A section of students seen participating during the screening of ‘A Sacred Place’ at Nagaland University, Lumami on April 24.
Lumami, April 25 (MExN): The Tribal Research Centre (TRC) of Nagaland University organised the Nagaland premiere screening of the documentary film ‘A Sacred Place’ on April 24, bringing together faculty members, research scholars and students from various departments in both offline and online modes.
Welcoming the participants, Dr Yamsani Srikanth, Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, TRC, said this was the first time the university had hosted a film screening of this kind. He also provided a brief introduction to filmmaking.
The documentary, ‘A Sacred Place’, narrates the story of stones, spirits and salt springs in Makhel. In the Mao Naga language, Makhel translates to “a sacred place”, reflecting the belief of Naga ancestors who regarded these geological features as custodians of spirits.
The film focuses on intergenerational storytellers and their relationship with the land, integrating visual ethnography, oral traditions and the geological features of Makhel to centre indigenous pedagogy and ecology. It also raises questions on whether sacredness can continue to exist amid growing ecological destruction in contemporary times.
The 40-minute screening was followed by an interactive discussion session, during which Dr Srikanth presented brief biographical notes on the film’s director and producer, Prof Dolly Kikon, and the discussant, Dr Rongsenzulu Jamir of the University of Hyderabad.
In her remarks, Dr Jamir congratulated Prof Kikon and her team and engaged with questions on the film’s conceptual origins, the transition from academic writing to filmmaking, and the possibility of sustaining sacredness in the face of ecocide.
Responding to queries, Prof Kikon highlighted the collaborative and interdisciplinary nature of the project, noting that it brought together anthropologists, geologists and local communities. She emphasised that indigenous scholarship, irrespective of discipline, is deeply rooted in storytelling and reciprocity, and underscored the importance of community participation in both research and exhibition practices.
She also raised concerns over extractive research practices, pointing out that external researchers often collect data without returning to engage with the communities involved. Describing the documentary as a form of collaborative knowledge production, she encouraged indigenous scholars and thinkers to return to their roots and contribute meaningfully to their communities.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Repakaba Tzudir, Research Scholar, Department of Sociology, who expressed gratitude to Prof Kikon and Dr Jamir for their participation and contributions.
