Our Correspondent
Kohima, Aug. 9 (EMN): Nusakholu Dawhuo's "Love story of Dari and Rakhrülü", a story around love and friendship between two villages Chedema (Kohima district) and Thenyizu (Phek district) emerged winner of the online folktale story telling competition.
The result of the month-long competition, which was held on the theme “Spreading wings to the untold Naga folklores”, was announced on Monday afternoon.
The event was organised by visual production house ‘Naga Manu Production’.
Dawhuo's folktale story conveys the message that true love and real friendship will triumph and last forever despite humans being mortal. Imnichetla Jamir’s "The Quest of Sarilungle" was adjudged as the runners up of the competition.
Dawhuo and Jamir will receive INR 6000 and INR 4000 respectively sponsored by Kuvelü Tetseo (Tetseo Sisters) along with e-certificate.
Youngest contestant award sponsored by Naroh Decor Kohima was won by 4-year-old Menlei Phom (Folktale about an Owl and shrew); People's choice award and best narrator (Under-15) was awarded to Imsupongla Longchar (A tale of a mouse and a man) and Judges Choice award to
Aboli Wotsa (The Angel's wife).
During the declaration of the results, the organising committee informed that entries were scrutinised by the judges based on presentation skills; relevance/significance; creativity; fact and authenticity; and moral of the story. The judges included Rita Krocha, Journalist and Publisher, PenThrill Publication House; Alice Yhoshü, Journalist and President, Kohima Press Club (KPC) and Asonuo, News Editor, All India Radio (AIR), Kohima.
According to the organisers, the competition was held with the objective to conserve and spread the message of preserving the folktales as it was realised that it is fading while there are still limited written (published) folktales. "With this tradition slowly fading, we are losing the good old stories of our forefathers. This competition is being organised with the view to preserve and present the folklores as oral documents for the future generations," it said.
A total of 47 participants from various districts in the state took part in the competition with the oldest contestant Thanso Yimchunger (85) and the youngest Menlei Phom (4).