‘Preserving Naga Heritage: Tales of Tradition and Culture’

September 18, 2023 30 Views No Comment

DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 18 (MExN): The Salesian College of Higher Education, Dimapur, held a folklore competition on September 16 with the theme ‘Preserving Naga Heritage: Tales of Tradition and Culture.’

Gloria Kamei, HoD of History welcomed the gathering of staff, students, and special invitees. She highlighted the importance of preserving the vibrant heritage of the Naga community, reflected through songs, music, folklore etc and encouraged the students to keep up the cultural narratives.

Fr Jaison Thomas, Rector, Good Shepherd Seminary, was the special guest of the day. In his address, he spoke of the need to showcase the culture, tradition and heritage of the Naga Community. In his 30 years of life in Nagaland, he recounted being amazed by the vibrancy, variety and richness of the Naga tribes. He spoke on the need to protect the legacy of the community and praised the college for taking the right step to safeguard the cultural heritage, providing opportunity to learn and enact the cultural narratives.
In the folklore competition, the students of different departments performed skits and dances based on the folklore of Zeliangrong, Sumi, Ao and Tangkhul tribes. These skits were based on the themes of love, sacrifice, lycanthropy, arrival of the Christianity among the Naga tribes etc. The skits were interspersed with songs and dances.

In his speech, the principal Dr Fr Paul Punü, spoke of the oral tales and traditions which carries along epigraphs of religious beliefs, social behaviours and organisations, artifacts etc. Folktales are hidden codes of a culture. It has the capacity to reveal multiple facets of a community and society, he stated.

In the competition, the English and Political Science departments were declared the joint winners of 1st prize while the second prize went by the Sociology Department. Kosham, the President of the History Department thanked the participants and the organizers for making the program a success. The programme ended with a thanksgiving prayer by Sr Mercy Philip, Vice Principal of the college.