My Lunglei Hospitality Story - When Tlawmngaihna Became Theology: How My Host Showed Me Tlâwmngaihna & Hospitality During CCM Inkhawmpui Lian

I visited Lunglei during CCM Inkhawmpui Lian 2-na. The host of the grand 2nd Assembly of CCM was BCM Venglai, Lunglei Kohhran.

I went to see Pu Buanga's tombstone from London, you can read the full articles in this link.

I Visited Pu Buanga's Original Tombstone in Lunglei - History Brought from London

But today I want to write not about the tombstone or the archives, but about my (our) host family and the host of the Conference, CCM Inkhawmpui Lian, BCM, Venglai, Lunglei.

During Inkhawmpui Lian, I got the highest and supreme hospitality from my host family in Lunglei. Pu HS Liantluanga and family are God gifted family. We called him Pu Tluanga. His beloved wife is Pi Hriati. They have a beautiful and lovely family and blessed with three children- Remi, Mawii and Mala. Malsawmtluanga (Mala) is currently studying MBBS at RIMS (Regional Institute of Medical Sciences), Imphal.

I have attended many Inkhawmpui Lian before, in Aizawl, in Shillong, Haflong and elsewhere but this one was different.

Before we went to CCM Inkhawmpui Lian at Lunglei, my wife was having a shooting pain - from buttock down to leg, like sciatica. She could not sit long in the pandal. She could not do the household chores precisely. But, I left her alone (as our children are studying at Churachandpur) with a prayer. With zest and zeal we moved ahead to Lunglei with excitements, because the trip is going to be great adventure since it will be my first time towards Southern Mizoram.

We were new, we were shy to approach and say even a word. Ironically, my host did not wait for us to say.  First, they vacated their best bedroom for us. Not the common room, their own bedroom. They said, "Hei hi in khum a ni tawh, nuam deuin hetah hian mu rawh u." They shifted their children to their parents room as well. Second, food was amazing. My host aunty and her daughter nula Remi prepared an all time Mizo delicious food. Third, the love and friendship they showed to us was stunning. It surpasses the very word that we described. Love and Friendship is practicality. It’s not just a gesture or outward appearance, it comes from the inner being.  

I would like pour out the Hospitality and the Mizo moral code ‘Tlawmngaihna” from the very host church of CCM Inkhawmpui Lian 2-na-BCM Venglai Kohhran. The local church (BCM Venglai Kohhran) were stunningly well prepared for the Inkhawmpui Lian. They assigned several department for the success of this Inkhawmpui Lian. Every single member of Venglai Kohhran depicts the highest and supreme sacrifice for the success of this Inkhawmpui Lian. Even the Children Department (Kohhran Naupang Pawl-KNP) presented ‘Halleluijah Chorus’ magically; crooning with their dulcet voices beautifully. They produced a masterclass display in flawless and their brilliant execution with dynamic and immense energy was impressive and captivating.

The Ushering Team (Steward) did a brilliant job. They are no less different than a flight attendant in a big aircraft. Their smiling face, their politeness, their effectiveness in physical seat arrangement left the audience spellbound. Politeness is the absolute cornerstone of effective ushering. This is exactly what the host church did. It was an exceptional stellar execution.

The flawless execution of our multi-day event is a direct result of the hard work and dedication shown by the Banquet Operations Team and the Conference Services Department." Even the Sanitation Department did a brilliant job in maintaining fresh and proper hygiene.  They involved in using high-heat sanitation cycles for germ control alongside targeted facility cleaning plans for pest management at all time.

Evaluating all these in a snapshot, at CCM Inkhawmpui Lian, Lunglei, I came to understood succinctly - Hospitality and Tlawmngaihna. These are not two different things in Mizo. They are one.

In English theology books, Hospitality is "philoxenia" [Greek: φιλοξενία] - love for stranger.

Tlâwmngaihna does not have an equivalent english translation. It is a code of ethics that guides decisions and community participation in Mizo society. Rev. Dr. Vanlalchhuanawma argues that altruism is the closest definition in English for Tlâwmngaihna but that this further fails to encompass the scope and brevity of the philosophy deeper.

In our Mizo books, we often write about Tlawmngaihna as selfless service. But in Lunglei, I saw Hospitality and Tlâwmngaihna are same. True hospitality is Tlâwmngaihna. And true Tlâwmngaihna is hospitality.

What is the difference then?

Hospitality is what you do for a guest. Tlawmngaihna is why you do it without expecting return. My (Our) host did both. They gave us the Highest Hospitality and supreme Tlâwmngaihna.

They did it without us asking, and without expecting thank you (Tlawmngaihna). The Bible says in Hebrews 13:2 - "Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it." And in Romans 12:13 - "Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality."

Our Mizo pi pu practiced Hebrews 13:2 before they could read it. When a stranger comes to a Mizo village, even today in Lunglei, you are not a guest, you are family. Pu Buanga (Rev. L.H. Lorrain) also received this same hospitality when he first came. And he gave it back with supreme tlâwmngaihna. That is why people still remember his tombstone after 100 years. Because he lived Tlawmngaihna + Hospitality.

Today in some cities, we have lost some of this. We have hotels for Inkhawmpui guests. We have catering. Everything is paid. Hospitality becomes a service. But in Lunglei during this CCM Inkhawmpui Lian, I saw the originality of what Hospitality and Tlâwmngaihna is all about.

It is not about big money. My host family is well to do family. But they gave us their best. That is supreme hospitality. Not five-star hotel, but five-star heart. So my theology learning is: Dalit theology teaches us about hospitality to the broken. Tribal Theology teaches us about the Christian faith through the lens of indigenous cultural heritage, communal living, and the ongoing struggle against social, economic, and ecological injustice. This can be interpreted in different spectrum from this CCM Inkhawmpui Lian at Lunglei.

[Here is the Leaders of CCM (CCM_Puipate) Group photo]

Tribal theology, our Mizo theology, must teach hospitality + Tlawmngaihna together - how to welcome stranger as self.

During CCM Inkhawmpui Lian at Lunglei, I went to research Pu Buanga's history from London. But I went back with a bigger history - the living history of Mizo hospitality. To my host family and the Church BCM Venglai Kohhran in Lunglei - if you are reading this - Ka/n lawm lutuk e. In tlâwmngaihna leh in mikhual chhawnna hi ka theihnghilh ngai lo vang.

Have you received such hospitality during Inkhawmpui Lian? Have you shown it?

Comment your Inkhawmpui host story.

Read in Mizo here:

Lunglei CCM Inkhawmpui Lian-a Tlâwmngaihna Leh Mikhual Chhawnna Ropui

[Published with permission from Pu HS Liantluanga family, Venglai, Lunglei]