Neihunuo Sorhie received the National Handloom Award on August 7, during the 8th National Handloom Day celebration at the Convention Hall, The Ashok, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi.
Morung Express News
Dimapur | August 8
Neihunuo Sorhie from Nagaland was awarded the National Handloom Award for the second time on August 7, during the 8th National Handloom Day celebration at the Convention Hall, The Ashok, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi.
The 59-year-old was the first to receive the accolade in 2007. Sorhie is also a recipient of the Sant Kabir Award - an Indian Government award conferred to outstanding weavers who have made valuable contribution in keeping handloom heritage alive.
She has represented Nagaland in various National and International handloom events too.
Sorhie has mentored and guided many women in learning the age old Naga craft, some of whom went on to open their own handicraft stores. She has trained over 300 people, besides running a handicraft store in Kohima for at least two decades.
In the traditional handicraft circle, Sorhie is well known for her meticulous 'attention to detail' on patterns in her traditional weaves; and also for her creative original art motifs.
Besides loinloom, Sorhie is skilled in knitting, creating decorative pieces with local products, crafting traditional jewelleries. Weaving cushion covers with traditional motifs and crafting tea coasters with indigenous motifs were some of the original designs that Neihunuo introduced and are now widely reproduced by others.
The national award winner has also been known to share concerns about the diminishing interest in traditional arts and crafts among the youngsters, and has also been a pioneering voice calling for patenting handicraft tools that are indigenous to Nagas.
“We Nagas when it comes to handicrafts, we are capable in one craft or the other. However, this skill and art must come out willingly; one cannot force people to learn. Youngsters these days have very little interest in traditional handicrafts, except for their mobile phones,” she shared during an interview with this newspaper on August 4.
Advocating the need for young Nagas to understand and be confident of one's own culture, she asserted, “This is a valuable heritage which our ancestors have passed on to us, and it will be tragic if we lose this heritage. It is worrisome to imagine an age old practice losing its relevance in today's world.”
