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K Okie, KTC executive secretary, and the DIG of 7 Sector Assam Rifles, Tuensang, Col. Abdul Hameed Khan, along with teaching faculty and students of Sao Chang College at the annual cultural programme on December 7.[/caption]
Dimapur, Dec. 29 (EMN): Expounding that Nagas have rich cultural values which are unique and different from rest of mainland of the country and the world, K Okie, executive secretary of Khiamniungan Tribal Council (KTC), lamented that young people today faced identity crisis as they are influenced by western culture in many aspects with the advancement of modern society.
Okie, who was the special guest, shared this concerned at the 44th annual cultural day of Sao Chang College in Tuensang town held in the college premises on December 7 on the theme “Your culture, your identity.” In this regard, he has suggested educating upcoming youngsters to learn the rich culture and traditions by conducting such co-curricular programmes and preserved it to save the future generation from identity illusion.
He said many youth of today have lost their own identity as they cannot speak own mother tongue and have already forgotten.
“Culture is a value, beliefs, life-style, food habits and everything about ways of living, and as such, it is so essential for all sections of people to maintain one’s own culture to lead a responsible individual in the society,” Okie said.
He also pointed out at many parents christening their children with western names and speaks English even in the family signifying losing of traditions and customs.
“We should teach modern education to our children but not at the cost our culture,” Okie asserted. He said the hour has come to promote and preserve culture because it is denotes identity.
Col. Abdul Hameed Khan, DIG of 7 Sector Assam Rifles and special invitee, said Nagas are known by the people of mainland India for their love, honesty, truthfulness, sincerity, hardworking and hospitality and also appreciated and admired by many people.
According to him culture is a set of things people do in their lives repeatedly like extending helping hands to each other in house construction, field work, and humanitarian services and so on.
“Our culture should be preserved and made it to support social life to progress and achieve the goals in life. Young people should set target and set objectives high and strive hard for attainment of those goals,” Khan stated. He encouraged the students to explore the rest of mainland India and the world to acquire more knowledge and skills and not make excuses for the limited facilities in their home town.
Students displayed traditional attires of ancient, present and future during the programme. Folk dance and cock fight competitions were also conducted. Certificates were given to the winners of cultural, fine art and literary competition. Assistant professors Tekameren and Ms Temjentula were the judges of the cultural competitions.
