’s concerns or overlook gender issues, how and why the prevailing misconceptions about gender and women’s issues emerge in Mizo society?

Discourse on women issues has been gaining popularity beginning from the post-colonial period through to the times of the recent public media. The subject of women issues gave a new impetus of looking at the question of women’s identity in the Mizo society. It has been felt that male predominance tends to ignore the role of women in the pre-colonial Mizo society. The general assumption is that many aspects of life in the Mizo society has been influenced by modernization particularly from the early part of 20th century. Traditional cultures have been re-defined since the Mizos’ contact with the British and Christian missionaries, although sensitization towards the arena of women based issues continue to be confined within the model of western patriarchal paradigm. More than ever, patriarchy is gaining a stronger hold in the modern period especially when compared to the pre-colonial period. (B. Lalrinchhani, 1998) Modernization can be seen largely in terms of material culture, whereas ‘traditionalism’ still influences the Mizo society at the level of consciousness and ideas. Mizo customary laws in relation to women practically have not changed. (Laldena Hmar, 2002) Initially, women consciousness stated within the framework of the church was mostly based on protestant ethics. However, many churches seldom give equal rights to women since the ideology of the church is based on a patriarchal model. Ordination of women pastors/reverends is unknown despite the development of the Baptist church’s broad-mindedness towards the appointment of women as church elders/officials or Kohhran Upa/Rawngbawltu. (Linda Chhakchhuak, 2002) This has urged Mizo women theologians to raise questions over and over again.

Political consciousness during the post-independent era initiated a succession of changes in the Mizo society. Despite the rise of a new educated class who created a consciousness within the society, political parties and social organisations fail to recognise the importance of gender issues. Hence, a group of Mizo women have continuously felt dissatisfied and this gave rise to the establishment of the Hmeichhe Tangrual Pawl in 1946, followed by the Mizo Women Organisation (MHIP) in 1964. Initially, the new women organisation raised the need to reform traditional and cultural practices of the Mizos. They raised their voice against discrimination and injustice in the society. Today their activities range from the set up of orphanage, drug de-addiction camp, movement of protests against rape, domestic violence, reform of customary laws, reform of bride price and many others. But these issues usually end up in nothing beyond mere discussions.

Various academic discourses on Marxism, capitalism, globalization, subaltern, popular culture, human rights, postmodernism, post-structuralism etc provide a new thinking for many educated Mizos. Together with this process, the term ‘feminism’ (a distinctive problematic concept) recently appeared in public vocabulary although it has been strongly opposed by a group of men, and of course, a majority of Mizo women themselves. The hegemony of patriarchy has been well constructed as many women activist are branded as ‘anti-men’. Hence, women activist are not in a position to voice women issues and they also tend to identify themselves as ‘non-feminists’. This is due to personal justification or perhaps a lack of understanding ‘feminism’ as an ideology. Moreover, the majority of Mizos have stereotypical views on feminism as ‘anti-men’ rather than ‘emancipation of women’. Who ever talks about women issues is usually labelled as a feminist (generally, feminism has negative implication in Mizo society). Very few women (mostly women theologians) who speak publicly about gender discrimination are regarded as extremist or Hmeichhe Nasa. Of course, some women who perpetuate these ideas are often even aggressive when defending their ideas. There are also women activists, researchers, etc who keep quiet and show nothing but compliance to the existing order of society, this is done as a result of fear of insult.

Theoretical discourse on women issues in Mizo society is far more behind than other issues. Because there has been little attempt by scholars and intellectuals to conceptualize in the context of Mizoram. What is gender or women issue in the context of Mizoram? Why do a majority of the Mizos have a strong discrimination towards gender or women studies? This is perhaps due to Mizo women activists and researchers not being equipped with a strong ideology, as they scarcely spell out the question of women or gender issues in the context of the Mizo society. Moreover, there are very few devoted women activists, scholars and researchers to expose gender relations and to investigate how assumptions, norms and hidden structures created and perpetuated disadvantage women in Mizo society. At least if there were some viable arguments it would be easy to defend women’s position.

Recent works on women studies, for instance Lalruatfela Nu’s "Engvangin nge Hmeichhiate hi tihchak an tul?" (The Aizawl Post. 25. feb, 2005) talks about empowerment of Mizo women. The article starts with gender division based on the genetic postulation in which she emphasized ‘men are stronger than women’. Taking this into consideration, one can hastily presume that physical strength has been an important criterion of gender division in society. Most women intellectuals would argue that ‘difference between men and women’s achievements and participations are result of socially constructed gender roles rather than of biological difference. (Kamla Bhasin, 2000.p.62) Moreover, there is no point of questioning the biological factor which will not change at all. The fact is that men do not hold plain superiority or stronger position over women in the present Mizo society. Are we trying to construct our society based on the masculine body? Physical strength may have played a role in the caveman days...but not since. And further, had women not been able to "gather" and thereby watch the camp for possible intruders (multi-tasking) we may have not survived either.

Currently, most of the Mizo women activists have claimed–and disowned–the label "feminist". After all, who would want to be a feminist in such a society where gender issues are strongly opposed? For instance, Rualfela Nu declares "I’m not a feminist to the extent that I would fight for ‘gender equality’ in the Mizo society". (The Aizawl Post. Dt.25. feb, 2005) One must wondering what ‘equality’ and ‘gender’ means to her? Her paradigm in her previous book "Nawhchizawrna leh a kaihnawihna" was very much a part of a significant issue in feminist thought and activism. (Lalruatfela Nu, 2004) What makes her is not always herself, but something that comes from her. It is likely that she outwardly rejected the term ‘feminism’ but not the feminist’s gender issues. Ruatfela Nu does not directly contest male-centred ways of knowing even as she questions the gender discrimination in Mizo society.

History has largely remained a record of public events and personae to the exclusion of the private sphere of the home and the family. Some women put forward that ‘History is HIS STORY; to get a complete picture of the world we also need HER STORY’. (Kamla Bhasin, 2000) This exclusion of women from the domain of history seeks to reinforce prevailing gender stereotypes. By portraying women as passive through the ages, it would be easier to justify their continued exclusion from the public sphere. (Veena Poonacha, p.399) Looking at the current trend in Mizo history, few efforts have been done to reconstructs the role of women. Why has the role of women in the history of Mizo society remained relatively unexplored, though their potential contribution to an understanding of social change appears so obvious? Moreover, women’s role in history has been largely ignored and seldom recorded by Mizo historians. For instance, where are Mizo women who were actively involved in the Mizo National Front (MNF) movement of 1966-1987? We need hard working scholars who will use various theoretical perspective, paradigm and varying levels of analysis.

Marginality of women could be seen in the trend of women’s participation in the political process of the state. In pre-British society women play significant role in the village administration as there were many female rulers among the Mizos. Ropuiliani Chieftainess gave her life for defending her territory where most Mizo chiefs gave up. Now, the role of women in pre-British Mizo politics becomes a history as current politics is virtually dominated by men. There are no women members in State Legislative Assembly. Even in the district level, there are very few women in the village council. In such society, who could expect practical reform on the position of Mizo women and how many times will women issues are diverted in the State Assembly or in the village council?

In times of campaigns, political parties are usually generous in giving promises to women to better their future, but mostly such promises remain on paper. Women do not find a place on decision-making committees of political parties. But mere entry into the political system should not end transparency, accountability and commitment for the women’s movement. Instead of being submerged in the vastness of events, procedures, dogmas and ruthless competition, the movement must sail on to its destination of equality and empowerment. The task is uphill, but is not impossible. Women’s entry to politics is necessary to help them in their struggle against injustice and to strengthen democracy. (Usha Thakkar) If mainstream Indian women such as Mamta Banerjee, Sonia Gandhi, Uma Bharti, Phoolan Devi, Jaya Lalitha and many others play such important roles in both regional and national politics, why not our Mizo women? (Remsangpuii Nu, 2001).

Due to this extreme cultural patriarchal hegemony which remains predominant in our society, many individuals and groups continue to encounter gender inequality. Recently, there has been a paradigm shift as Mizo women are more and more progressive towards raising women issues in Mizo society. The last few years witnessed numbers of conferences, trainings and workshops on the subject of women organised by NGO’s, Universities, the Government and women organisations etc. Since then the idea of gender is slowly ingrained in our contemporary society, at least among social activists, organisations and academicians. Why not respond positively rather than branding them as anti-Mizo towards the customs and traditions of the Mizo society? Moreover, there is nothing wrong in being a women activist or a feminist if not hijacked for the purpose of chauvinistic ‘feminism’ or ‘Gynocentric’ or ‘Gynarchy’ or ‘Gynocracy’ or ‘sexist’ or ‘anti-men’.

Gender equality is a myth, whereas gender discrimination can be wiped out. As for me, gender equality means socio-economic and political ‘participation’ based on a person’s ability to possess and perform, without any discrimination based on sex or biology, caste and creed, and so on. Let us hope that Mizo intellectuals and scholars will take up the challenge to bring out the ideas of ‘women issues’ or ‘gender’ or ‘emancipation of women’ in Mizoram: what, when, why and how? Finally, let us also look forward for the time when more and more Mizo women actively take part in the cultural process of the Mizos without marginalizing their roles in the society.

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@Many thanks to Adami and Mami, University of Hyderabad, Bianca Maison, D/O Dr Vumson L (Zo historian) South Asian Studies, Amsterdam University, Linda Chhakchhuak, Journalist, Editor of Grassroots Option and Rebecca, Bangalore for their thoughtful comments and suggestions on the earlier versions of this paper.

@Gender refers to the socio-cultural meanings given to masculinity and femininity and to the complex and varying relations between the two. (L. Ackers, 1998) Women Studies has diverse meaning, but here it is purposefully refers to a discourse that attempt to reconstruct/re-defining women’s experience and women’s role in the society.

References & Endnotes: B.Lalrinchhani (1998); Christianity and Women in Mizoram, unpublished M.Phil Dissertation, North Eastern Hill University.
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Kamla Bhasin (2000); Understanding Gender, Delhi. p.24.
L. Ackers; Shifting Spaces - Women, citizenship and migration within the European Union, Bristol: Policy Press, 1998.
Laldena Hmar (2002); Status of Mizo Women, The Sangai Express 2002. www.manipuronline.com.
Linda Chhakchhuak; "Patriarchy in religion", http://www.indiatogether.org/women/worklife/churchpatriarch.htm.
Linda Chhakchhuak (2002): "Women of God Want A Place in Church," http://www.boloji.com/wfs/wfs047.htm, June 12.
Ruatfela Nu (2005); "Engvangin nge Hmeichhiate hi tihchak an tul?", in The Aizawl Post, (Daily News Paper, Mizoram) 25. Feb.
Lalruatfela Nu (2004); Nawhchizawrhna leh a Kaihnawih, Lengchhawn Press, Aizawl 2004.
Remsangpuii Nu (Buangi Sailo) (2001); Mizo Nunhlui leh Tunlai, Aizawl.
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