Time Travel to 1979: How a Japanese photographer captured the soul of Nagaland

Exhibition extended until Sept 25

Kohima, September 19 (MExN): ‘Time Travel to Nagaland, 1979’ offered a glimpse into the State through the lens of Yuzo Morita, the Japanese ethnographic photographer, travel writer and ethnologist. His photographs captured the people, traditions and everyday life of the time.

The closing ceremony of the exhibition was held on September 19 at the Directorate of Art & Culture, Bayavü Hill, Kohima, stated a DIPR report. 

Addressing the programme, Project Director and Ethnomusicologist, Emi Okada said many visitors had come to the exhibition and were delighted to recognise familiar faces in the photographs and recall what life was like nearly half a century ago. She said she was particularly pleased to see many young visitors, for whom the exhibition offered an opportunity to discover Nagaland’s rich traditional culture and everyday life. She expressed happiness that the exhibition had brought together people of different generations.

Speaking on passing culture to the next generation, Okada said that as an ethnomusicologist, she studied living, intangible culture, particularly music and singing traditions. She noted that “while researchers could record, transcribe and document songs, the knowledge and social meanings embedded in singing could not be preserved through documentation alone, but were passed from person to person through the experience of singing together.” She expressed hope that Nagaland’s singing culture would remain part of everyday life and continue to flourish across generations.

She also shared a message from Japanese Ethnographic Photographer Yuzo Morita, who expressed hope that “the exhibition would encourage people to look back at the past, reflect on the changes over the years and think about the future, particularly one in which the people of Nagaland could live in peace and happiness.”

She noted that the exhibition was part of a joint project between the Nagaland State Museum and Japan’s National Museum of Ethnology, which began about a year and a half ago. Within that period, the project had documented Naga collections held by the National Museum of Ethnology, developed a database and resulted in the present exhibition.

Okada said that Morita was extremely pleased to learn that many people, especially young visitors, had come to see the photographs. Looking ahead, she said the next step would be a major exhibition at the National Museum of Ethnology in Japan in about two years, focusing on the Naga peoples.

Project Member and Archaeologist, Hitoshi Endo, also expressed his gratitude to everyone for the success of the programme.

The programme concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Director, Art & Culture, Adela Moa.

In view of the overwhelming response from the public, the photo exhibition has been extended until Friday, September 25.