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Dimapur, Dec. 13 (EMN): Sümi Literature Board (SLB) celebrated its platinum jubilee (1947-2022) on Tuesday at Multi Complex Hall, Zunheboto, on the theme ‘Our mother tongue, our identity’, under the chairmanship of SLB chairman, Vihoshe Muru.
Minister of Agriculture and Cooperation, G Kaito Aye, the special guest of the event, unveiled the SLB platinum jubilee souvenir and also released four textbooks for undergraduates, an update stated.
The minister in his address encouraged Sümi’s to accord top priority to ‘Sütsa’ since it is their identity.
“To preserve our culture importance should be given to Sütsa, without language culture cannot be preserved. Sooner or later Nagas should have common language that is why Nagas should give importance to language and literature,” Kaito said.
Chairman of Jubilee Planning Board, H Khekuto Khulu, in his welcome address informed that to mark the historic occasion, the SLB jubilee committee has resolved to open a library at Sümi headquarter Zunheboto, where former Ihezhe Zhimomi, has willingly consented to donate books for the library.
Khulu expressed his concern on preservation of Sütsa language which, he said, has now become an endangered dialect and appealed Sümis to give importance to Sütsa and also promote the only Sümi newspaper Sümi Küküpütsa.
The theme speaker of the jubilee, Khehoni Zhimomi, (Retd. Addl. Director School Education) dwelled at length on the theme and said preserving one’s mother tongue in the present context is very important. “Mother tongue is an integral part of our life, dreams, vision. Our forefathers have left a legacy to us, so we should also play our role to protect our language since language is our life,” she said.
During the programme, HSLC and HSSLC MIL-Sütsà Subject toppers from 1997 till 2022 under Nagaland Board of School Education were felicitated. Kitoli Naje, co-convenor of souvenir committee, gave away the certificates to subject toppers and SLB pioneers.
Sümi Dictionary was released by Dr. Hokishe Yeputhomi, ex chairman of Sümi Literature Board. Sümi Hoho president Nikheto Jimo also exhorted the gathering.
Earlier, Kaito unveiled the jubilee monolith and Rev. Dr. Khehovi Shohe, director SBC, dedicated the monolith.