Nagaland Literature Festival 2026 calls for support to preserve Naga stories, promote literature and celebrate cultural identity
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KOHIMA — The sixth edition of the Nagaland Literature Festival (NLF) 2026 concluded on Saturday with a call for collective support to strengthen Naga literature and promote the telling of Naga stories.
Addressing the concluding programme of the two-day festival at Don Bosco Higher Secondary School, Kohima, general secretary of Writers Collective, Vizovono Elizabeth, said the organisation was formed to provide a platform for Naga literature to grow, preserve its stories and ensure they are not forgotten.
She described the festival as more than just a literary event, saying it was an effort towards cultural survival and an opportunity to amplify the voices of people whose memories hold stories, while celebrating creative expression.
Acknowledging the progress made so far, Elizabeth said the Writers Collective continued to face challenges and required greater support and contributions from the public, institutions, the government and the community.
She stressed that the festival was not being organised simply because other places held literary festivals, but because it was rooted in Naga stories, identity and heritage.
“Our dream is that one day, people from different parts of the world will come to Nagaland for its literature festival because it is about Naga stories, not because it is another Jaipur Literature Festival,” she said.
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She urged people to join the journey and help carry the vision forward.
Elizabeth also observed that the Nagas were going through a transitional period, adjusting to rapid changes while seeking to keep pace with the rest of the world.
She cautioned against losing cultural roots and identity in the process, stressing that failing to preserve stories, listen to one another and maintain meaningful connections could put the community's heritage at risk.
She said progress could not be achieved without a strong foundation, adding that this belief continued to drive the Writers Collective.
Advisor to the Chief Minister, Abu Metha, emphasised the importance of using artificial intelligence and modern technology as tools for research, learning and expanding access to knowledge and information.
He said the younger generation could no longer rely on excuses such as not knowing or being unaware, given the vast amount of information available through the internet and digital technology.
However, he cautioned against allowing technology to undermine originality and the human voice.
Highlighting the challenges posed by the digital world, including excessive screen time, shorter attention spans and growing distractions, Metha called for innovative strategies to make reading and writing more engaging and appealing.
He also stressed the importance of telling Naga stories from one's own perspective rather than allowing others to define the community.
“No story is too small. We have so many stories to tell. Every community, every village, every tribe, every range, all of us, the Naga life, these mountains, these hills, our people have so many stories to tell and the world must know of us,” he said.
Metha noted that Nagas had long been written about by outsiders, who had at times represented or misrepresented them.
He said it was now important for Nagas to tell their own stories from their context and perspective, adding that such accounts would be better appreciated for their originality and honesty.
He called for adapting to changes in the modern world while taking Naga stories to a wider audience.
During the programme, the winners of the NLF 2026 literary awards were also announced and felicitated.
Amenla I Chang won the NLF Short Story Prize for her story ‘Apang’, while Temjenwapang received the NLF Poetry Prize for his poem ‘I Taste My Ashes’.
The NLF Essay Prize was awarded to Atino Yeptho for her essay ‘Hearth to Page’.
The two-day festival featured the participation of authors and writers in various discussions, cultural performances, film screenings in collaboration with TakeOne Nagaland, and storytelling sessions.