The rationalists would argue that a rainbow is nothing but a coincidence of nature. But every myth, legend and story of a nation need not always pass the test of scientific accuracy.
A mystic rainbow appeared at Chishilimi in the evening of 28th June, 2016, when the news of the demise of the mighty Naga national leader, Assu Isak Chishi Swu, Chairman of the NSCN (I-M), reached the hills of the great Naga nation. A halo of rainbow encircling around the sun unusually appeared again above Dimapur Airport as the special chartered flight carrying the mortal remains of the veteran nationalist was about to land on 30th June, 2016 and the rainbow appeared for the third consecutive day till the mortal remains of the great leader was finally laid to rest on 2nd July, 2016.
To a meteorologist, a rainbow is a phenomenon caused by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets. But to the Nagas, a rainbow is more than its scientific explanation and the Nagas have their own legends and stories to tell. Nagas have a firm believe rooted in Christianity that the tricolour rainbow in their national flag is given by the Almighty and is not a mere idea originated from mundane imagination.
Nagas believed for a reason that rainbow has a mystical connection with the last rites of their great nationalist leaders. On the 10th of May, 1990, when the mortal remains of A.Z. Phizo was brought back to Dimapur from London, Nagas were awestruck by a sudden appearance of rainbow across Dimapur Airport and it reportedly appeared not less than ten times during the condolence and funeral services of the great Naga nationalist.
The first Naga national flag was woven by Mrs. Lothong and Mrs. Keshenle and it was first hoisted at Oking Parashen, near Sendenyu village, Rengma Region, Nagaland, when the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) was formed on 22nd March, 1956.
In the month of May, 1946, A.Z. Phizo upon entering Kohima town on his return from Rangoon was suddenly struck by a rainbow stretching across Kohima town. A.Z. Phizo had an unusual vision that it was a sign from God. A.Z. Phizo resolved to choose the rainbow as the emblem of the Naga national flag to symbolize that “Nagas are the children of God”.
Not that rainbows are unusual, but that there was always an unseen force of divine revelation. In the year 1955, when the Naga national leaders were deliberating on the design and inscription of rainbow on the Naga national flag at Oking Parashen, the Naga national leaders were awestruck by a sudden appearance of rainbow right in front of them, whereat the Naga national leaders unanimously proclaimed, “It is a sign that God is giving us this rainbow to inscribe on our national flag”.
In the year 1972, Ms. Yahoi, a 12 year old Konyak girl, who was dumb from birth, saw an unusual vision in a jungle. A rainbow appeared around her and she saw three men in white clothes approaching towards her. In the sight of this frightening vision, she yelled out, “Pull me out! three men are coming” and the dumb girl for the first time began to speak. The three men in white clothes then spoke, “This rainbow is the Naga national flag which I have given to the Nagas. Tomorrow your chicken will crow three times.”
Rev. Vevozo was once asked in Jerusalem, “How is it that the Nagas have a rainbow flag with a six-pointed star when other nations have only five-pointed star on their flags?”, to which he simply replied, “It is given by the Lord our God to the Nagas”. Then God spoke to them through an American woman, “I have given the rainbow flag to the Nagas. It is not inscribed by the Nagas on their own accord. I have given two flags to mankind, one to the Israelites and the other to the Nagas”.
Some scholars accused Israel that the six-pointed star, the hexagram, is the supreme symbol of satanic tyranny and it is demonic. The Jews, however, believed that the symbol is not a hexagram, but the “Star of David”, the “back part of David’s protective war shield”. King Solomon was the one who selected the symbol. Perhaps, the Nagas and the Israelites are the only two nations to adopt a six-pointed star as the emblem of their national flags.
Every nation for that matter has its own myths, legends and stories and every flag has its own history. The Scottish legend goes that the night before the Pictish King Angus II, led his forces into battle against the English King Aethelstans of Angles and Saxons, King Angus had a vision in which he saw St. Andrew promising triumph in the battle. King Angus’ troops were struck in the next morning by the sight of a huge white Saltire shining across a bright blue sky. The Scottish believe that this omen led to their victory against the English King and the Saltire accordingly found its place in the Scottish flag.
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