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PB Acharya speaking at the inaugural programme of the three-day seminar on the Tenyidie dialect in Kohima town on May 23.[/caption]
Our Correspondent
Kohima, May 23 (EMN): As a strong believer in the promotion of native dialects, Nagaland Governor PB Acharya has said that primary education should be in ‘Mother Tongue’ as ‘childhood is the best time for children to pick up languages and dialects naturally.’
The governor said this while speaking as the chief guest of the inaugural programme of a three-day 47th annual seminar on the Tenyidie dialect this evening at the Ura Academy Badi in Kohima town. The programme was organized by the Ura Academy in collaboration with Tenyimi People’s Organisation.
Stressing on the importance of one’s dialect, Acharya maintained that language was central to culture. Education as Mother Tongue is the first personal, social and cultural identity of a person, the governor said.
‘Condemning one’s language and accepting some other foreign language like Hindi, English etc is dangerous and suicidal,’ said Acharya who expressed concern that local dialects were ‘dying’ with too much attention being given to English language ‘resulting in some of the local dialects losing popularity.’
Terming native dialects a ‘binding force’ for its richness, diversity and intimacy, Acharya stressed that Naga people should take pride for who they are and speaking in their own dialects. Nagas, he said, are second to none in any way and therefore the people should make Nagaland strong.
The governor also released two books authored by a professor at Ura Academy, Dr D Kuolie.
Also addressing the event was social activist Niketu Iralu speaking on the long Naga political dialogues between the government of India and the NSCN-IM. He said ‘Nagas are not anti-India, anti-national and most importantly Nagas are not secessionists.’
He opined that ‘for all these years, the Naga people have been interacting with the government of India, its army and its agencies, and at the official level with the biggest and most extensive government machineries in the world, whereby many things have gone wrong and we all agree.’
‘Because our story is clear and clean we have nothing to feel guilty about,’ said Iralu. He opined that the time has come for the Nagas now to go and meet the people of India–some of the finest people in the world who, according to Iralu ‘will fight for your humanity, dignity and self respect.’
Ura Academy is a think-tank with other Naga organizations and it should start the process of interacting with the people of India, he said. He maintained that the Nagas must meet their brethren to share and listen. Calling it a ‘huge challenge’ for the younger generation to start thinking about, Iralu maintained ‘because your life, your integrity, thinking, personality, character and values as Nagas will have to speak to the people of India.’
Also pointing out that Nagas were between India and China–two of the oldest civilizations in the world–Iralu said ‘we have to learn to respond to both and we have to know ourselves, weaknesses and rectify the same.’
‘Let the facts win. Let the right be proclaimed and accepted. Let the wrong be proclaimed and acknowledged. If the process is clean, the outcome will be right,’ Iralu asserted strongly.
Chief Minister Dr Shiirhozelie Liezietsu, also the president of Ura Academy, gave a brief outline of the history of Ura Academy.
