Dr. Rukulu Puro with students and faculty of the college at
Modern College, Piphema, during the State-Level Students' Seminar on Thursday.
- DIMAPUR — Modern
College, Piphema, held its fourth edition of the one-day State-Level Students’
Seminar on Thursday, organised by the department of History, Modern College, on
the theme “Nagas till the 21st century: an outlook into the past and
contemporary times”.
- According to an update, the seminar was sponsored and
supported by the Department of Art and Culture, Government of Nagaland. The
keynote speaker for the seminar was Dr. Rukulu Puro, assistant professor at
Capital College of Higher Education and chief instructor at CUE Academy.
- Dr. Puro, delivering her keynote speech on the importance of
revisiting Naga heritage in the modern context, emphasised the significance of
learning about the past. She mentioned that the Nagas were once the masters of
the hills—fearless warriors, skilled artisans, and guardians of nature.
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- Villages were more than just settlements; they functioned as
independent mini-kingdoms, with people displaying fierce loyalty to their
communities, she said, adding that people remained devoted to their villages,
actively participated in festivals, worked diligently, and feasted elaborately
when they could—that was the Naga way.
- However, she noted that Nagas have lost their core values
and self-respect to their lust for money. To keep the culture alive, the
language, festivals, and storytelling must be preserved. She added that culture
survives when it is practised, not just remembered.
- She maintained that when culture is lost, identity is also
lost. She concluded that the younger generation has a huge role to play. She
encouraged learning the native language, reading and sharing folktales, helping
artists, and finding a balance between modern life and tradition.
