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DIMAPUR — Dr. Aküm Longchari, Editor of The Morung Express, on April 6 called upon young students to create and tell new stories.
He stated this during the ‘Literary and cultural fest 2024 golden jubilee edition’ of Patkai Christian College (PCC) which was held on April 5 and 6 on the theme “Identity and diversity.”
Dr. Longchari pointed out that the Naga identity is no more dynamic and argued that Nagas are stuck in the cycle of intergenerational shifts and unable to generate anything new, stated an update from the college.
“We have stopped cultivating land, we have also stopped cultivating relationships, we have stopped cultivating new thoughts, new ideas, new opportunities,” he said.
He, therefore, encouraged the young generation to imagine what a 21st century Naga culture should look like and generate new thoughts and ideas for the future.
“New stories must emerge from students so that we are able to continue that cycle; stories that persuade and stimulate new imagination,” he said.
To enable that stimulation, Dr. Longchari shared that the younger generation must begin the process by pushing boundaries.
“Our spiritual boundaries, intellectual boundaries, knowledge, our understanding of worldview, thought systems. We have to muster that courage to push boundaries to create a new language,” he said.
The new language, according to Dr. Longchari, will be a carrier of our identities and diversities and connecting the present to the future.
“The meeting of future and past informs what you and I need to do in the present,” he added.
Dwelling on the theme “Identity and diversity,” Dr. Longchari demonstrated the uniqueness of each individual through a paper-tearing exercise and stressed that every person possesses a unique way of thinking and interpreting the world around them.
Dr. Longchari pointed out that the word ‘university’ is a compound word combining unity and diversity. He, therefore, insisted that any educational institution should ‘serve as a seat of both unity and diversity.’
Report stated that the two-day event witnessed several literary and cultural activities aimed at helping students participate in academic pursuits, while at the same time connecting them to their cultural roots.
On day 1, guest speaker, Mhasino Metha, principal of and alumnus of the college, spoke on the need to participate in literary activities reasoning that it would teach students skills beyond the four walls of the classroom.
The literary events included competitions on extempore speech, folk tale narration, drawing/ painting, essay writing and debate.
On day-2, Dr. Roland Lotha, philanthropist and politician, who was the honoured guest, cautioned the students against losing their cultural identity.
“Culture serves as an invisible pole which ties us together,” he said adding that “If we lose our identity, that is the saddest thing for our tribal being.”
In the extempore speech competition, Limayala Aier won the first position, while Mezhusieno Peseyie won the second position.
In essay writing competition, Vemüzilu Chuzo won the first position and Khriese Sophie won the second position, while in debate competition, Neihu Thulhu- o won the first position and Kehinye Seb won the second position.
In art/ painting competition, Tsepe Mekhru won the first position and Kokoni Sani Basena won the second position, while in folk tale competition, Nanmila Zimik won the first position and Phangrei Rungsung won the second position.