‘Moonlight Tales and Fables’ of the Kyong Nagas

DIPR DIMAPUR, AUGUST 27

A book titled Moonlight Tales and Fables of the Kyong Nagas, authored by Francis Kikon was released by Commissioner & Secretary, Urban Development and Planning, Mhonbemo Patton on August 27 (Tuesday) at Hotel Vivor, Kohima. Speaking at the simple yet impressive programme, Patton said that release of the book Moonlight Tales and Fables of the Kyong Nagas was a small step in the eye of the world but a giant leap in the history of Lotha Nagas and the Nagas in general. Observing folktales and folklores as an integral part of worldwide civilisation, Patton reminded that Naga folklores and folk tales has also been part of Naga history and civilisation and said, “This is the beginning and we can foresee that such beginning made today will have large impact on the way we think about ourselves”. Mentioning about the recent contemporary history of Mughal era, where stories of great Birbal are part of school and college curriculum even today, Mhonbemo Patton desired that a day should come where Naga folklores and folktales be imbibed as part of the school curriculum, to be read by the Naga boys and girls. “Due to the advancement of technology, perhaps it can be put straight into digital history in the form of comic scripts, cartoons, computer games based on our folklores and folktales,” Patton said and was optimistic that days are not too far off where all Naga stories would be digitalised by linking up with the talented young Nagas. The author who was a former journalist and Editor of Lotha Yithen, Francis Kikon said that the realisation of the vanishing Naga culture specially the folklores while on tour to many villages during his short stint as a journalist, made him venture out into writing the book Moonlight Tales and Fables of the Kyong Nagas. Terming folklores and folktales as the initial schooling of our forefathers Francis Kikon felt that it was important to collect and bring out a book especially for the Lothas. Explaining that each and every village has a different version of the same story with addition and distortion, Francis said that it was a daunting task collecting stories from all the hamlets and villages, after which it was refined, crossed examined from many people and ultimately refined for final compilation and publication which took him 16 years. The story collection process took not less than 8-9 years, he informed. He thanked God for giving him good health and also expressed gratitude to his intellectual friends for their unceasing support and for enabling him to come out with the book. The book which contains 78 spell bounding stories of supernatural and mystifying events, myth, tales and fables is in demand even in Kolkata and Delhi. Priced at Rs. 350/- per copy, the book will initially be available at Catholic Publication Centre, D. Block Kohima. In the programme associate pastor, Kohima Lotha Baptist Church Rev Sankilemba Kikon invoked God’s blessing while senior news reader AIR, Jonas Yanthan chaired the programme. Rev Fr Philip Humtsoe said the benediction.