Tetso College hosted the 2nd edition of the three-day “The Listener Nagaland”- a Festival of Orality on November 2, at Lorin Hall, Tetso College with head of UNESCO Chair on Language Policies for Multilingualism, Prof. Dr. Gilvan Müller de Oliveira as the keynote speaker.
Dr. Oliveira shed light on the profound role of orality in self-understanding and the transmission of literary values focusing on folklore, anthropology, and intangible culture. He stressed on the importance of scientific discourse in the context of changing intangible culture. The festival, according to him, represents an innovative effort to honor and celebrate traditions that form the foundation of cultural identity and stressed the importance of understanding every language as heritage and adapting to evolving concepts and discussions.
He highlighted the universal significance of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) as a lesson for all humanity, advocating for its role in promoting peace through the preservation of diverse cultures.
The speaker discussed the challenges in recognizing ICH, focusing on the monumentalization of masterpieces versus the valorization of production.
During the event, Advisor for Law & Justice, T N Mannen, speaking as a guest, highlighted on the significance of preserving the wisdom and knowledge held by elder members of the community in today’s digitalized world. He emphasized the potential loss when the elderly, who possess historical insights, are endangered. Mannen stressed on the importance of renewing and rediscovering the cultural heritage of the Naga society, drawing a parallel with the endangerment of flora and fauna. His remarks underscored the festival’s role in safeguarding traditions and knowledge in an evolving world.
Commissioner & Secretary of Art & Culture, Athel O Lotha also emphasized on the Ministry of Culture’s apex-level program. This initiative focuses on capacity building, raising awareness, and engaging stakeholders to protect and promote the invaluable intangible heritage. Lotha stressed on the significance of preserving this vital aspect of culture, particularly in Northeast India, where distinct traditions face threats from globalization, underlining the pivotal role of indigenous communities in safeguarding and revitalizing these traditions. Intach book was also released comprised of Ao, Lotha, Pochury and Tenyidie languages by the keynote speaker.
Launches NEIIPA
During the inauguration of “The Listener Nagaland”, Principal of Tetso College, Dr. Hewasa L. Khing, along with Prof. Dr. Gilvan Müller de Oliveira, unveiled the North East India Indigenous People’s Archive (NEIIPA). NEIIPA is a non-profit open-access online repository and community initiative aimed at preserving the rich culture of indigenous communities in Northeast India. The project, initiated in early 2023, seeks to address the lack of resources for preserving indigenous knowledge and encourages contributions from the public in various forms, such as audio and visuals, to enrich the cultural heritage of the region.
Tetso College’s efforts to document the unique knowledge known only to elders of the community have led to the establishment of NEIIPA. The initiative invites everyone to participate in safeguarding indigenous knowledge, language, and culture, ensuring their preservation for future generations. The vision of NEIIPA was to provide reliable cultural and historical content from Northeast India to a global audience through a sustainable community of engaged thinkers, promoting further research studies.
The project is brought by the efforts of 6 individuals of different capacities led by Dr. Wichamdinbo Mataina as convenor NEIIPA. He has an experience of over a decade and a notable mention could be of his documentary on Liangmai language owned by University of North Texas. He also serves as assistant professor at the Department of Linguistics, Tetso College.
Other members include Toka V Swu (Member Technical NEIIPA), also founder CEO of a startup company called SNAPCRAFT MEDIA based in Dimapur. He serves as assistant professor at the Department of Mass Communication, Tetso College. Tsukumla Yimchunger (member NEIIPA), holds M. Phil degree in Linguistics with area of research on ethnolinguistics. She serves as assistant professor at the Department of Mass Communication, Tetso College. Imlangba (Member Technical NEIIPA), PGDCA from Hi-Tech Institute of IT Multimedia, Dimapur serving as Junior Executive at IT & Media department, Tetso College. Dr. Opangienla Kechu (member NEIIPA).
Research area includes Bi/multilingualism, cognitive linguistics, and language and culture. She currently serves as assistant professor, Department of Linguistics, Tetso College. Abhigyan Goigoi (Member Technical NEIIPA).