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(From right) Betoka Swu, Kaheli Chophy and Abeto Shohe launch the t-shirt, on Saturday in Dimapur.[/caption]
Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, July 27: ‘Project Nagafy,’ a creative project that hopes to document and encapsulate the rapid integration of cultures and Nagaland's contemporary cultures through mediums that are easily accessible to everyone, launched its t-shirt with a hope to ‘promote Naga identity.’
The Nagafy’s t-shirt was launched on Sat. July 27 in Dimapur.
Project Nagafy was launched on May 21 in Dimapur. The brains behind the project are model and entrepreneur Kaheli Chophy, and photographers Betoka Swu and Abeto Shohe.
At the launch of the t-shirt Swu hoped that young people would support the project by ‘proudly donning the t-shirt. The garment has the word ‘Naga.’
Swu said that the idea behind the t-shirt was to ‘pass on the Naga identity so that people discover more about the Naga people.’
Kaheli Chophy introduced the project. She said that the objective of it was to ‘revive and promote the Naga culture and traditionally and globally.’ Likewise, it hopes to encourage the young generations to engage in self employment utilising their talents and creativity.
The project aims to bring in youth, community collaborators and entrepreneurs to work towards discovering positive capacity that is in harmony with the unique Naga story.
Chophy remarked that while the Naga traditional and cultural practices are of utmost importance, there is a need to acknowledge that contemporary culture is of symbolic value in the socio-political narrative of the state and its community.
The project seeks to photographically represent the ingenuity of the Naga people in creative fields like art, music, dance and other forms of creative expression. Besides, it seeks to identify and recognise Naga entrepreneurs who have excelled in their fields.
The aims and objectives of Nagafy, the entrepreneur said, is also to award scholarships to deserving students; to recognise people who work behind the scenes and go the extra mile to make a difference in the community; recognise influential people and award them; to encourage and support aspiring Naga youths to participate and compete in the national and international platforms, among other objectives.
"To discover creative people with raw talent those who are keen to do without undergoing formal training; to transmogrify the rich and vivacious Naga traditional Naga attire into modern silhouettes executing a contemporary twist through fashion; and to promote and provide opportunity to individual/group in allied fields of art, music, dance, models makeup artist, hair stylist, photographer and other forms of creative expression."
An event called Art Connect for children also was held on the day. 11 children participated in the programme. It was informed that the art will be up for charity. The Nagafy t-shirts also will be up for sale at a price of INR 500 onwards.