Dimapur: United Democratic Alliance chairman TR Zeliang called upon the Nagas to maintain the records of their history for posterity.
Addressing a programme after inaugurating the welcome arch of the Zeliangrongram colony at Dimapur on Tuesday, Zeliang called for using indigenous names for places in Nagaland.
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“Then only history will remain with us,” he said while calling for doing research on the indigenous names for places.
The former chief minister stressed that “We must live with our history, culture, and identity. Otherwise, we will be discarded by others.”
Zeliang asked the Naga people not to dilute their history but to carry it forward to hand it over to the future generations.
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He also said others must also respect “our history”. This, he said, will usher in peace, prosperity, development, and peaceful coexistence.
Dwelling on the welcome arch of the Naga villages, Zeliang said during the time of forefathers, the village gates that restricted entry of outsiders were constructed for the protection and security of the village people.
He, however, said the time has changed and now a village gate should symbolize peace.
Expressing concern over the immigration of people from villages to towns and cities, he said, “Nowadays, you will find fewer people in villages and more people in towns and cities.”
He feared that “We may lose our history because of this.”
Cabinet minister YM Yollow and MLA Picto Shohe accompanied Zeliang.
Yollow, in his short address, stressed that the Nagas should respect and value each other.
He pointed out that those Naga tribes which were declared as backward during the formation of Nagaland state in 1963 are not so anymore.
Yollow, however, called upon these tribes to focus on education and acquiring knowledge to compete with not only any advanced tribe in Nagaland but also with anyone in the world.
Konyak Naga tribe to which Yollow belongs, along with Zeliangrong tribe among others, was declared a backward tribe during the formation of the state.