Nagaland: NECU hosts 7th Intl. Naga Culture Symposium on identity, globalization

The two-day, 7th International Naga Culture Symposium 2025, organised by North East Christian University (NECU) was inaugurated on Friday at Dr. Peter Armacost Hall, CARS cum CTC building, under the theme “Naga Culture, Identity and Globalization: Policies and Perspectives.”
The symposium brings together scholars, researchers, Indigenous knowledge keepers and cultural practitioners to deliberate on evolving Naga identity and cultural preservation in the context of globalization.
Delivering the keynote address, executive vice president and executive director of The Highland Institute, Catriona Child, spoke on “Co-producing and Sustaining Traditional Ecological Knowledge: Challenges in the Naga Context.” She stressed the urgent need to safeguard Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)—centuries-old wisdom on forests, land, water and biodiversity—central to Indigenous sustainability.
Catriona noted that while TEK was once dismissed as unscientific, it is now recognised globally, including by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, as vital for biodiversity protection and climate adaptation. She cautioned that modern education, migration and lifestyle changes were weakening intergenerational learning, thereby threatening cultural continuity and ecological resilience.
Drawing from the Earthkeepers Project (2023–2025), she highlighted ethical challenges in TEK research, pointing out that earlier studies were often extractive and shaped by colonial narratives. In contrast, the Earthkeepers initiative adopted a collaborative, community-centred approach—seeking village consent, respecting cultural protocols and ensuring communities retained access to documented knowledge.
She also underlined the complexities of linguistic diversity, where many TEK concepts lack English equivalents, warning that careless translation risks stripping cultural meaning. Fieldwork in Meluri and Noklak, she said, faced hurdles such as poor connectivity, monsoon disruptions and farming schedules, yet succeeded in documenting oral histories, ecological practices, songs and climate experiences through non-extractive methods.
Catriona expressed hope that the collaborative model would pave the way for more Indigenous-led research, with communities taking central roles in safeguarding and interpreting their knowledge systems.
Earlier, the inaugural session was chaired by NECU Asst. Prof. Dr. Chibenthung Yanthan, with welcome address by Pro-Chancellor Prof. Darlando T. Khathing. The programme also featured a special number by Ninglem and Imlikaba, and a folk dance by GNM First Year students.
The two-day symposium will feature poet and writer Dr. Easterine Kire on “Naga Literature”, a panel discussion on “Act East Policy: Perspectives from Northeast” with Dr. Dominic K. Khanyo, Khrielhoumenuo Suokhrie and Dr. Chibenthung Yanthan.
The symposium will also witness paper presentation on the topic, “Zotho and Rituals: Negotiating Traditions and Modernity Among the Chokri Naga of Runguzu Village”, by Research Scholar, department of Political Science, Nutsolu Swuro, and Associate Professor, department of Political Science, St. Joseph University, Chümoukedima, Nagaland, Dr. Shonreiphy Longvah, ““Women’s Electoral Participation: Negotiating Culture and Identity- A Case Study of Phek District”, by Research Scholar, department of Political Science, Khrutalu Dozo, and Professor, department of Political Science, St. Joseph University, Chümoukedima, Dr. Achanger Aier, “The Impact of Tourism on the Livelihood of the Artisans: A Case Study in Santiniketan, West Bengal”, by Research Scholar, Assam University, Silchar, Srijita Ghosh, and “The Cultural Imperative of Nagaland in Relation to India’s AEP”, by Research Scholar, Nagaland University, Lumami, Tialong Changkiri.