Nagaland: Krome calls upon youths to promote culture

The Porbami Youth Organisation (PYO) held its 12th cultural session 2025 under the theme “My Culture, My Identity” on December 17 .
The session was hosted by Basapu Zo Sporting Club at BZSC Recreational Ground, Porba in Phek District.
Gracing the event as the guest speaker, Neingulie Krome, joint secretary, minority affairs to the government of Nagaland, acknowledged Porbami Youth Organisation and the Cultural Team of Porba village for the honour and privilege to be in their midst as the guest speaker.
He asserted that the bond of brotherhood of the olden days should be strengthened, adding that the honour he received was not out of his status but because of the brotherhood between his native village Zelome and Porba.
Speaking on the theme, “My Culture, My Identity”, he said that the programme committee chose a relevant topic as today’s young generation is fast losing its Culture and Identity.
He defined ‘Culture’ as the ‘Language we speak, the beliefs we hold unto and the way of life we live’.
In olden days, he said, there were no road connectivity, no radio or TV, no telephone or mobile phones and no vehicles, communication and technology was nil, but the virtues of honesty, sincerity, hard work and dedication they had was something this present generation lack with all the technology.
He thanked the elders for upholding the virtues and passing it down to the present generation.
Krome urged upon the youths to inculcate all those virtues which has kept the culture alive instead of the foreign culture which promotes easy money and all negative aspects in the society.
Krome said that “our mother-tongue is the fundamental aspect of who we are.”
He said that without the knowledge of their mother tongue, people lose Identity even if they know so many foreign languages.
He stressed his point by citing examples of Latin Americas, South Indian Tamils and neighbours Manipuris who gives so much importance to their own language.
Stating that modern popular culture or youth culture is influenced by social media in which the youths idolize western culture, Korean and Japanese, Krome said.
“Instead of being influenced by those culture, we should promote our very own culture through folklores, folk stories, folk dances and songs,” he added. He exhorted the youths to discover oneself “as we are living in a very sophisticated world and become torch-bearers by living and maintaining the good virtues and keeping our culture alive.”
Also speaking on the occasion as the guest of honour, Ciekrohü Chiero, chairman, Porba Village Council, stressed on the importance of observing the culture and identity.
He elaborated how the friendships were built in the olden days between villages during the head-hunting period and how they help each other in times of struggles.
He especially stressed on the brotherhood of the guest speaker’s native village Zelome and Porba, where in olden times, their amity was well known and their stories passed down through generations.
The session was marked by various competitions like folk dance, tug of war, war cry, folk songs etc.
Earlier, the programme was chaired by Kuthovo Vadeo, finance secretary PYO while welcome address was delivered by Vecuru Dzudo, president PYO.
The programme also witnessed special appearances from hosting Khel and guest entourage team from Zelome village.