Kohima: Modernization threatens to erase indigenous history. Oral traditions, songs, and rituals once anchored these communities. Now, leaders in Nagaland are fighting back. They use digital tools to safeguard this ancestral wisdom.
Dr. Hewasa L. Khing, principal of Tetso College in Chumoukedima, leads the charge. She co-founded the North East India Indigenous Peoples Archive in 2023 with Kuvlo Lorin. The college also opened the Research and Indigenous Knowledge Center to host academic studies. These platforms preserve everything from medicinal practices to traditional governance models.
Digital archives provide more than just storage. They democratize history by letting communities tell their own stories. "When an indigenous language or oral tradition disappears, we do not just lose words; we lose unique ecological wisdom, medicinal knowledge, traditional governance models, and artistic expressions," Dr. Khing said.
The work bridges a widening generational gap. Students at Tetso College actively digitize content and interview elders. This turns abstract duties into personal journeys of discovery. Intern Wasa Lorin noted that documenting oral history is a shared duty. She argues that young people must act before older generations pass away and traditions vanish forever.
This initiative aligns with Tetso College’s Vision 2030. It treats heritage as a living, evolving asset rather than a dusty relic. The archives also link to broader global movements, including the repatriation dialogue between the Pitt Rivers Museum and Nagaland groups. Youth involvement remains the bedrock of these efforts. They are the new custodians of a fading past.
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