The Nagaland Literature Festival concluded on December 5 after two days of literary festivities at the Capital Convention Centre.

“As we celebrate our Naga culture at the festival of festivals, it is pertinent to remember that stories are what we are made of. Without our stories, we would not have our own culture,” said Dr.Vizovono Elizabeth in her concluding remarks. The third edition of the Festival, held with the theme “Writing Nagaland,” witnessed the richness of the diverse ways in which, according to Dr. Elizabeth, we express ourselves and our stories, but each one is essentially a Naga story.

She also expressed gratitude over the presence of Assamese friends at the inaugural and release of Swadesh Potobhumi magazine, Charles Chasie and Dr. Samudra Gupta Kashyap .

Dr. Elizabeth noted how in the past Naga stories existed in an intangible oral form, and were passed down through conscious transmission but now we have access to the written word. “By writing our stories we bring forth a tangible form of our culture. So literature makes our stories more visible and present in a concrete form,” stated Dr. Elizabeth.

Download Nagaland Tribune app on Google Play

The concluding event opened with Dr. Theyiesinuo Keditsu in dialogue with Dr. Visier Sanyü, exploring the theme “Nagaland in the Diasporic Imagination.” This was followed by a panel discussion on “Folklore and Indigenous Fantasy,” moderated by Dr. Sentinaro, and featuring Dr. Avinuo Kire, Dr. Achingliu Kamei, and Dr. Theyiesinuo. The festival also featured a Panel discussion on “Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narratives,” with Megosano Sakhrie as the moderator, and panelists Dr. Talitula, Meren Imchen, and Moa Lemtur. Additionally, a session titled “Reading Nagaland: Prose and Poetry” brought a dynamic literary element to the festival.