Y Merina Chishi
Dimapur | January 28
On January 25, at around 8 o’clock in the morning, Sentila .T. Yanger received a call from the Home Ministry in New Delhi saying that she was conferred the Padmashree. She was left speechless and didn’t know how to react to the news. For a moment she thought it was a crank call. With much disbelief, she accepted the honour. But with the official publication in the papers the following day, she couldn’t have been happier.
Sentila .T Yanger was always passionate about creativity in all forms and that is what has been her driving force in promoting and preserving Naga culture and heritage. Nagas have very rich and vibrant culture, but unfortunately has been loosing it to modernization. “Just because you are moving forward, it doesn’t mean you leave your culture behind,” Sentila says. She lamented on the so called MTV culture that has begun to draw the Naga youth away from their traditions and heritage. She said that Nagas are rapidly loosing their language and that we need a serious review of the situation that might ultimately lead to erosion of the local dialects. “Nagamese has seeped into our dialects and home environments should discourage this trend,” she said. Sentila also believes that there should be a reverse trend and the younger generation should value their culture more rather than just aping the western culture.
Sentila is the Convener of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), an organization founded in 1985, with late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi as its first Chairman. The aim of INTACH is conservation of heritage and it has 140 chapters (branches) all over India and two international trusts, one in the UK and the other in Belgium. The INTACH has also been playing a pivotal role in the UNESCO. Anyone who shares passion for art and culture can become a member of the organization. INTACH has also launched ‘INTACH for school children’ in Wokha, Kohima, Mokokchung and Dimapur districts, where they set up culture clubs in schools to encourage children to care for Naga culture and heritage.
The Padmashree recipient has played a great role in revival of languishing craft. She encourages surviving practitioners of craft making by exposing them to various platforms. She believes that there is growing awareness about Naga art and culture and in this continuing trend, Nagas have a lot to gain by showcasing it to the rest of India and the world. “People totally love our culture, music and see it as something different. It grabs their attention and they want to know more,” she says. Although Nagas have a disadvantage in terms of marketing due to many different languages, Sentila says that the young musicians can come up with a new genre of fusion music. She encourages the musicians to, “do original stuff, something that comes out of your own talent and not covers.”
Sentila’s achievement comes after a lot of hard work. She says she is privileged and honored to be conferred the Padmashree. She is the first Naga to be awarded a Padmashree in the filed of art and culture. “The award has inspired me to share with Naga women and youths, that if we are focused, we can achieve anything in life and I dedicate my award to the people of Nagaland and particularly the people in the field of art, music and those who have a heart for heritage conservation.”
Sentila .T. Yanger is a mother of two boys. Both her sons live in Mumbai. The elder son is a musician and her younger son is a graphic designer with channel V. With her sons away, she spends most of her time around her art and continues to promote and conserve Nagas vast culture and heritage.
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