DIMAPUR: A childhood dream eight years in the making became reality on August 1 when Mishanli Easteryna Yanthan, 14 year old Grade 9 student of Hope Academy, Dimapur, and one of Nagaland’s youngest published authors, visited Canada’s world renowned Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Drumheller, Alberta.
According to DIPR report, Mishanli’s journey began in 2018 at the age of six, when she met Canadian visitor Julian Erb. Their conversation about dinosaurs introduced her to the museum and inspired her to set a goal of one day visiting it. Determined to fund the trip through her writing, she went on to publish The Unforgettable Trip to Drumheller and Other Stories (2020) and The Prehistoric Adventure (2022). Both books were later procured by the Nagaland Education Mission Society under Samagra Shiksha for distribution to government school libraries, a milestone that helped enable her dream journey.
Her visit was made memorable by the support of many. Peter and Areni Ritchie, who are hosting Mishanli and her father in Canada, shared her story with the museum, which graciously extended complimentary admission passes. Julian and his son also joined the visit, witnessing the fulfilment of the dream he had helped inspire eight years earlier.
For Mishanli, standing inside the Royal Tyrrell Museum marked the culmination of years of hope, patience, hard work and determination. “It was the fulfilment of a dream I first imagined at six,” she said, reflecting on the journey that her writing had made possible.
Mishanli is the daughter of Yanchenthung Yanthan and Dr. Wojanbeni S. Yanthan of Lakhuti village.