Kohima: A one-day national workshop titled Threads of Tradition: Celebrating Women Weavers convened at the Cradle Ridge Hall in Seithogei, Kohima, on November 11. The event highlighted an ongoing research collaboration between the Centre for Women's Development Studies in Delhi and the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung South Asia Office. Researchers are currently documenting the lives of weavers from the Angami, Chakhesang, Rengma, and Yimkhiung tribes.
Project Coordinator Prof Neetha stated that women are the primary knowledge bearers passing these skills to the next generation. Weaving serves as a critical social marker. Patterns and colors denote tribal identity, status, and major life events. Beyond cultural value, it provides essential income for many families.
The craft faces pressure today. Mass-produced goods and synthetic fabrics crowd the market. Prof Neetha noted that the project examines how these trends "actually been intersecting with traditional weaving." Many state-sponsored assistance programs also fail to reach the women who need them most. The project intends to identify why these gaps exist.
Prof Neeha Nagvi of the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung noted that for many, the craft remains a labor of love. Abeni TCK Lotha, an advisor to the Naga Mothers Association, encouraged preserving this heritage as a core local economy. Lotha previously authored the book Oying Motsu: The Story of Our Threads to help archive these designs. Prof Rosemary Dzuvichu of the Centre for Peace and Gender Studies opened the event, which featured interactive sessions between weavers from the four tribes and government officials.
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