In a spirited assertion of cultural pride, the First Folk Fusion Competition was held on April 29 at Yimtsüngda Arok Sabang, Ungma village. The event, themed “Sobaliba Ratep”, was organized by Tongpu Pur, Aolijen, Ungma, in collaboration with the Task Force for Music and Arts (TaFMA) Mokokchung. Of the ten clubs from Ungma village, eight took part in the competition.
Gracing the event as the special guest, Tsuknungtemsü Lemtur lauded Tongpu Pur not only for organizing the event but for extending the platform to include other Naga communities. Special performers included the Sangtam Students’ Union Mokokchung and the Gorkha Students’ Union Mokokchung—signaling an openness rare in many village-level cultural events.
Lemtur’s speech, however, soon shifted from celebration to introspection. He recalled a time when the Ao Nagas “stood at the pinnacle,” only to witness a gradual decline. The cause, he said bluntly, was “complacency.”
“When we detached from our roots,” Lemtur said, “our identity, cultural heritage, our potential—all of it began to distort.” He lamented what he described as the community’s growing reluctance to “say no” and the waning strength to uphold the legacy of their forefathers. Urging the youth to reunite and revive a sense of cultural clarity, he challenged them: ”Let’s create a Nagaland where every youth has equal roots.”
Nungsangmanen Jamir, President of Tongpu Pur, explained that the idea of the folk fusion competition arose from an important reckoning: that in a world increasingly saturated with Western influences, “we may never catch up with the West.” However, he said, “we can be original with what we have—and there is so much we have.” For Jamir, the strength of Naga culture lies not in imitation, but in reinterpretation, in creatively blending tradition with the present.
He expressed hope that such cultural innovations would one day resonate beyond Nagaland’s borders. “Our goal is to take Naga culture to the world by deepening our own roots and making them visible.”
Speaking about the collaboration with the Task Force for Music and Arts (TaFMA), Jamir said the partnership made sense because TaFMA is one of the few institutions in the state that both recognizes artistic potential and actively supports emerging talent. “This is just the beginning,” he added. “We hope that going forward, it won’t just be TaFMA Mokokchung, but TaFMA Nagaland as a whole that joins hands with us.”
Looking ahead, he envisioned the competition growing beyond the boundaries of Ungma, eventually welcoming participants from across Nagaland.
This year’s competition ended with Salukum Rogo Ungma taking the top prize, while Tongpu Pur finished as the first runner-up. The other participating clubs included: Young Naga Club, Season Star, Longterok Senden, Evergreen Club, United Soyim Club and Mayang Rogo.
What started as a village event may soon find itself scaling new heights, if the organizers’ ambitions are realized. But beneath the music and dance, the competition spoke to something more urgent—a longing to reconnect with what has been lost, and a call to younger generations to carry that inheritance forward.