GOVERNOR NAND KISHORE YADAV RELEASES BOOKS ON NAGA KNOWLEDGE, TEXTILES
CHUMOUKEDIMA, Sept 25 — Governor of Nagaland and Chairman of the North Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (NEZCC), Nand Kishore Yadav, released two books on Naga knowledge and textiles at the NEZCC Headquarters, Chumoukedima, on September 25.
The books are Nagas: The Knowledge Practitioners, authored by Alok Kumar Kanungo and Dr Alino Sumi, and Nagaland Textiles – Threads That Weave Stories, authored by Sentila T. Yanger.
Addressing the gathering, Yadav said the two publications, though dealing with different subjects, brought the rich cultural heritage and knowledge traditions of the Naga people into academic and public focus. He said culture should be recognised as a body of knowledge created, practised, refined and transmitted across generations.
Speaking on Nagas: The Knowledge Practitioners, the Governor said indigenous knowledge should not be viewed merely as folklore, but as knowledge developed through observation, experience, experimentation and adaptation. He said traditional knowledge relating to agriculture, crafts, technology, forests, natural resources, rituals and material culture represented valuable knowledge systems developed within communities.
He stressed that preserving Naga heritage should go beyond physical objects to include the knowledge associated with them.
Referring to the publication on Naga textiles, Yadav said Naga shawls represented more than pieces of cloth, carrying identity, memory, social meaning and artistic expression. He noted that colours, patterns, motifs and weaving techniques reflected knowledge and traditions developed within different communities.
The Governor also stressed the importance of properly documenting indigenous knowledge, saying such documentation should be undertaken with sensitivity to the communities from whom the knowledge originated, with due recognition of their identity, ownership, dignity and intellectual rights.
He encouraged the younger generation to embrace modern education and technology while also understanding their traditional knowledge. He said traditional knowledge could offer valuable insights into contemporary concerns such as climate change, biodiversity conservation, sustainable agriculture, responsible use of natural resources and sustainable livelihoods.
“The challenge is not to choose between tradition and modernity, but to build a meaningful dialogue between the two,” he said.
Yadav appreciated the scholars, institutions, researchers, field workers, artisans and elders involved in documenting Naga knowledge and traditions. He encouraged educational institutions to make greater use of such publications and called for more research by young Naga scholars on languages, oral traditions, architecture, agriculture, traditional medicine, music, textiles, craftsmanship and customary institutions.
He also stressed the need for village-level documentation of traditional knowledge before it is lost with the passing of its practitioners.
Director, NEZCC, Alobo Naga, in his welcome address, said the two publications were valuable contributions towards documenting and preserving Naga knowledge, traditions, craftsmanship and cultural narratives.
He said NEZCC had been supporting scholars, artists and cultural practitioners in documenting traditional knowledge, folk practices, indigenous art forms and other cultural traditions to help preserve Naga cultural identity and pass it on to future generations.
The authors—Alok Kumar Kanungo, Associate Research Professor (Archaeology), Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Gandhinagar; Dr Alino Sumi; and Padma Shri Sentila T. Yanger—also delivered brief addresses.
The programme featured cultural presentations by Woniro Von representing the Lotha tribe, Eklavya School representing the Ao tribe, and Nagaland Bhojpuri Samaj, Dimapur.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Assistant Director, NEZCC, Temsunaro. (Samuel, IA Chumoukedima)
