Nagaland State Governor, PB Acharya and others on the 2nd day of the Hornbill Festival at Kisama on December 2. (Morung Photo)
Our Correspondent
Kohima | December 2
Nagaland State Governor, PB Acharya today encouraged artists, craftsmen, weavers etc to continue their efforts in keep the tradition and culture of the North East alive.
The North East is well known for its distinct culture and traditional lifestyle and offers a mixed culture of different religion, the Governor stated. “Every tribal group of these states has its own unique tribal culture, tribal folk dance and food and crafts,” he said while addressing the National Dance and Music Day as part of North East Day in the Hornbill Festival, organized by North East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC) at Kisama.
Though each tribe has its own identity, culture, tradition, people live in harmony and peacefully, he said, adding that “unity in diversity is the peculiarity of India.”
While maintaining that festivals are the integral part of tribes along with traditional dance and folk music, the Governor stated that the festival season is the best time to know the culture and traditional costumes of the North East.
The major festivals of the region include Bihu, Brahmaputra Festival of Assam, Hornbill festival of Nagaland, Torgya Monastery Festival of Arunachal Pradesh, Shillong Autumn Festival, Sangai Festival of Manipur and Kharchi Puja from Tripura.
The North East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC) was established with the main objective of promoting and preserving the rich cultural heritage of the NAMASTE NE States (N-Nagaland, A-Arunachal Pradesh, M-Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, A-Assam, S-Sikkim, T-Tripura and E-East).
“We have come a long way since my taking over as chairman of NEZCC in July 2014. We have initiated registration of all artist groups, craftsman, weavers, etc. from all the NAMASTE NE States for the larger benefit of the artists. Now we have more than 5000 registered troupes under NEZCC,” Acharya said.
He observed that the people of the North East are talented in arts, skilled in making handicrafts and handlooms. “Our handicrafts and handlooms products are acclaimed worldwide. North East Cultural performances, handicraft & handloom items are in high demand all over the country and abroad,” he said.
The NEZCC covers the folk-arts, performing arts and other traditional art forms practiced by the people of the region and helps identify the commonalities in the various cultural elements while providing a forum for interaction of the various cultures.
The Governor stated that the NEZCC has been the forerunner in preserving, nurturing and disseminating the mosaic of cultures and art forms of the seven North Eastern States since its inception.
“Through this Centre, the rich composite culture of the country is also seen through the prism of the local cultural traits and identities,” Acharya said.
“NAMASTE States are not only rich in terms of landscape, natural beauty and flora and fauna but also in Music and Dance. Our youth are second to none. North east India not only offers a completely different world of traditional music and folk dance but also emerged as one of the prime industry of rock music,” he added.
