Intellectuals throng Dimapur for seminar
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network

Dimapur, October 29 2012: A galaxy of intellectuals have started conglomerating in Nagaland's commercial hub Dimapur since this evening to participate in a national seminar on the theme, "Recovering the Oral Histories of North-Eastern India" .

The mega event begins on October 31 and concludes on November 1 to be organised by Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS) based in Shimla in collaboration with Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) .

Earlier, when contacted by Newmai News Network, Dr Sentila Yanger, who is the convenor of Nagaland chapter of INTACH informed that about 25 resource persons from Tezpur University, North Eastern Hills University (NEHU), Mizoram University, Manipur University and elsewhere besides from Nagaland will be participating in the two-day event.

These 25 resource persons will be presenting their papers in the seminar on the North East India region oral histories.

Meanwhile, according to seminar's concept note of Dr Peter D'Souza, Director of Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS), the proposed national seminar at Dimapur on "Recovering the Oral Histories of North-East India" will address various issues and concerns relating to the subject and suggest a well-coordinated approach towards understanding, documenting and safeguarding this rare treasure of national heritage.

The seminar will also re-examine the discourse of development, and the politics of identity and representation, the IIAS Director added.

"It is a well-known fact that the North-East region of India is home of immense ethnological diversity, with a number of cultural heritages, including both tangible and intangible aspects.

In the North-East, arguably, oral traditions, histories and the verbal arts constitute the majority of these cultural expressions, which shape collective memory, perception and representation amongst the indigenous communities of the region," the concept note stated while adding, "It is indeed oral knowledge which has guided the destinies and lifestyles of social groups in the region.

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