Literary event ‘Barkweaver Days’ begins in Kohima

Our Correspondent
Kohima, June 30 (EMN): ‘Barkweaver Days’, a three-day literary event organised by Barkweaver Publishing House commenced today at the Ozone Cafe in Kohima.
Besides a mini fair exhibiting books, art and craft, the event will be providing a platform for authors to promote their books through interactions, book launches, book signing, and other activities like poetry reading session, book sale etc from 12 pm to 5:30 pm.
Noted poet and writer, Easterine Kire who is a partner of Barkweaver, speaking to Eastern Mirror said the event was aimed to promote literature in Nagaland. Observing that Nagas do not read enough, she said the book event was being put together to promote the reading culture.Easterine also divulged on the efforts of Barkweaver in encouraging young people to inculcate the habit of reading at an early age and mentioned that towards this, they also visit schools and colleges, give them books to read or tell them stories about the books. She said the number of children readers are increasing now.
On the role of schools to encourage the students to read books, she said that the teachers need to understand that reading is important to improve their language and vocabulary, that reading is applicable throughout the student’s life.
“We believe that if the youngsters read books, they become better students especially in the art section,” Easterine said.
She also expressed her view that people can make use of the traffic jams, which is a problem that most people face in bigger towns, and use that time to read. “If you have a book, you don’t waste your time. Traffic jam is something you cannot escape from,” she stated.
On the ‘Barkweaver Days’ event, she informed that students with ID card will be given special discounts on the books that are on display; on July 1 and 2 evenings there will be a reading session and authors will promote their books, while on the third day, there will be poetry reading session with Avinuo Kire.
Some writers who would be present at the event included Jasmine Patton Walling, Toinali, 9 years old Suiyikai Ndang, Kangzangding Thou.
Earlier in the morning, a book called ‘My Birthday Adventure’ written by Suiyikai H Ndang, a student of Hollotoli School Dimapur, and published by Barkweaver was released by Chief Minister Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu. After the official release, the book was made available at the event in Ozone Cafe.
Barkweaver publishing house attempts to build a base for Naga literature by gathering folktales, people’s stories and narratives of the Naga people and putting them into more permanent forms of preservation such as the printed word. Barkweaver not only publishes Naga stories for Naga readers but also strives to make available Naga literature to a global audience.