The Directorate of Art and Culture, Government of Nagaland, organised a Books Release and Unveiling of Interactive Kiosk programme at the Directorate Conference Hall here on Wednesday.
The programme began with an invocation by Teisovikuolie Therie, Deputy Director, Art and Culture. N Thungchano Yanthan, Additional Director, Art and Culture, delivered the welcome address and extended greetings to the Secretary, Governor Award recipients, authors, the publisher, departmental officers, scholars, and invited guests. She highlighted the Department’s ongoing commitment to research, documentation, and publication as essential to preserving Nagaland’s cultural heritage.
A special cultural presentation by the Chakhesang Cultural Troupe added vibrancy to the programme.
In her brief remarks, Director of Art and Culture Adela Moa emphasised the importance of systematic documentation and scholarly publications in strengthening cultural awareness and intergenerational knowledge transmission. She outlined the Department’s initiative to undertake research on three themes and publish the findings in book form. She also shared plans to install four interactive kiosks at the State Museum, Kohima. Take One Production House has been engaged to document indigenous games, folk songs, and dances from each Naga tribe.
Publisher Sentinaro Longkumer, Editor-in-Chief of 6th Finger Publishers, spoke on the collaborative process of transforming research manuscripts into accessible publications.
Four books were formally released during the programme, including Studies on Naga Oral Traditions, Volume I and Volume II by Dr. Anungla Aier, Documentation of Indigenous Pottery Tradition of the Nagas by Dr. Ditamulü Vasa, and Contemporary Naga Painting: A Study of Cultural Narratives by Dr. Lemtýla Alinger and Dr. Talisenla Imsong.
The interactive kiosk was unveiled by Bodeno S. Colo, Secretary, Art and Culture. Designed for installation at the State Museum, the kiosk provides digital access to information on traditional games, folk dances, music, oral traditions, and cultural practices of the Naga tribes.
In her address, the Secretary lauded the Directorate for integrating research with technology and reaffirmed the Department’s commitment to cultural documentation and dissemination. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Meseno Peseyie, Joint Director, Art and Culture.