Owning his disability and making it work – Nokmachier I Jamir

Nokmachier I Jamir of Ungma village in Mokokchung district was born deaf to late Limatoshi Jamir and Mrs Nungshisangla Longkumtsür, but the 26-year-old has triumphed in life through his skill, enthusiasm, and perseverance.

Nokma, who aspired to be an army officer as a youngster, began drawing army officers in uniform when he was just eight years old. Although he was unable to fulfill his army dream, he acquired a talent for drawing uniformed personnel.

However,  embracing  and  pursuing his career as an artist was not easy for him.

He admits  that things were unusual, especially for someone with a disability, but his parents, friends, and family continued to encourage and support him as he pursued his dream.

“Starting a career in the arts was first intimidating; many people had second thoughts about my choice of career and the dearth of a large audience, but I persisted out of passion for the arts and overcame the obstacles I encountered,” he writes to Mokokchung Times.

Today, he has an impressive art portfolio, including a first-runner-up prize in the Art Competition for Specially-abled Persons Hornbill Festival 2019 and a gold medal in the online Competition for the Deaf Artist 2020 presented by the Odisha Deaf Art Society.

His artworks were also encouraged at the national level by the Care and Support Society, Mokokchung in the month of March 2020 in Bangalore, where he was granted the ‘Award of Excellence in Art’ Samarthya 2019-2020 by Collective action for Basic Rights Foundation (CBRF).

Nokma went to the Deaf Biblical Ministry in Naharbari Dimapur from Nursery to Class X, and subsequently to the National Open School in Mokokchung for Class XII.
However, for painting and art, he attended a six-day workshop in charcoal and graphite works held by Wandering Minds in Dimapur, and his medium of art has primarily been charcoal painting since then.

Despite the fact that he did not meet anyone from the deaf community who inspired or encouraged him, he said that his time at Deaf Biblical Ministry allowed him to meet many individuals with various talents who profoundly motivated him.

“It also gave me reassurance that I was not alone, and the encouragement I got from that institution and my friends motivated me to strive more,” he shared.
According to him, his biggest ‘break out’ moment with his art business was when he was able to sold one of his works to an American.

“I felt gratified and appreciated when I sold one of my works of art to an American, not because of my disability but rather because of my work. It inspired me to work harder and attract more viewers so I could exhibit my art work for all art enthusiasts worldwide,” he replied.

Sharing his experience, he mentioned that disability can be challenging to fit into the society and people around but he encouraged people to not view this as a burden.
“We shouldn’t view it as a burden but instead take the initiative and face every difficulty head-on to better ourselves. We shouldn’t give up either because our culture is gradually changing to embrace and comprehend the challenges faced by a disabled person. It won’t be a simple path, but you and I are not on this journey alone, and if we don’t give up, we can thrive,” he added.

As a visual artist, his works can compete on a level playing field in an exhibition, in a gallery or online. But as a deaf artist, marketing and selling his work were greater challenges.

“It was difficult for me because I had to build an audience physically rather than digitally when I first started to draw or paint because I was too young to understand marketing, there were no social media platforms where I could show off my work, and even if there were, I couldn’t figure out how it actually worked. And because Iamadeafartist,manypeople were unwilling to believe that I could draw or that I had work for sale because they associated me with a disability and did not think I could do either, let alone sell it. So, as I began to study and learn more about art and the marketing process, I eventually discovered a means to reach out to participate in various competitions and build a reputation,” he added.

A pleased Nokma thanks God for all of his accomplishments and wants to focus more on his career and future.

In closing, he agreed that life is challenging, with or without disabilities, and urged individuals to use their time and expertise to build the future they want.

“We live in a competitive world, and things won’t always go our way. However, it’s wise to note that you are the driver of your own life, and anything you do today will have an impact on tomorrow. Don’t let anyone make you doubt yourself, and doing so will be your greatest success,” he concluded.