Kohima: The sixth edition of the Nagaland Literature Festival wrapped up in Kohima on October 31. Held at the Don Bosco Higher Secondary School, the two-day event focused on the power of local voices. Abu Metha, advisor to the Chief Minister, urged attendees to guard their heritage. He argued that Nagas must take control of their own narrative instead of letting others define it.
Metha warned that artificial intelligence is changing the creative industry. He said, “we must use artificial intelligence to research, but we must not surrender our humanity. We must not surrender our human voice.” He encouraged using new technology for information gathering but insisted that the human spirit must remain at the center of all writing.
The Writers Collective introduced the inaugural NLF Prizes during the ceremony. The awards recognized excellence in three categories: short story, poetry, and essay. Out of 83 total entries, a seven-member jury selected the winners. Amenla I Chang won for her short story Apang. Temjenwapang took the prize for his poem I taste my ashes. Atino Yeptho won the essay category for Hearth to Page. Each winner received a citation, a certificate, and Rs 10,000.
Dr. Vizovono Elizabeth, general secretary of the Writers Collective, pushed for stronger institutional support. She noted that while the local literary community is small, it remains vibrant. She pointed to state-backed literary festivals in Arunachal Pradesh, Shillong, Sikkim, and Dibrugarh as models. She stressed that the Nagaland festival exists to protect Naga identity and roots during a time of rapid change.
Metha pledged government support to help the event grow. He wants the festival to become a piece of intellectual property that attracts international attention. Both speakers emphasized that losing language means losing history. They called on the community to help preserve Naga stories for future generations.
Comments