The Baptist College Kohima Sociology Department, today, organised a debate competition on the topic “Modernity is a threat to our traditional culture and values” at Rivenburgs Chapel Hall.
The debate was moderated by Khobou Tsolo with 12 participants from both Kohima and Sechü campus from all semesters participating.
The arguments revolved around western culture as well as non western culture such as the Korean culture that has taken central place in influencing the young people today. The debate also widely focused on the use of gadgets and phones that has affected family relations that are the central to cultural values and tradition.
The groups questioned each other on how much they know of their own tradition while arguing on it. An interesting argument on the idea of consumption of traditional food items was raised- whether the consumption itself qualifies as tradition or not. Comparison of the Morungs and modern education system was a common point of argument. One of the participants also pointed to the idea of walking as a tradition of Nagas which is fading and highlighted the recent viral video of an old man walking to the watch the wrestling match as a rare sight of fading tradition. The inability of most women to wear mekhela and the popularity of Mekhela Mama as a modern platform for traditional attires was another argument put forward.
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The debate ended with a note by the debate critic, Dr. Kewepfuzu Lohe, who agreed with the idea that modernity is a threat to traditional cultures and values but that modernity and tradition can coexist together to move forward. Lohe concluded with Prof. Yoginder Singh’s idea on how India has been able to accommodate tradition and modernity making India a unique country and also where the debate can find middle ground.
Alumpi, a 2nd Semester student from the Sechü campus, was declared the best debater, while the motion team won in their argument that modernity is a threat to our traditional culture and values.
The debate was judged by Dr. Kewepfuzu Lohe, Mr. Vincent Kent, Dr. Vide Yhokha from Sociology Department and L.Tshedilong Rudy from Political Science Department.
