Watsu Mungdang releases book about Ao women

Our Correspondent
Mokokchung, Feb. 19 (EMN): The Watsu Mungdang has released a book about Ao women titled “Aotsur Jenmung.” The book was released on Tuesday.
The book talks about origins; oral folklore and folk music of Ao women; and laurels and titles given to women etc. It also talks about the rights, status and the role of women etc., in the Ao Naga community.
The book was released by Watsu Mungdang’s first president, Temsusola, at the MMC conference hall in the presences of Ao Senden, and Ao Students’ Conference leaders; church leaders, and others.

The Aotsur Jenmung project began with a resolution that was passed during the 18th general conference of the Watsu Mungdang in 2011 to document the history, status and role of women in the Ao Naga society.
The committee led by its convener Dr Sashikala Aier took eight years to compile the book after thorough research and gathering materials from Ao villages.

The convener of the committee asserted that publishing a book on Ao women became a necessity because it was observed that ‘90 percent of the women do not know about their ancestral linkage, their status and the role they play in the Ao society.’
Aier observed that such circumstances existed because there was no platform for women to learn. She warned that if the current trend continues ‘this priceless heritage will disappear within five ‘putu’ (A putu is about 30 years in Ao literature) and have a negative influence on the future generations of the community.

Aier therefore argued that ‘desperate measures’ were needed to create a utopia for Ao women to learn and practice their culture. For this, the book was compiled after years of effort and contribution from people, the gathering was informed. During the research, she said, they observed that for a tribe to exist and move forward it needs to promote and preserve its literature.
Leaders from the Ao Senden and Ao Students’ Conference also spoke at the event.