Kohima, August 9 (MExN): Nusakholu Dawhuo (Love Story of Dari & Rakhrülü) was adjudged the winner of the first Nagaland Online Folktale Storytelling Competition, followed by Imnichetla Jamir (The Quest of Sarilungle).
Organised under the theme, ‘Spreading Wings to the Untold Naga folklores,’ the competition was organized and managed by the ‘Naga Manu Production’ from July 5 to August 9.
Dawhuo and Jamir will receive Rs 6000 and Rs 4000 respectively as prize money which is sponsored by Kuvelu Tetseo (Tetseo Sisters) along with e-certificate.
The winning folktale revolves around a love story and friendship between the two neighbouring village i.e. Chedema (Kohima district) and Thenyizu (Phek district). The story summarizes that physical body will die away and decay but true love and real friendship will last forever.
The Quest of Sarilungle story speaks about a couple who wanted to survive without working and realised that they both wasted their youths searching for it and learned that the ‘only way for a prosperous life is through hard-work and contentment.’
The Naga Manu Production in a press release stated that the participants and entries were thoroughly scrutinized by the judges basing on presentation skills; relevance/significance; creativity; factual and authenticity and moral of the story.
The judges were Rita Krocha, Journalist & Publisher, PenThrill Publication House; Alice Yhoshü, Journalist & President, Kohima Press Club (KPC) and Asonuo, News Editor, All India Radio (AIR), Kohima.
The competition was held with the aim to conserve and spread the message of preserving the traditional folktales being passed down from generation to generation. “With this tradition slowly fading, we are losing the good old stories of our forefathers. This competition is being organised with the view to preserve and present the folklores as oral documents for the future generations,” it stated.
Other awards included the Youngest Contestant which was won by 4 year old Menlei Phom (Folktale about an Owl and shrew). The prize was sponsored by Naroh Decor Kohima. People’s choice award and best narrator (U-15) was awarded to Imsupongla Longchar (A tale of a mouse and a man) and Aboli Wotsa (The Angel’s wife) received the judges’ choice award category.
The organizers also stated that the response was overwhelming with a total of 47 entries from different districts of Nagaland. The oldest was 85 year old, Thanso Yimchunger and the youngest being Menlei Phom.
