A two-day seminar on oral literature organized by Sahitya Akademi and North East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC) culminated Friday at NEZCC conference hall, Dimapur.
Professor Desmond L. Kharmawphlang, NEHU who is also the Director of North East Centre for Oral Literature, Sahitya Akademi, Shillong in his keynote address gave a brief introduction on the origin of folklores.
Professor Desmond who has recently published documentation on the sacred forest of Khasi Hills said north east was a folklorist paradise and the role of the Shahitya Akademi was vital for the collection and publication of folklores from all over Northeast. He said that the main purpose of the seminar was to create awareness and an attempt to revive folklores in the North-East. Similar workshops were held in Assam and will be held in Mizoram.
Oral literature he said was not only about the old and the by-gone but also about “the happening and hot”.
The IKS or Indigenous Knowledge System has become significant with the western world looking towards indigenous communities like the North-Easterners for solving modern problems, Professor said.
The two-day seminar witnessed the presentation and discussion of some 15 to 16 stories from Rengma, Angami, Konyak, Ao and Sumi tribes.
Some prominent dignitaries including Dr. Panjung, Rtd. Director (H&FW), Goutam Paul, SA; Dr. D.Kuolie, HoD (Tenyidie), Nagaland University; Dr. Hesheto Y.Chishi, Director, Indigenous Cultural Society Centre, Dimapur and V. Hekali Zhimomi, Director, NEZCC attended the seminar.
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