An autobiography is the story of a person, told through his/her perspective, letting the person tell his/her life story. When someone decides to publish an autobiography, they are convinced that their life, their deeds and their feelings are helpful in some way or the other to readers.

 

An autobiography is also a guide to a particular period of time, an illumination of the society in the backdrop of a single person’s association with time and society. It is therefore, a running commentary of a life in a society, at a particular time

 

“Lesson from Life- An autobiography” by Kiremwati, published in 2009 by Window Media, Naharbari Junction in East Dimapur is in the same way a lively, comprehensive and responsible portrayal of the time in Nagaland for 1920s to 2009. Information included in the book would benefit the readers interested in social history.

 

Kiremwati, the writer, is an enlightened Ao Naga who is an educationist and is lauded for his contribution to education and Christianity. He says, “In life, at different stages, I wished to become various persons. But I could be just one person.”

 

He was born on July 16, 1929 in Mongchen village, Changkikong range of Mokokchung district, a place he describes in his book as, ‘…there roamed in the forests elephants, tigers, bears, monkeys and other wild animals in abundance. The singing of birds was nature’s beauty… overflying hornbills pleasant to the eyes…head hunting was no more and nature and man co-existed in harmony.’

 

Kiremwati began his school education in 1937, at the village lower primary school where his father was a government teacher. In 1941, he ‘went to the plains (Naganijan) for the first time carrying ginger, chilly and other agricultural products to sell and to buy little quantities of salt, dried fish, tea leaves, mustard oil and so on.

 

In 1950, he passed the matriculation examination, standing first among other candidates from Naga Hills. But his father said,’ My son, I am happy for your success, but I feel very sorry that I will not be able to support you to study in college.’

 

The struggle began, on the night of 15 August 1950, when a great earthquake shook Assam, where he was waiting to catch the train to Guwahati, to college, to a bright future. He even had to sleep on the pavement once in Shillong. But he never relented. He rose to be a university vice chancellor as well as a director.

 

The 157 page autobiography is divided into three parts- early years, years of service and moments and lessons that shaped my life. The book contains 57 invaluable photographs and the oldest one dates back to 1941.

 

The book is hoped to fill the publication vacuum not only in Nagaland, but the entire north east. Despite a fortunate percentage of literate people in the hills states here, there are very few writers who can get their works published here.