Sotokur village in Shamator is officially renamed to Thsotoku as officials and community leaders gather to celebrate its historical identity.
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DIMAPUR — A formal ceremony marking the renaming of Sotokur to Thsotoku was held at Thsotoku village in Shamator on Thursday.
According to a DIPR report, the renaming of the village was carried out in accordance with the government order, following due process and collective representation from the community.
During the programme, Mekato J Aye, EAC of Shamator and Additional Charge of the Thsotoku Circle, laid the foundation stones for the monolith commemorating the name change and for the newly established Thsotoku Citizen Union office.
The event witnessed the presence of community members and leaders from neighbouring villages.
In his address, the EAC congratulated the village council and all the leaders who had taken up the matter for preserving and asserting the identity of the village. He remarked that names are not merely labels but carry memory, belonging, and a sense of direction.
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Drawing from the meaning of Thsotoku, he highlighted that the elephant symbolises strength, wisdom, and steady progress and expressed hope that the village would reflect these qualities in its collective journey.
He further stated that while a name gives identity, it is the people who give meaning to it through unity, responsibility, and shared progress. Encouraging the community, he called upon them to move forward together, uphold their roots, and ensure that the village becomes known not just by its name but by its spirit and development.
Short speeches were delivered by Tokimong, Head GB; Kiuthsang, VCC of Thsotoku; and Kheanjimong, President of the Citizen Union. The speakers narrated the origin of the village name Thsotoku, meaning “elephant’s head", which traces back to early settlers, nearly 400 to 500 years ago, who observed a wooden log resembling an elephant’s head and named the place accordingly.
The programme also included a felicitation ceremony wherein the lone successful HSLC candidate from the village after a decade was honoured by the EAC.