‘Young Naga generation not aware of our rich cultural heritage’

September 7, 2023 35 Views No Comment

A book on ‘Discourses on Cultural Heritage in Contemporary Nagaland’ released

Morung Express News
Kohima | September 7

Executive Director, Angami Baptist Churches Council (ABCC), Rachülie Vihienuo opined that our cultural heritages are now less pronounced in the life of the Naga and younger generation do not fully know the rich heritage in the context of culture, values and traditions passed down from previous generations to the present.

He was speaking during the launch of the book “Discourses on Cultural Heritage in Contemporary Nagaland” at Baptist College Kohima, published by Penthrill Publishing House today.

“It’s like a young man inheriting a huge property including land, forest, buildings and other assets from his parents, but not knowing the magnitude and the value of what he has actually inherited,” Vihienuo asserted and described that “young man” as “us”.

He described “Heritage” as what is inherited property passed down from one generation to the next and “cultural heritage” as culture, values, traditions passed down from previous generations to the present.

Vihienuo said traditions, values, culture, social institutions, customary laws and practices, art, folklore, folksongs, festivals, traditional marriage practices, oral tradition etc. are elements that make up the cultural behavior, identity and outlook of any community.

While making a demarcation of the past and present, Vihienuo said that for the generations before us, these elements were inherently part of their lives, and therefore the manifestations were more natural and pronounced in the socio-political and religious life.

However, he lamented that with the onset of modernization, these elements are now less pronounced in the life of the Naga. He remarked that this was a matter of grave concern.

Vihienuo, in this regard hoped that the book will address the challenge by attempting to help its readers put things into perspective and hold the balance between traditional and modernity, particularly in the Naga context.

At the same time, he expressed confidence that the book will contribute towards opening the eyes and mind of the younger generations and enable them to grow in their appreciation of their own cultural heritage from the past.

Vishü Rita Krocha, Publisher, Penthrill Publication House expressed gratitude towards Baptist College for collaborating with PenThrill and for the new addition of publication which she hoped would be “the beginning of many more such publications, which will be truly instrumental towards helping our Naga society realise and understand our own traditions better because that’s where our roots are.”

The book seeded in a National seminar that was organized by the Culture Study Centre, Baptist College, Kohima on the theme Kelhou Zho-Cultural Heritage Among the Tribes of Nagaland: Balancing Tradition and Modernity, in the September of the year 2019, have seen its fruit four years later.

Four years later, here we are, to celebrate the publication of this very important volume that consists of papers exploring elderly wisdom, traditional values, beliefs and customs that can serve as a great repository of knowledge for many generations to come, Krocha exclaimed.

She said that the collaboration with the college is a collective endeavour towards preserving the stories of our rich culture, history and tradition.

The publisher also congratulated the college and the editors of the book- Sentinaro, Seyiesilie Vüprü, Süvilü Venuh and Asola C.Jamir for the excellent work and all the contributors for their contributions towards making this collection possible.

Dr. Sentinaro, one of the editors of the book while speaking about the book mentioned that one of the core aims and objectives of Baptist College, Kohima is to preserve, promote, learn and respect the rich cultural heritage of people far and near, which is mentioned in the constitution of the college.
“With this in mind, the Culture Study Centre was established in the year 2003 with a view to study culture and explore the processes of cultural change particularly in Nagaland as well as globally in general,” she added.

She said the book was the outcome of a national seminar which was organised from September 24-25 back in 2019 which was published with the purpose of providing a platform for fruitful exchange and better understanding of cultural diversities and to explore ways of preventing conflict issues.

“It is expected that best practices can be shared and disseminated so that it will enable the preservation and promotion of Naga cultural heritage,” Sentinaro further added.