Chairman, NHHDC, Prasielie Pienyü, speaking at the felicitation programme for the Tribal Research Documentation Team and State Technical Support Team at NSE conference hall, Kohima on August 28. (DIPR Photo)
Tribal research documentation and state technical support teams honoured
Kohima, August 28 (MExN): Nagaland felicitated members of the Tribal Research Documentation Team and the State Technical Support Team in Kohima on August 28, marking the completion of 12 documentation books on the traditional attires, ornaments and cultural practices of the state's indigenous tribes.
The felicitation programme was held at the conference hall of the Nagaland Sales Emporium Complex (NSE), with NHHDC Chairman Prasielie Pienyü attending as guest of honour, sated a DIPR report.
Pienyü said the project was “more than a documentation exercise,” calling it a critical step towards preserving cultural heritage, protecting traditional knowledge and safeguarding the identity of Nagaland's tribes for future generations.
He thanked Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio for approving the project under the Chief Minister's Innovations Fund and acknowledged the multi-departmental committee, drawn from the Departments of Science and Technology, Arts and Culture, Information and Public Relations, and Industries and Commerce, along with the NSDC, for steering the initiative.
Twelve documentation books, released earlier by the Chief Minister, cover traditional attire, ornaments, designs and their associated meanings and practices, Pienyü said, describing the felicitation as recognition of the “dedication, knowledge and commitment” of those involved.
Delivering the keynote address, Kekhrievor Kevichüsa, Commissioner and Secretary, Urban Development and Municipal Affairs, traced the project's origins to 2021, with the initiative formally launched in 2022. He said extensive consultations with tribal bodies were required given the close link between Naga identity and culture.
Documenting traditional designs and motifs was essential to guard against unauthorised appropriation and commercial use without acknowledgement, Kevichüsa said, adding that while 12 tribes had completed their documentation, some others were yet to finalise their decisions.
He also called for future documentation to explore the shared cultural threads binding the various Naga tribes together, alongside their individual distinctiveness, and commended the documentation committees and NHHDC team for their sustained efforts.
Those felicitated included Pienyü; Kevichüsa; Kumar Ramnikant, Secretary, Industries and Commerce; Y Lipongse Thongtsar, Managing Director, NHHDC; Adela Moa, Director, Art and Culture; Ruopfülenuo, Deputy Director, IPR; Nesatalu Hiese Lomi, Senior Scientist and Mission Director, NASTEC; and Monyu Konyak, Assistant Project Officer, DUDA.
Representatives of the Angami, Ao, Konyak, Khiamniungan, Lotha, Pochury, Phom, Rengma, Sangtam, Tikhir, Sumi and Zeliang tribal documentation teams were also honoured for their role in the project.
Ghovili Achumi, Convenor of the Sumi Documentation Committee, spoke on behalf of the tribal documentation committees, while Thongtsar delivered the welcome address. The programme was chaired by Ezholü Rose, Assistant Manager, NHHDC, and concluded with a vote of thanks by Lomi.
