Governor releases books on Naga knowledge, textiles

NAGALAND Governor of Nagaland and Chairman, North Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (NEZCC), Nand Kishore Yadav, released two books, namely Nagas: The Knowledge Practitioners, authored by Alok Kumar Kanungo and Dr Alino Sumi, and Nagaland Textiles - Threads That Weave Stories, authored by Sentila T Yanger, at the NEZCC Headquarters, Chumoukedima.

Addressing the gathering, Governor, Nand Kishore Yadav said that the two publications though dealing with different subjects brought the rich cultural heritage and knowledge traditions of the Naga people into academic and public focus. He said both publications conveyed the importance of recognising culture as a body of knowledge created, practised, refined and transmitted across generations.

Speaking on the book Nagas: The Knowledge Practitioners, the Governor said indigenous knowledge should not be viewed merely as folklore, but as knowledge developed through observation, experience, experimentation and adaptation. He said traditional knowledge relating to agriculture, crafts, technologies, forests, natural resources, rituals and material culture represented valuable knowledge systems developed within communities.

Director, NEZCC, Alobo Naga, in his welcome address said the two publications were valuable contributions towards documenting and preserving Naga knowledge, traditions, craftsmanship and cultural narratives.

He said NEZCC had been supporting scholars, artists and cultural practitioners in documenting traditional knowledge, folk practices, indigenous art forms and other cultural traditions and stated that such efforts helped preserve aspects of Naga cultural identity and pass them on to future generations.

Short addresses were also delivered by the authors, Alok Kumar Kanungo, Associate Research Professor (Archaeology), Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Gandhinagar, Dr Alino Sumi and Padma Shri Sentila T Yanger. 

The programme also showcased cultural presentations by Woniro Von representing the Lotha tribe, Eklavya School representing the Ao tribe and Nagaland Bhojpuri Samaj, Dimapur.

September 25, 2026