Kohima: The Naga Scholars Association held a screening of the 2026 documentary A Sacred Place on September 15. The event took place at the Nagaland House conference hall in New Delhi. Attendees included academics, activists, and student leaders.
NSA President Dr. Kharingpam Ahum Chahongnao opened the session. He praised director Prof Dolly Kikon for her work on indigenous knowledge systems. The guest list featured Prof Sanjay Barbora, Urvashi Butalia, Prof Sonajharia Minz, and Uma Chakravarti. Prof Yaruingam Awungshi, Prof Zuchamo Yanthan, Dr. Veio Pou, and Dr. Achingliu also attended.
Associate Professor Nzanmongi (Jasmine) Patton moderated the follow-up discussion. The group picked apart the ethics of storytelling. They debated how researchers frame indigenous narratives. Kikon argued that culture is not a frozen relic. She stated, "Indigenous knowledge should not be approached as a static historical archive or a culturally frozen inheritance."
The filmmaker addressed the power dynamics behind the camera. She insisted on getting clear consent from villagers before recording their lives. Kikon avoided using an external voiceover. Instead, she let the local community tell their own stories. She noted that visual media captures feelings that written words often miss.
The hour-long talk tackled the politics of representation. Participants discussed how filmmakers choose what to keep and what to cut. Kikon admitted these choices are inherently political. The event concluded as a forum for examining how communities inhabit their world through oral traditions and everyday actions.
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