Japfu Christian College organises seminar on traditional attire

Dimapur, May 7 (EMN): The Women Cell and Anti-Sexual Harassment Cell of Japfu Christian College, Kigwema, collaborated with the IQAC Cell to organise a national seminar on the theme “Naga women traditional attires: Celebrating us” on May 6.

According to an update from the college, the seminar was attended by a total of 172 students and had three guest speakers: Prof. Ajailu Niumai, Dr. Easterine Kire, and Dr. Theyiesinuo Keditsu.

In her prelude, Dr. Kire remarked that “every Naga cloth has been conceived and created by a woman’s hand and a woman’s mind, not by the hands of a man.” She also stressed the need to document many designs that have been passed down by forefathers. According to Dr. Kire, putting on our traditional attire is the closest we can come to experience what it would feel like to wear a poem.

Prof. Ajailiu Niumai spoke on the topic “Attires as symbol of cultural identity” and said that Naga attires are unique to our cultural identity. She urged the participants to promote the Naga culture.

Dr. Visakhonu Hibo, principal of Japfu Christian College, delivered the keynote address in the second session. She stressed the need to promote Naga culture.

Dr. Thieyiesinuo Keditsu stated that the “Naga mekhala” is one of the most distinct identities of the Naga democratic, which should be conserved and promoted. She said, “Attires as language is both a mode and medium by which we women can claim agency, we can assert our desires, believes and aspirations.”

She expressed that in a patriarchal society, the latent functions of attire are constructed by women showcasing the beautiful agency their attire demonstrates. She also expressed regret about how Western culture and education have made them strangers in their own land.

In her concluding remark, Dr. Keditsu stated that weaving is an act of caregiving and an act of enterprise. To “celebrate us” is not simply to wear our attires but to deeply introspect and re-evaluate our biases towards forms of female labour and perhaps even learn how to weave.