Mini Museum “Aro Dze: Our Story” at Pfutsero Government College.
Pfutsero Government College celebrates 43rd cultural-cum-literary day
Pfutsero, March 10 (MExN): The 43rd cultural-cum-literary day of Pfutsero Government College (PGC) was held under the theme “Honouring Roots, Awakening Future” on March 5 and 6.
Speaking as the chief speaker, Phek Deputy Commissioner Rhosietho Nguori called upon the college community to honour the legacy of the past, emphasising that culture encompasses not just dress and artefacts but also beliefs and thought processes passed down through generations.
While acknowledging that globalisation, urbanisation, and modernisation are inevitable, Nguori cautioned that they pose significant challenges to cultural preservation—challenges he attributed largely to individual choices.
“Our beliefs and behaviours today are often not based on our natural cultural values. Instead, much of our behaviour and mannerisms are shaped by what we see in the modern world,” he said. “We observe it through television screens and digital media. As a result, our way of life is increasingly influenced by the glamorous world portrayed on screens.”
The Deputy Commissioner described the threat to Naga culture as serious, citing the erosion of the mother tongue as a primary concern.
“Today, when we talk about the threat to our culture, some of us may not fully realise how serious this threat is. But to put it very simply, one common phenomenon is that many of us no longer know how to speak our own mother tongue properly,” he remarked. “The saddest part is that we often do not even make an effort to learn it. Instead, we prefer to learn and speak other languages such as English and Nagamese.”
Nguori also lamented the trend of performative culture, where traditions are talked about and displayed on stage rather than genuinely practiced in daily life, urging the younger generation to take active responsibility for preserving their heritage.
The college’s mini museum “Aro Dze: Our Story” was also inaugurated on the same day. The cultural day was marked by students competing in various traditional activities and sports such as yodeling, bamboo race, and Naga wrestling, among others.
