Odisha Governor and four-time chief minister of Nagaland Dr. S.C. Jamir reminded that it was on December 1, 1963, when Nagaland became a state and when the whole world came to know the Naga people and when Nagas proclaimed their separate identity by becoming part and parcel of the great Indian nation.
He said this while speaking as chief guest Saturday on the second day of the ongoing ten-day Hornbill Festival in Kisama organised by the NEZCC under the theme “Culturally Yours”.
Dr. Jamir explained the event besides the Christian point of view, made December a significant month for the Nagas. He invoked a challenge by asserting that Nagas should not be left behind, be it in education, academic development, governance, culture or tradition.
In his three-minute address, Jamir recalled that the Hornbill Festival concept was an endeavour to bring all tribes of Nagaland to one particular location, so that friends from the rest of the country and abroad could see all the tribes in one place. He said this gave birth to the concept of coinciding the statehood day along with the festival which used to be earlier held in Kohima but later shifted to its permanent venue, Kisama.
He said the Hornbill Festival was the right platform to showcase Naga ethnicity to tourists from abroad and from within the country. He also said that Nagas have been endowed with unique talents and Hornbill Festival was the common occasion where everyone got the right opportunity to exhibit their talents. In conclusion, Jamir invoked God’s blessings on the gathering and also wished them Merry Christmas.
Minister for school education Tokheho Yepthomi was the host of the event while ministers– Imkong L. Imchen and G. Kaito Aye, parliamentary secretary C. Apok Jamir, advisor Naiba Konyak and officials accompanied the Odisha Governor. The second day of the festival witnessed cultural dances from the seven NE states– Berii Nyijir Ngunu from Arunachal Pradesh, Moran Bihu (Assam), Pung, Thangta and stick dance (Manipur), Shad Suk Mynsiem (Meghalaya), Cheraw (Mizoram), Rai Silli (Sikkim), Sangrai Mog (Tripura) and a partner state, Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat from Madhya Pradesh.
For inclusive solution
Odisha Governor, Dr. S.C. Jamir, who is the last surviving member of the Naga People’s Convenrion(NPC) which signed the 16-Point Agreement with the government of India under Jawaharlal Nehru in July 26,1960 said solution to the Naga political issue should be inclusive, honourable and acceptable to Central government and Naga people.
Speaking to section of media persons on the side lines of the Hornbill Festival programme at Kisama, Dr. Jamir acknowledged that the joining of the six Naga National Political Groups in the peace process was on the right track towards an inclusive solution.
When asked about the appeal of the state government for solution before Christmas and “solution, not election”, Dr. Jamir said he had nothing to comment on it since the matter was between Central and state government.
Recalling the Hornbill Festival which was first started in 2001 at Kohima local ground, while he was the chief minister, Dr. Jamir said the main objective of organizing the festival was to bring all communities together and at the same time enable outsiders to witness the diverse Naga culture.
Jamir said he was delighted to note that the festival venue had been shifted to a bigger place and has become an international event. All efforts should be made to display the culture of the Nagas without copying western culture, he added.