Speaker of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly Sharingain Longkumer and MLA and Advisor Kuzholuzo Neinu on Sunday called for renewed efforts to preserve indigenous identity, strengthen traditional institutions and safeguard the rights, culture, land and way of life of indigenous communities as Nagaland joined the global observance of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.

Speaking at a programme organised to mark the occasion, Longkumer said recognition of indigenous peoples by the United Nations was an important milestone, but stressed that recognition alone was not sufficient.

“Recognition alone will not suffice. To persevere and to preserve is our work,” he said, underlining the responsibility of indigenous communities themselves to protect their heritage, institutions and identity.

The 2026 observance was held under the theme “Honoring Indigenous Midwives: Safeguarding Life and Well-being,” highlighting the contribution of traditional birth attendants who, for generations, have provided maternal and newborn care within indigenous communities.

Longkumer paid tribute to indigenous midwives, describing their work as more than a profession passed down through generations but as a “sacred calling.” He said traditional midwives had stood at the threshold of life with courage, compassion and dedication, assisting countless mothers and newborns despite limited resources.

Sharing a personal connection, he said he was the grandson of a midwife and used the occasion to honour his grandmother and salute indigenous midwives across the world.

He also highlighted the extraordinary cultural diversity of Northeast India, describing the region as home to hundreds of ethnolinguistically diverse indigenous communities, each possessing distinct languages, traditions, customary laws, festivals and worldviews.

“This extraordinary diversity is not a weakness, but our greatest strength,” Longkumer said, describing it as a living testament to India’s pluralistic heritage.

Development must not come at the cost of identity

Longkumer stressed that indigenous identity must remain central to the development journey of the Northeast and the country.

Referring to the national aspiration of Viksit Bharat@2047, he said Nagaland and the Northeast were active participants in the country’s development journey, but cautioned against adopting uniform models of development without considering indigenous sensitivities.

He pointed to the rapid generational and technological transformation taking place in India, particularly with the emergence of Generation Z, Generation Alpha and the next generation alongside the expansion of artificial intelligence and digital technologies.

With 2047 only about two decades away, he said the next 14 years would be particularly significant in shaping the future of indigenous institutions and communities.

Longkumer questioned whether the traditional institutions of Nagaland would remain relevant to younger generations by 2040 unless they were strengthened and adapted to changing circumstances.

He specifically referred to village councils, customary courts, tribal literature boards and civil society organisations, asking whether sufficient efforts were being made to preserve and strengthen these institutions as custodians of indigenous identity and grassroots governance.

“Are we making enough efforts to strengthen these established ancestral institutions which have been safeguarded in the Nagaland context by Article 371A?” he asked.

He emphasised that the institutions were not merely remnants of the past but important mechanisms that had historically reflected Naga social and cultural values and played quasi-governance roles at the grassroots level.

Article 371A and indigenous safeguards

Longkumer also highlighted the constitutional safeguards available to indigenous communities in the Northeast.

While several indigenous communities in Assam enjoy protection under the Sixth Schedule, he said Nagaland’s unique history, identity and customary practices were constitutionally protected under Article 371A of the Constitution.

He stressed the need to value and strengthen these safeguards while simultaneously participating in the country’s development journey.

He also referred to the Inner Line Permit system and called for greater cooperation among the Northeastern states in protecting the rights and interests of indigenous peoples.

Longkumer announced that efforts would be made to constitute an Assembly committee in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly to address issues concerning the rights of indigenous peoples.

He urged the people to look beyond individual interests and adopt a collective approach towards safeguarding indigenous identity.

Recalling a phrase attributed to senior Naga leader K.K. Sema, he said society should move away from the attitude of “what is yours is mine, but what is mine is not yours” and instead embrace the question: “What do we do about our collective aspiration?”

Concern over indigenous identity in developed societies

Longkumer also shared his observations from international engagements, referring to visits to Australia and New Zealand where he encountered Aboriginal and Māori communities.

He observed that despite being recognised as indigenous peoples, their traditional cultural representation in formal public programmes appeared limited compared to the living cultural expressions still visible in indigenous communities in Nagaland.

He asked whether Nagaland and other indigenous communities of the Northeast could face a similar situation as they progress towards becoming developed societies.

“Are we going to be in that state by 2040?” he asked, challenging the gathering to consider whether indigenous traditions, songs, customs and institutions would retain the same relevance amid rapid modernisation.

He said development should not result in the weakening of cultural roots.

“Without our roots, we are nothing,” he said, urging the younger generation to participate actively in preserving indigenous identity while embracing modern opportunities.

Neinu calls for integration of traditional wisdom with modern healthcare

MLA and Advisor Kuzholuzo Neinu, meanwhile, focused on the invaluable contribution of traditional midwives and called for greater efforts to preserve indigenous healthcare knowledge.

He said that in traditional Naga society, the birth of a child was never merely a family event but a community occasion representing the continuation of the village’s story, bloodline and way of life.

He described traditional midwives as the “quiet guardians” of that continuation.

Before modern healthcare facilities, ambulances and medical infrastructure reached remote Naga villages, traditional midwives were often the first and only caregivers available to women in labour, he said.

Working by lanterns, candles or firewood and relying on knowledge passed down through generations, they assisted mothers and newborns without expectation of recognition or financial reward.

Neinu said calling them merely “birth attendants” failed to capture their broader role in indigenous communities.

“They are our elders, our secret keepers, and the backbone of our communities,” he said.

According to Neinu, traditional midwives possessed not only knowledge of childbirth but also a deep understanding of the emotional and social needs of mothers and families. Their knowledge of indigenous herbs, traditional practices and community relationships represented a holistic body of indigenous wisdom.

Traditional knowledge and modern medicine should complement each other

While acknowledging the contribution of modern doctors, nurses and healthcare workers, Neinu said modern medicine should not lead to the disappearance of indigenous knowledge.

“Progress shouldn’t mean amnesia,” he said, arguing that traditional wisdom and modern science should not be viewed as competing systems.

Instead, he called for collaboration between trained healthcare professionals and traditional caregivers, saying modern medical practitioners could provide clinical expertise while traditional caregivers brought cultural understanding, community trust and generations of experience.

He suggested strengthening rural healthcare networks, documenting indigenous healthcare practices before they disappear with ageing generations, and creating platforms where traditional caregivers and trained healthcare workers could learn from one another.

Neinu stressed that honouring indigenous midwives through an annual programme alone would not be sufficient.

He called for concrete measures to ensure that traditional knowledge was documented, respected and appropriately integrated with modern healthcare systems wherever safe and feasible.

Call for Northeast solidarity

Neinu also emphasised the importance of unity among indigenous communities of the Northeast in protecting their rights, culture, heritage and traditional way of life.

Referring to developments in Tripura, he cautioned that the region should learn from the experience and ensure that no other Northeastern state reaches a similar situation.

“The only way we can protect each other is giving support to each other,” he said, stressing the need for solidarity among the indigenous peoples of the region.

He also observed that the attendance at the programme was smaller than he had expected, but expressed appreciation to the organisers for bringing the issue of indigenous rights and heritage to public attention.

Both speakers called upon the people, particularly the younger generation, to take ownership of their indigenous heritage and ensure that development and modernisation do not sever the connection between future generations and their ancestral roots.

As Nagaland moves towards the national development vision of 2047, the speakers stressed that economic progress must go hand in hand with the preservation of indigenous identity, customary institutions, traditional knowledge, land, language and cultural heritage.

Speech of Sharingain Longkumer, Speaker, Nagaland Legislative Assembly at the International Day of the World Indigenous Peoples

A very historic moment. In celebration of this International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, I stand here today with a lot of mixed emotions, and I will not repeat the same words which my elder brother has spoken, because as we were sitting, we had discussed that he will speak on the midwives, the theme for today. And so I took a cue from his words, being my elder to me, and so I would, on the other hand, cover the indigenous, indigeneity of all of us. And so I request all of you to bear with me for a few moments as I share my thoughts with all of you.

It is indeed both a privilege and a profound honor to join all of you today as we commemorate the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. It is a day that is proclaimed by the United Nations to celebrate the unique cultures, identities, knowledge systems, and invaluable contributions of indigenous communities across the globe. And may I say that as an indigenous native from the state of Nagaland, we are proud that the United Nations has taken recognition of the indigenous peoples across the globe. But recognition alone will not suffice. It is no doubt that the United Nations have come forward to recognize the indigenous peoples across the world, but to persevere and to preserve is our work. And on that note, I will be sharing my thoughts with all of you.

Also, today’s celebration is especially meaningful as we honor indigenous midwives under the theme, “Honoring Indigenous Midwives: Safeguarding Life and Well-being.” I sincerely believe that this theme pays tribute not simply to a passed-down profession, but to a sacred calling. For generations, indigenous midwives, or as correctly addressed by my elder brother, birth attendants, stood at the threshold of life with courage, compassion, and unwavering dedication. And through their tireless service, they have guided countless, countless mothers and newborns through one of life’s most profound moments. I stand here today before you as a grandson to a midwife—of a midwife—who also happens to be the grandaunt of the president of the Nagaland Chapter, Dr. [Name]. My grandaunt. And so today I honor my grandmother in celebrating together this… honoring indigenous midwives, and I salute all the midwives of the indigenous peoples spread across the globe together with all of you.

India’s Northeast, as you are well aware, is a hotspot to about 220, if I am not mistaken, ethnolinguistically diverse indigenous communities. And one of the world’s richest regions of cultural diversity. Every community possesses its own language, tradition, customary law, festivals, and a very unique worldview. This extraordinary diversity is not a weakness, but it is our greatest strength, and a living testament to India’s pluralistic heritage.

Now, as we gather here today, I am also reminded of the declaration that we have had, I am informed, on the 9th of August 2022, under the theme “In Unity with Our Ancestors for the Rights of Our Children.” This declaration once again reminds us to honor our ancestors, which is not merely about preserving and about our past, but it is more so about safeguarding the rights, the dignity, the future, the posterity of the young generation. It also calls upon all of us to strengthen the customary institutions, to preserve our indigenous languages, to protect our ancestral lands and natural resources. The land for us indigenous people is far more than an economic resource. It is the foundation of our culture, our spirituality, our identity, and our collective existence.

As we started this program, we were enthralled by the students of the Disciples College with such a melodious tune. We were again blessed by the indigenous song that my elders from my village have come forward to honor all of us and my family, and we are very thankful for that. We have witnessed it. In all those songs, in all those indigenous exhibition of our tradition and our culture, the story, the root starts in our land. And so it is not merely an economic resource, but it is the foundation, it is the basis of our indigeneity.

As we reflect on the rights of indigenous people, it is also important to acknowledge the constitutional safeguards available in the Northeast. As I was seated with my elder brother we were discussing, and he did remind me to announce it before all of you, that we will try our best to form an assembly committee in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly to address the indigenous rights of our people. Now, while several indigenous communities in the Northeast of India are protected under the Sixth Schedule—I should say for Assam—for the people of Nagaland, we enjoy the constitutional protection of Article 371A. It stands as a profound recognition of our unique history, identity, and the right to preserve our cultural heritage while participating in the nation’s development, or appropriately may I say, in today’s context, towards Viksit Bharat or a developed India by 2047.

And it is in this context that I would like to dwell upon a few more minutes and I seek your patience to be with me in this journey. There are a few questions that I am sharing with you, and for which I am personally struggling to find some answers, and to which I strongly feel we ought to ponder on. No matter how unqualified it may seem to all of you, the thoughts that I share with you, nonetheless I will still share them with all of you.

The Viksit Bharat or developed India by 2047 is the aspiration of a billion. We are already living it. It has become a subject matter of immense national interest and pride. Now, all the states within the Union of India are relentlessly formulating policies and strategic plans to become a participating or a contributing agency in this mission towards the national aspiration of Viksit Bharat. And we, as the Northeast, are very much part of this journey, and our respective state governments continue to take remarkable initiatives and efforts towards this objective. Nagaland is one of those participating, contributing states in the years to come, for which our honorable advisor and his team of colleagues, led by the most honorable Chief Minister and his council of ministers, are working tirelessly. And the policies and the plans for the State of Nagaland, in today’s context for my state, is being presented in the State Assembly, and I am a witness and I testify before all of you that they have wonderful policies for all of us.

However, in this mission towards Viksit Bharat or a developed India by 2047, let us also be reminded at the same time that progress and development has a universal trait. Progress and development has a universal trait. Every time to bridge inequality, a uniform model of development has always been applied. If there is any form of inequality amongst any category of indigenous people, a uniform model of development has always been the approach. And uniformity, as we understand, does not always make exceptions for sensitivities in whichever form they may be.

And in this note, I would like to bring a data, and that is for our consumption. Research tells us that in the Union of India, there will be a major generational shift by 2040. You can research it, it’s factual. By 2040, there will be a major generational shift in India, where the working demography will peak. Meaning the population that are eligibly working will peak by 2040. And this peak shall be represented and led by a generation which is popularly called Generation Z, alongside Generation Alpha, followed by Generation Beta. And they will dominate the nation’s economic, digital, and consumer sectors in India.

This is by 2040. Viksit Bharat is by 2047. We are here in 2026. My elders here represent Generation X, I may say. I may represent Generation Y. And there are many here who are representing Generation Z, and many more after them who will represent Generation Alpha and Beta. And we are witnessing all this today as the initiation of the artificial intelligence era. So we have a little over 14 years till we achieve that. Now, 14 years may sound long, but in terms of societal transformation, in terms of generational progress, 14 years is just a snap of a finger.

This is where I am struggling to find answers, which I brought before the house, and this is where we need to all ponder upon. You see, the indigeneity, the basis of being indigenous of all of us—for which we are all gathered here today to celebrate—depends on how we strengthen our existing institutions. Our traditional institutions consisting of not only the civil societies, but importantly institutions like customary courts, our tribal literature boards, our village councils, etc., etc. And here I say in the context of Nagaland alone, as I am not much familiar about the internal workings of our other sister council states.

So let us take a moment here and reflect upon how these institutions created for the preservation of our indigeneity ethos are functioning. How our village councils are functioning, how our customary courts are functioning, how our tribal literature boards are functioning, how our civil society to preserve and to persevere this cultural identity, yours and mine, are functioning. How these institutions have performed in reflecting our socio-cultural ethics as a stakeholder in bringing governance and progress for our people, to our people, by being quasi-government agencies at the grassroots level. Are we making enough efforts to strengthen these established ancestral institutions which have been safeguarded in the Nagaland context by Article 371A, in the context of Assam by the Sixth Schedule, and so on. Are we making enough efforts to strengthen these institutions to be able to adapt to the generational shift which we just spoke about, which is bound to happen by 2040 in an odd 14 years from now?

Will our young generation—I see a lot of them here today—will the young generation find these institutions useful, or relevant for that matter, by 2040? These are some of the questions which I have no answers. Perhaps time will unravel the answers for all of us. But I only pray the revelation be sooner than later.

As we commemorate the UN declaration of indigenous peoples, we are proud and we give thanks to the United Nations for giving that recognition. But unless we persevere to preserve our identity, as so many speakers before me have spoken, our indigeneity, we will lose the basis of being indigenous. Now, 14 years is not a very long time. My brother and I will be going for elections in 2028. That’s another two years from now. 14 minus another two years, so 12 years. 12 years is just another two tenures for the Nagaland Legislative Assembly.

I want to take this moment to urge each and every one of you present here today that when we progress towards being a developed state by 2047, the people from our roots will find all the answers from you and I sitting in this hall. Therefore, it is the bounden duty of every responsible individual here, men and women, young or old, to contribute, to participate in this national aspiration of being a developed nation by 2047. May I also urge each and every one of you present here today that let us relentlessly persevere to preserve our identity. Without our roots, we are nothing. We become nobodies. And in this I also reiterate my elder brother’s words, and that is, if you lose your roots, you are nobody in this world.

And so, as we celebrate and honor the indigenous midwives today, let us take the time to recalibrate our thoughts. Let us take time to prepare ourselves for what is coming in the next 14 years. Now, in the next 14 years, some of my elders will be beyond a certain generation in how we call it, pusu of governance, where they will not be able to have direct participation. I will be in a generation category towards the fag end of that generation. And by 2040, that generation which did not see the black and white 3310 Nokia phone which we have used, or the landline telephones—they grew up in a globalized, interconnected world; they went to school without learning the letter-writing skills of corresponding with their friends; and they saw the good things about the end of a millennia. And we that have faced all that are coming towards the fag end of our generation, waiting to be supplemented by the generations following us.

In this scenario, are we confident that the day we are celebrating today will be celebrated with that zeal that we have celebrated today in the next 14 years? Is my question before all of us. For instance, the chair that I have been elected to, trustfully by all the honorable members of the August House, also gives me the privilege to travel. And recently, the last conference was in Sydney, Australia, where we had the privilege of having the Commonwealth Conference. And there, as I grew up, the geography lessons used to teach us that the Aboriginals are the indigenous people of the continent of Australia. The honor and the regard to the Aboriginals out there took, I should say, three minutes. One paragraph, three minutes. That’s it. No traditional culture attached to it. No traditional song as we heard today, but in English it was referred as, “We salute and give thanks to our forefathers so and so, so and so,” and the program began. And we all know that Australia is a developed nation. We are moving towards that state, that is what I’m trying to say, in the next 14 years. And we had the good fortune of going to New Zealand and we were met by the Maoris. And the story is the same. Every developed nation that you go to dedicates only a paragraph to the indigenous people.

Are we going to be in that state by 2040? Is my challenge to all of us to ponder upon. If we don’t want to be in that state, then we must strengthen our customary institutions. We must value the constitutional safeguard protected by Article 371A for us, the Sixth Schedule for Assam. The Inner Line Permit which is familiar for all of us, and every state assembly session, my elder brother makes it a point to bring it up in the assembly session, which I am very thankful. We must acknowledge one another among the Northeast states in preserving this. And we must come towards each other’s aid in whichever capacity we can in years to come.

I hope and pray that the Nagaland Indigenous Peoples Forum, Nagaland Chapter, continues its efforts to persevere and to preserve, to encourage all of us in preserving our identity. I also sincerely want to recall one of our senior’s words in the form of Mr. K.K. Sema. In one of his conversations, he had used this word, and that is that we should move away from this attitude of “what is yours is mine, but what is mine is not yours.” We should move away from this attitude of “what is yours is mine, but what is mine is not yours.” In fact, in the next 14 years, our attitude should be “what do we do, what do we do about our collective aspiration?”

With these few words, God bless the Nagaland Chapter of the Indigenous Peoples Forum. God guide and give wisdom, strengthen the chairman and his team of colleagues for the Northeast Indigenous Peoples Forum. We stand in solidarity with all of you, especially to all those who have lost their lives, assets in the unfortunate, unprecedented destruction that is happening all across the Northeast. Our heart and empathy goes out to each and everyone.

With these words, thank you so much. God bless everyone, and may you all have a wonderful evening. Thank you.

MLA and Advisor, Kuzholuzo Neinu speech:

Each year, this day serves as a reminder not only of our unique heritage but also of the ongoing struggles to uphold our rights, safeguard our land, and preserve our culture and our way of life. As we gather here today, this afternoon, on this very special occasion, my mind naturally goes back to our roots.

In a Naga village, when a baby is born, it isn’t just a family event. It belongs to the entire village, the whole village. It’s a continuation of our story, our bloodline, and our way of life. Today, as we stand together on the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, we pause to honor the quiet guardians of that continuation: our traditional midwives.

Long before paved roads brought ambulances to our hills, long before health sub-centers had light or modern equipments, who were there in the dim room when labor began? It was our traditional midwives. Armed only with steady hands, years of experience passed down from their mothers, grandmothers, and ancestors, and an unshakable calmness, they carried out… they carried us into this world. They did it in the dead of winter, by lantern lights, burning candles, burning woods, with no expectation of applause, money, or rewards. There were no rewards at that point of time. They just did it out of love and care, and that’s why we are here today.

To call them birth attendants misses the heart of who they really are. They are our elders, our secret keepers, and the backbone of our communities. They didn’t just understand the body; they understood the soul of a mother. They knew which herb from our forests could ease the pain, which words could calm an anxious father, and how to hold a newborn so they felt safe in their first entry to this world when they took their first breath. Their wisdom is a holistic medicine, one that ties the health of a child to the health of the mother and family, and the land, and our indigenous roots.

Today, we are very fortunate indeed with modern science, modern medicines. Our dedicated doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers have saved countless lives across the state, no doubt. We owe them immense gratitude. But progress shouldn’t mean amnesia. We don’t have to throw away our heritage to embrace modern healthcare. Instead of seeing traditional wisdom and modern science as rivals, we must let them hold hands together. A doctor brings the clinical tools; the midwife brings decades of trust and experience, cultural understanding, and a calm presence. When they work together, I believe we are in more safe hands.

Honoring our midwives today, just by a speech we deliver once in a year on August 9, is not enough. We must go beyond. Supporting our rural healthcare network so no mother in the remote district feels beyond help. Documenting and preserving indigenous health practices before they vanish with our elders. Creating a space where traditional caregivers and certified workers learn from each other, bridging the gap between old wisdom and new science.

Every single one of us sitting here this afternoon carries the torch of a mother, and many of us carry that quiet legacy of a tradition… traditional midwife who welcomed us into the night and into this world. Let us commit… Let us commit to protecting them, learning from them, and ensuring that every indigenous child born today enters a world that is safer, healthier, and deep-rooted in who we really are as an indigenous people.

And together, under this Northeast Indigenous People’s Forum, let us protect our rights, our culture, our heritage, and our way of life. Our President just gave a statement about Tripura. When we look at Tripura, it is a sad case. No other state should go in that manner. The only way we can protect each other is giving support to each other. And so today, for I always feel that having Indigenous Day every year around within the Northeast states is very important.

And to be very frank, today, heart of hearts, I wish more attendance was here. To me, this is a very small attendance. Nevertheless, thank you for the organization. Thank you.