Christian
Koinonia in Tribal Society
Introduction
According
to me, koinonia is the essence of the
adivasi life. The
word koinonia comes from the Greek
word koinos which means “common” a. in the
sense of common ownership, property, ideas, etc., b. in the sense of what
concerns all, e.g., societies, monies, resolves. In the Christian sense koinonia means fellowship and sharing.
Fellowship with Christ means fellowship with other Christians in a partnership
of faith (cf. Phlm. 17) and service (2 Cor. 8:23). Since Gentile Christians
share the same blessings as Jewish Christians, they should share their material
goods with them (Rom. 15:27; cf. 12:13). Sharing each other’s sufferings, they
share each other’s grace (Phil. 1:7; cf. 4:14). Even when they themselves do
not suffer, they are partners of those who do (Heb. 10:33). Thus koinonia remains as the glue that binds
oneself with Christ and with others in a sense of commonality, sharing and
fellowship.
Koinonia in Tribal Life
Koinonia expressed as communion: Now coming
to the tribal context, we see that the same koinonia
is very much operative in the entire sphere of tribal life. The most
appropriate word for koinonia in the
tribal context could be “communion”. In the tribal society this communion is
visible in the three-fold relationship among the Singbonga, Cosmos (nature) and
Ancestors.
Koinonia and Worship of God: Now
coming to the question, in what consists the koinoia of the adivasis, we
need to analyse the worldview of the tribal culture and its various manifestations
and expressions. The tribals have a
worldview which relates man with God, with spirits and with nature. It
expresses itself in a particular system of myths and rituals, with its own
cosmogony and symbolism. Also worship of God, placation of spirits, veneration
of ancestors, common worship performed by the representative of the group,
worship in the sarna, a sacrifice at
which body and blood are separated and rice-beer used. Their awareness of the
divine presence everywhere, their intricate rituals, their life of work
intimately related to worship, their concern for all creation point to their
fellowship with God.
Hence
communion is operative in the worship, feasts and festivals, rites and rituals,
rites of passages, social and agrarian activities. Communion being the essence
of the tribal culture, it is inexhaustive as it permeates everything. The
tribals’ contact with God is not limited to the great events of life and great
sacrifices of the year. They have frequent contacts with God in their daily
life too. In social gatherings and meetings God is invoked to witness the
function or the occasion; at the time of purification, on the occasion of
marriage, at the time of sowing and at the time of husking. On these occasions
while drinking rice beer they remembered God. They pray to God not only in
order to obtain his favours and blessings but also in order to call God to
witness their important ceremonies and to give his approval to their ritual
actions. God’s will is found during marriages and naming a child by divination
and by observing omens.
Koinonia and Rites of Passages: The
tribals see the hand of God in each important stage of their life (rites of
passages), i.e. birth, marriage and death. Therefore these events are bound up
with various socio-religious rites acknowledging the presence of God from the
time of their birth till death, even beyond death. The ritual actions
accompanying the obsequies of the dead show their concern with the kind of
death one died; a good death or bad death. Since the deceased cannot do
anything for their own welfare after death, therefore the living members try to
help them to join the company of the ancestors by offering sacrifices and
having the ceremony of the second burial or the great marriage. The rites of
passages are community affair and it is always done in a community with the
other. Hence all the rites of passages are aiming at establishing and
strengthening the communion among Singbonga, ancestors and nature.
Koinonia and Feasts and Festivals: All
the tribal festivals are communitarian in nature. It follows the nature’s cycle
and is very much related to their agrarian life. Analysis of the tribal feasts
and festivals how their communion nature; Phagua ushers New Year for the
tribals and says goodbye to the past year. Like Easter a type of Passover,
liberation from old slavery of every form of evil. It leads us to proclaim the
good news that the time has come when the lord will save his people from every
bondage in the New Year. Sarhul and karam mark that in remaining united with God;
there is proseperity, peace and happiness in life whereas in going away from
Him there is nothing but misery in life. Nawakhani is eating the first fruits
and thanks giving, Soharai is honouring the cattle and Maghe of the Hos is for honouring
the servants. Hence, these feast and festivals are celebration of Koinonia / communion at various levels
and structures of the tribal life.
Koinonia and Rice beer: Rice
beer- is one of the most important drinks in tribal culture. It plays a very
important role not only in social life of the tribals but also in religious and
other aspects of their life. Among the tribals in CN, the knowledge of making
rice-beer is attributed to God himself. (as seen in the creation myth) The
primary purpose of making rice-beer seems to be a religious one i.e. pouring libation
(an amount of alcoholic drink poured out or drunk in honour of a god or a dead
relative). After the ritual use of the rice-beer, obviously, it was used merely
for the purpose of enjoyment. The koinonic element of rice-been is found in
their use for the following purposes; welcoming guests, for recognition and
gratitude, entertaining guests, marriage preparation and celebration, asking
for madait (getting help of others to
accomplish some major tasks such as ploughing, transplanting etc), and as court
fine (as reconciliation and acceptance).
Koinonia and social / agrarian life: To
understand Koinonia in the social life, we can evaluate the value system of the
tribal community. The following are the values highly fostered in the tribal
community; solidarity, concern for one-another and for women, community
well-being, an egalitarian society, respect for women, hospitality, desire for
a simple life, respect for nature, a healthy attitude towards work,
gratefulness towards God and an understanding of man’s sinfulness. The manner
in which those values are lived out constitutes tribal identity. And we see
that tribal identity is very much similar to the Kingdom values.
The
administration system of the tribals fosters Koinonia. Among the major tribal groups of the region, every
village has a village priest and a village head known by different names in
their respective groups. The former looks after the religious affairs while the
latter together with other village elders deals with secular matters of the
village. Also inter-village federations (patti)
and inter-patti federations are also
there. Each level of village administration looks after its own affairs. The
process of judgement in the village administration is very democratic.
Deposistions of witnesses exist. Oaths are taken and the judgement of the group
on the basis of consensus is pronounced by the village head. Partition of the
property, village disputes and offences against the customary laws are referred
to the village panchayat. Fines and
compensations are imposed for damages. The inter-village federations are
devised for (i)mutual defence, (ii) common dances and hunting meets, (iii)
excommunicating the members who break the law of tribal endogamy, (vi)
reinstating the repentant offender, (v) arbitration in the case of
inter-village quarrels.
Koinonia and ancestor veneration: In
all the tribes especially in the Ho tradition, the ancestors play a great role.
They are looked upon as guardians of individuals, families and clans, as well
as of village community as a whole. It remains their duty to help the family,
ensure domestic peace, keep the family united and enforce discipline. The Hos
are very much conscious of the need to be in harmony with their ancestors. This
is indicated by their observance of the social religious traditions of their
ancestors and by their performance of sacrifices in the same old sacred groves
of their ancestors. The Hos call into the ading
only those who die of natural death. Hence we see that the tribal society is
very much communitarian and community loyalties are very much stressed. This
community includes both the living and the dead.
Koinonia and Tribal Myths:
Koinonia is advocated by almost all the tribal myths. In the creation myth the
rain of fire is caused by the disintegration of Koinonia. In the Asur
myth, the asurs were destroyed for
their act against this Koinonia. All
these show that Koinonia or communion remains the backbone of the tribal
society.
Koinonia for Harmony: In
the tribal system we see that Koinonia
results in harmony and well-being of the entire community among themselves, in
their relation with God, nature and ancestors. Koinonia as we see in the tribal society is all inclusive and it permeates
everything.
Origin and Source of Koinonia
In
tribal life and systems, the origin and source of Koinonia is the structure of
communion. The belief of the tribals in Singbonga,
ancestors and their abiding communion with them, are central elements in the Ho
life. There are three dimensions in the tribal communion: a) communion with Singbonga in terms of grandparent and
grandchild relationship. b) communion with bongako
and a common ancestor (the primordial ancestor), and c) communion with Ote-hasa ie nature. These are primarily
realised in a family. This communion with Singbonga,
with the ancestors and the bonga
world, and with nature (the land and all its living beings) is brought about
and maintained through symbolic rites and rituals, annual feasts and
sacrifices. It is the family which expands into a clan, a village and a
federation of villages (pir) and a
tribe as a whole. Koinonia resulting
in harmony and diakonia (as in asking
for a maidad) is possible due to the
understanding that we are all one because of one primordial ancestor.
Koinonia in Christian Faith
As in
the case of tribal system, the essence of Christian faith and community life is
Koinonia. In the Christian faith love for God can only be manifested in our
love for our neighbour through service (diakonia) and sacrifice. Let us in
brief see the Koinonia in Christian faith.
Koinonia as a Way of Life: In the
Acts we see that the early Christian community was a community of fellowship
and love. It is this Koinonia which
attracted many new believers to the community.
Koinonia and Church Hierarchy: In
the church, the hierarchy and positions are entrusted to us for the sole
purpose of maintaining the fellowship / Koinonia
and for service ie diakonia (Lumen Gentium 24)
Koinonia and veneration of Saints: In
Christian faith, the saints are venerated and their intercession is sought.
Hence we see that there is clear seeking of Koinonia
with the saints as we see in the case of tribals seeking Koinonia with their ancestors.
Koinonia for Diakonia: In
the tribal faith the essential outcome of Koinonia is communion and harmony.
But in the Christian faith, Koinonia results
in diakonia i.e. service.
Koinonia: the Centre of Christian Faith
and Tribal Life
In the
reflections we have seen that Koinonia is a common element both for Christian
faith and Tribal life.
Koinonia, the centre of Tribal – Christian
dialogue: There was a remarkable similarity between the belief
systems of the adivasis societies of CN and Christianity. When Christianity
came in contact with them, it harmonised well with them because they had
already many of the Kingdom values with them which were proclaimed by Jesus.
They felt that their religions were inadequate in alleviating their suffering
whereas Christianity preached by the missionaries was able to fulfil their deep
felt need in a much more satisfactory and meaningful way. This reality was
manifesting itself concretely in the life, teaching and work of Lieven’s and
his collaborators for the good of the adivasis.
Koinonia and diakonia:
the Cause for Conversion: Evangelisation in CN was an act of love,
sharing the good news of God’s bountiful and explicit love in Christ Jesus with
the Adivasis who had not yet heard the good news. It was a bearing witness in a
simple and direct way to God revealed by Jesus Christ. The missionaries went
about preaching the good news among the adivasis. They did this lovingly,
freely and generously standing on the side of the oppressed and exploited
adivasis especially in their legal battle for land in court. Thus, they shared
their life in solidarity with the adivasis by moving in companionship with
them, meeting them in their pain, anger, indifference, loneliness, violence,
resistance, fear, as well as in their hopes, joys and search for meaning in life
together. In the process the adivasis embraced Christianity freely and gained
self-respect and human dignity that were denied to them by dominant Indian
societies for long years in the past.
Conclusion:
According
to Vatican II, all men form but one family. This is so because all stem from
the one stock which God created to people the entire earth and because all
share in a common destiny, namely God. (Nostra
Aetate, 1) The Adivasi
communities of our region had developed certain qualities such as honesty, hard
work, communitarianism, solidarity, equality, hospitality, contentedness,
sharing, and joy of life in its simplicity to a great extent. The Catholic
Church rejects nothing of what is true and holy in these religions. (N. A., 2) Christianity
was planted in the midst of such humane elements and it did its part of
renewing them from within. All these humane elements of the tribal communities
are fruitfully nurtured by Koinonia.
Today,
the Koinonia of the tribal societies
is at stake. We need to rediscover the value system of our tribal life and
belief system. This is possible only when we enter into the heart of the tribal
belief system; dig out the hidden treasures of the rich value system, which today
unfortunately is forgotten. Once it is done through our involvement with them,
we can bring them to the truth, so that all men be saved and come to the
knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2:4).
