The Digital Morung: How QR codes are preserving Naga culture

In a move set to bridge ancient tradition with the digital age, the Nagaland Tourism Department and the PLUC Network have joined forces to mark the beginning of a groundbreaking initiative to digitize the iconic Morung Houses through an interactive QR code program.
Tamseel Hussain, founder and CEO of PLUC TV, who emphasized the significance of the partnership, said, “This strategic partnership represents a pivotal moment for Nagaland’s cultural heritage preservation and tourism evolution,” in conversations with media on Wednesday.
The system involves creating a unique QR code for each participating Morung House, which will link directly to Nagaland Tourism’s digital platforms. He explained how When scanned by a visitor, the code will unlock a rich, accessible digital archive—from oral histories and craft demonstrations to explanations of social structures and ecological practices—instantly enriching the visitor experience.
The inspiration, Hussain explained, was born from a profound understanding of the Morung’s role and a pressing contemporary concern. “We came up with this idea to incorporate it in the Hornbill Festival because we found that the Morung is an institution at the heart of Naga society.” Elaborating on the Morung’s deep significance, and describing it as far more than a traditional structure, he said, “It is a living institution that embodies the social, cultural, and ecological identity of Nagaland’s diverse tribes.”
For generations, these houses have served as youth dormitories, schools for traditional wisdom, repositories of oral history, and hubs for community decision-making, he added.
Lamenting that the living archive now faces an existential threat, he Hussain noted, “Younger generations are migrating to urban centers; traditional practices are being forgotten; and the intergenerational knowledge transfer that has sustained Naga communities for centuries is at risk of rupture.”
The collaborative solution is the QR Code Integration Program for Morung Houses. PLUC had done the research, documentation, and digital content creation to bring these institutions into the 21st century.
The creations aim to document & preserve indigenous knowledge systematically, amplify local voices by having communities tell their own stories, enable youth engagement by transforming digitized knowledge into accessible educational resources, and make ancient wisdom relevant for contemporary audiences and future generations.
Ultimately, the vision is to position Nagaland as a destination that celebrates authentic cultural heritage through meaningful digital experiences, creating economic opportunities while protecting cultural integrity.
Echoing this philosophy, communication strategist Shambhavi Kanodia stated, “The Morung Houses QR initiative is not about replacing tradition with technology. It is about ensuring that Naga youth—whether living in Nagaland or scattered across India and the world—can access the wisdom, stories, and practices that connect them to their cultural roots.
It is about ensuring that visitors to Nagaland engage with communities as partners in cultural discovery, not as consumers of exoticized heritage.”
The upcoming Hornbill International Festival, a globally recognized platform, has been chosen as the launchpad for this pilot. By showcasing it there, PLUC and the Nagaland Tourism Ministry are sending a powerful signal: that preserving ancient knowledge is a strategic priority for Nagaland’s future.
This Digital Morung initiative is a pilot with a long-term vision. Its success at Hornbill will lay the groundwork for future expansion.
A stall owner expressed strong support for the initiative, stating it had “made our job so much easier.” He explained that when hosts are occupied, they can’t always explain their tribe’s culture and heritage to every tourist. “The communication gap used to be a real problem, leaving visitors disappointed,” he said. “Now, with the QR code, a simple scan on their phone gives tourists all the knowledge automatically.”