With a view to provide opportunity to local weavers and artisans of Nagaland and the neighbouring states, the Nagaland Apex Weavers & Artisans Cooperative Federation Ltd. Dimapur (WEAFED) is organizing a 14-day long State Handloom Expo (Hathkargha Mela) in Kohima.

Themed ‘My handloom my pride’, the Expo will witness 60 weavers and artisans – six from Assam and rest from Nagaland – display their products including traditional wears, handloom & handicrafts, wood  & bamboo crafts as well as machetes at the Multi-utility hall of the Gorkha Public Panchayat Hall, Chandmari, Kohima.

Bokato Hesso, Deputy Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Nagaland, officially inaugurated the expo on November 27 which will go on till December 10.

In his address, Hesso informed that the Tribal Co-operative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) has opened a showroom in Kohima, and encouraged the weavers and artisans to get themselves empanelled for better exposure and market avenues and continue to grow more.

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Hesso expressed appreciation to the Managing Director of WEAFED, Gwaruno Khing and team for holding such an expo as a platform for the weavers and artisans to promote and sell their products. Hesso further lauded the Development Commissioner for Handlooms, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India for sponsoring the Expo.

Gwaruno Khing, MD, WEAFED expressed hope that the expo coinciding with the Hornbill Festival, will benefit the weavers and artisans. He also informed that artisans and weavers from Manipur could not come due to the ongoing crisis in the state. Inviting all locals and tourists to visit the expo and get firsthand experience on the different products of Nagaland and Assam, Khing informed that the venue is open from 9:30 am to 3 pm daily.