WELL-GROUNDED AND RARING TO GO MORE
Morung Express News
Dimapur | October 8
Tir Yimyim, a premier Dimapur based Ao vernacular daily completed its 13 years of publication. Started in October 8, 2003 the daily has become not only an influential but also one of the highest circulating newspaper among the native languages and a huge competitor overall.
The day was commemorated in a befitting manner today at Elim Hall, DABA Dimapur where well-wisher gathered together to give celebrate and pay tribute.
Elaborating the papers mission and objective, K Temjen Jamir, its founding editor maintained that Tir Yimyim emerged out of urgent necessity to “empower our people with information in form of news, advertisements and public discourses” so that they will be in better position to exercise their rights in every aspect of their lives.
It is also emerged as a protector and promoter of mother language in an alarming time the native language is “threatened of extinction as our own people started losing interest to learn and speak in their own mother tongue,” he noted.
Celebrating the day today, Jamir expressed his appreciation to readers who over the years were instrumental in taking the paper from strength to strength.
He also appealed for continued support and well wishers who are the main source of strength since its inception and to join hands together to march into the future.
In what language do you weave your dream? North East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC) Director Lipokmar Tzudir posed while emphasizing on the importance of native language and acknowledging the contribution of the paper towards this end.
‘One’s native Language is important to dream, to interpret and visualized about the future, he said.
Tzudir also expressed his disagreement with the concept of “Myth to Modernity” arguing that the former cannot be changed or translated into latter but co-exist alongside.
Everything changes, but language and does not as one roots and heritage are linked with language, he further maintained.
There are casual linkages between language, knowledge and myth, he added.
The NEZCC Director further opined that myth, passed from one generation to other, fills the vacuum in historical construction of society or people and will continue to do so in future.
“Wherever there is an absence of a complete source of knowledge, there will be a vacuum. In order to fill that vacuum, myth has to come in, otherwise there will be a gap. Historical construction cannot afford to have any gap.”
Tzudir also noted that historical narratives and accounts are rooted in folksongs and folklores, which many often considers ‘boring’ or unimportant.
Source of languages are stored those entities and time has come to extract and restore those sources, he added.
First ever Ao Spelling Bee Competition in Dimapur
Taking its reputation as a pioneering entity forward, the day was also commemorated with first ever Ao Spelling Bee Competition in Dimapur, where 21 young students from different schools in and around Dimapur competed.
The competition was organised in collaboration with Department of Linguistics, Nagaland University and Lenjeter, a monthly Ao vernacular Magazine. Similar competitions were held earlier in Kohima and Mokokchung.
In today’s contest, five students from Dimapur were selected to compete in the final state level Ao Spelling Bee contest to be held in a later date after going through several rounds of competition.
With the winning word, “Ngusetsü” (devour to death), Sungjemyaner, a Class IX student of Holy Cross Higher Secondary School was declared the winner while Ngangshimenla, a Class VII student from Dimapur Mission Higher Secondary Scholl (DMHSS) bagged the second prize.
A Class VII student of St. Paul Higher Secondary School, Nungtisola took the third position while Imlisangla (Class IX, DMHSS) and Limatola (Class VII, DMHSS) were in 4th and 5th position respectively.
Beside cash prize and citation certificates, all of them are eligible to compete in the penultimate Ao Spelling Bee Competition for this year.
Opening the contest, Tir Yimyim Editor K Temjen Jamir stressed on the need to undertake such event.
Take advantage of the advancement in information technology but a person who always refers to internet or other instant knowledge without any personal understanding cannot take a nation forward, he asserted.
Personal knowledge is the best and most formidable computer ever, he added.
Jamir also informed that the contest will be held at State Level in one event from next year.
