Kohima Governor of Nagaland and Chancellor of Nagaland University Nand Kishore Yadav on Friday stressed that preservation of tribal heritage should not be seen as resistance to progress, but as an effort to ensure that development remains culturally sensitive, inclusive and sustainable.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the National Symposium on ‘Rethinking the Tribal Heritage of North-East India: Challenges and Opportunities’ organized by the Faculty of Humanities and Education at the University’s Merima Campus here, the Governor said the tribal communities of North-East India have preserved their cultural identity, oral traditions, customary practices and indigenous knowledge systems over the centuries, forming an invaluable part of India’s collective civilizational and cultural heritage.
However, he expressed concern that rapid globalization, modernization, urbanization and technological changes pose unprecedented challenges to traditional institutions and cultural practices.
He noted that indigenous languages are gradually declining, oral traditions are fading, and younger generations are increasingly moving away from their cultural roots and traditional ways of life.
These developments make discussions on tribal heritage very relevant and meaningful in the current context, Yadav said. At the same time, he said, every challenge also represents an opportunity, calling on academic institutions, researchers, policy makers and civil society organizations to work collectively to document, preserve, promote and reinterpret tribal heritage in ways that remain relevant to contemporary society.
The governor said universities and tertiary institutions have a crucial responsibility to promote indigenous knowledge systems, promote local languages and build bridges between traditional wisdom and modern scholarship.
He added that Nagaland University can play a transformative role through interdisciplinary studies and research initiatives.
Highlighting the value of tribal wisdom, Yadav said that tribal communities possess immense traditional knowledge in areas such as environmental conservation, sustainable living, communal harmony and coexistence with nature, from which the modern world can learn important lessons to meet global challenges.
He also appreciated the participation of scholars and experts from across the country, saying such intellectual exchanges provide opportunities for deeper understanding, constructive dialogue and meaningful policy discussions on tribal heritage and development in northeast India.
The Governor congratulated the organizers, faculty members, scholars, researchers and students for organizing the symposium, and expressed his hope that the deliberations would generate valuable insights and practical recommendations for the preservation and advancement of tribal heritage in the region.
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