The Department of Women Resource Development held a consultative meeting with the apex tribal women’s organizations of Nagaland on October 4 at the conference hall of Hotel De Oriental Grand in Kohima. The meeting was convened for the ‘Protection and Promotion of Tribal Designs’ project for 2024-25, with women representatives from all 17 tribes of the state in attendance.
While the demand for Naga attires, apparel, and other accessories has greatly increased, an inherent hurdle has persistently prevented indigenous people from benefiting significantly from this newfound popularity. To address this challenge, the Department of Women Resource Development is initiating a project named ‘Protection and Promotion of Tribal Designs’ during 2024-25. This project aims to promote both traditional attires woven in the traditional manner as premium products and contemporary designs made using handlooms, particularly the fly-shuttle loom.
Speaking at the meeting, Minister for Women Resource Development and Horticulture, Salhoutuonuo Kruse, emphasized the need to promote and protect Naga tribal designs. She stated that Naga tribal designs are more than just patterns; they embody centuries of tradition, knowledge, and identity, serving as carriers of stories and beliefs connected to our ancestry.
Kruse noted that today’s fast-paced globalization and commercialization have the potential to dilute the authenticity and meaning of our intrinsic tribal designs. It is crucial for us to work together to protect not only our tribal designs but also our food habits, values, textiles, and more. Women, as the heart of the family and nation, must take the lead in promoting and protecting our traditions and rich cultural heritage to ensure that our younger generations can continue these practices.
“By encouraging our own weavers and artisans and purchasing from them, we can help ensure that indigenous artists are supported and create a sustainable system for both the promotion and protection of our heritage,” the Minister said. “With the support of all the women’s organizations in our state, we must ensure that our tribal designs continue to thrive as our identity and cultural diversity for future generations,” she added.
Under this project, the Department of Women Resource Development will focus on the development and promotion of tribal designs and will work in close coordination with the Nagaland Handloom & Handicrafts Development Corporation, which is already in the process of collecting, selecting, and finalizing tribal designs for protection and patenting.
During this program in 2024-25, as part of a pilot phase, the Department proposes to cover 85 beneficiaries from all districts of Nagaland. Five beneficiaries from each of the 17 major tribes are proposed to be identified accordingly. Training sessions are planned in accordance with the various existing guidelines under the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, to enable the beneficiaries to qualify for various benefits.
As part of the pilot phase for the development of a marketing platform and buy-back system, the department intends to organize and launch the first edition of the ‘Exhibition on Naga Tribal Designs’ during the 25th-year celebration of the Hornbill Festival 2024 at Kisama Village, coinciding with the department’s event, the Myki Fest 2024. The department will showcase all indigenous textile designs and highlight each tribe’s unique motifs, colors, and patterns, reflecting their rich cultural identity with different traditional values, meanings, and significances.
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