Pfutsero Government College holds cultural-cum-literary day on the theme “Honouring roots, awakening future.”
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DIMAPUR — Pfutsero Government College (PGC) in Phek district has organised its 43rd cultural-cum-literary day on March 5 and 6 the deputy commissioner (DC) of Phek, Rhosietho Nguori, as the chief speaker on the theme “Honouring roots, awakening future.”
Speaking on the occasion, Nguori called upon the college community to honour the legacy of the past. He explained that culture—not limited to dress and items on display but including beliefs and thought processes—is a shared identity passed down across generations and that the present generation has the responsibility to learn, preserve and pass it on to future generations, stated an update from the college.
He opined that processes such as globalisation, urbanisation and modernisation are inevitable, but they also pose challenges to the preservation of culture. According to him, those challenges are often the result of one’s own choices.
“Our beliefs and behaviours today are often not based on our natural cultural values. Instead, much of our behaviour and mannerisms are shaped by what we see in the modern world. We observe it through television screens and digital media. As a result, our way of life is increasingly influenced by the glamorous world portrayed on screens. Many of us unconsciously set standards for ourselves based on what we see happening around the world.
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In such a scenario—where our rich culture and heritage are under serious threat—this neglect is not imposed on us by others; it is largely the result of our own actions and choices,” Nguori said.
He described the threat to Naga culture as serious, citing the loss of the mother tongue as an example.
“Today, when we talk about the threat to our culture, some of us may not fully realise how serious this threat is. But to put it very simply, one common phenomenon is that many of us no longer know how to speak our own mother tongue properly. The saddest part is that we often do not even make an effort to learn it. Instead, we prefer to learn and speak other languages such as English and Nagamese,” he added.
He further lamented the current reality of performative culture, where culture is talked about and performed rather than truly practiced.
Appreciating the college for celebrating cultural day, the DC Phek described it as an important response to the challenge of cultural loss.
The cultural programme also coincided with the inauguration of the college’s mini museum named as “Aro Dze: Our Story.”
The DC further expressed hope that the mini college museum “will keep knocking on our collective conscience… constantly reminding us of our roots and our rich cultural heritage.”
The cultural day was marked with competition in various traditional activities and sports such as yodeling, bamboo race and Naga wrestling among others.