India - A folkloric competition to preserve Naga cultural heritage
Dimapur, India - September 2023 - The Salesian College of Higher Education in Dimapur hosted a folkloric competition with the theme 'Preserving the Naga Heritage: Tales of Tradition and Culture'. with the aim of handing down and celebrating Naga cultural heritage. Students, college staff and distinguished guests came together to support the rich heritage of the Naga community. The event was opened by Ms Gloria Kamei, Head of the History Department, who emphasised the importance of preserving the cultural and historical heritage of this community. Fr Jaison Thomas, Rector of the Good Shepherd Seminary, then spoke, emphasising the need to protect the rich culture, traditions and heritage of the Naga community and commending the Salesian school for the initiative. The students then showcased their talents, captivating the audience with plays, dances and songs. They paid tribute to the folklore of the Zeliangrong, Sumi, Ao and Tangkhul tribes and explored themes such as love, sacrifice, legends and the arrival of Christianity among the Naga tribes. The Principal, Fr Paul Punii, thanked them for the performance and then went on to explain the world of tales, oral traditions and folk tales. At the end of the event, the first prize was won by the Departments of English and Political Science, while the Department of Sociology took second place.