The Department of Art and Culture in the District was Established on 5th May 1982, as District Cultural Office Phek headed by D.C.O.
The department of Art and Culture mainly deals with both tangible and intangible cultural heritage. We Naga are endowed with rich and vibrant culture, which has been passed down from generation to generation. However, with the advent of modernity and the influence of the Western culture in our land, our cultural values and traditional practices of our forefathers are slowly diminishing. In view of that, the Department has addressed the issue by taking up numerous activities in order to protect and promote our culture and tradition.
Activities of the department can be broadly classified under the following section: –
i. Promotion of Culture.
ii. Promotion and Development of Library Services i. Archaeology.
ii. Preservation of Archives.
iii. Registration of Antiquities and Art Treasures.
iv. Cultural Research and documentation.
v. Promotions and development of Visual and Performing Arts.
vi. Maintenance and promotion of Museums.
vii. Conservation of Heritage sites.
CONSERVATION OF HERITAGE: – The Department maintains and conserve sites of historical importance. Department is currently maintaining some historical and legendary site by constructing resting sheds, security fencing etc.
CULTURAL PROGRAMS: – The Department, upholding the core motive of preserving the cultural heritage, periodically organizes cultural programs to encourage the people, with special emphasis on the younger generation. The department also identify the deserving artiest/troupes and give them opportunity to participate from village level to the national level.
MUSEUM: – The District Museum is attached with the District Cultural Office. The district Museum has been renovated by the Department in collaboration with Indian Museum Kolkata during 2004-2005. The District Cultural Office has collected some artefacts and is displayed in the Museum reflecting the life style and cultural practices of the people.
LIBRARY SERVICE: – The District Library is attached with the District Cultural Office. The District Library is meant to extent and render Library service to the public. We have over 6900 volumes in our District Library. The books are procured through donation from the Raja Ram Mohan Roy Library Foundation Kolkata and from the Directorate of Art and Culture, Nagaland, Kohima. Beside District Library, there are 75 Registered Rural Libraries under our District. The Registered Rural Libraries annually receives the books gifted by the Raja Ram Mohan Roy Library Foundation Kolkata through the Directorate of Art and Culture, Nagaland, Kohima. Inspection of Registered Rural under its jurisdiction is another activity taken up by the office.
PROMOTION OF ART: – For Promotion of Art, the government of Nagaland has instituted the Governor’s Award for distinction in the field of Art, Music and Literature. The Award is given every year during Independence or Republic Day celebration. The nomination for the award is done by the District Level Committee for Governor’s Award headed by the D.C. as chairman, D.C.O as member Secretary and some prominent persons drawn from the field of Art, Music Literature as members.
CULTURAL RESEARCH AND STUDIES: – The two Assistant Research Officers for Chakhesang and Pochury are actively engaged in collecting and recording various Traditional Culture, origin and migration, customary practices of each tribe. Field studies on the various folklores with special emphasis on dresses and ornaments, festivals and all the important historical sites, traditional marriage and Textiles & dyes of the chakesang and Pochury are done by the two AROs.
Brief Activity Report of District Cultural Office, Phek from 2022 to 2024
- Library Books Displays.
Commemorating Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (75th anniversary of Indian Independence) the District Library displayed books on national movement and freedom fighters in the district office on the occasion of Republic Day, Independence Day and Constitutional Day.
2. Rally on Women Empowerment.
A Rally on women empowerment in commemoration of 250th birth anniversary of Raja Ram Mohan Roy was organized and held in Phek town on 22nd june 2022. The rally was flagged off from District Hospital Phek Junction to Government Higher secondary school. A total of 250 school students participated in this rally.
3. International Border Festival.
A two day border festival was successfully organized and held at the two last village of India in Phek district, i.e Phokhungri village and Awakhung village bordering Myanmar on 28th and 29th march 2023. This border festival was organized by NEZCC, Ministry of Culture, and Govt. of India in collaboration with Art and Culture Dept., Govt. of Nagaland. Five cultural troupes from different parts/zone of India (Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Meghalaya) including troupe from Nagaland participated in this border festival.
4. Cultural Festival
A one-day Cultural festival was successfully organized and held here in Phek town on 27th September 2022 on a theme “Igniting Cultural Tradition”.
The festival displayed cultural presentation from four cultural troupes and folk tale narration by students from two schools. School students and public were invited to witness this festival.
5. Reading day
The District office organized a day of storytelling and reading on 14th July 2023, under the initiative of our department in collaboration with Raja Ram Mohan Roy Library Foundation Kolkata in honour of Shri. P.N Panicker, who is known as a father of Library in the state of Kerala and who advocated literacy through reading all throughout his life. Around 20 students from different schools came together and narrated story and read poetry on this occasion. Free children’s books were distributed to the students.
6. Annual Hornbill Festival
Since the inception of the annual hornbill festival, the district office have been participating in the annual hornbill festival by selecting two cultural troupes from Chakhesang and Pochury tribe every year to showcase our rich culture and traditions at kisama hornbill village.
7. Research and documentation.
The district office has successfully documented and submitted the recorded work for further research and verification to the directorate on the following topics.
1. Documentation of ponds, lakes and other waterways of historical importance and relating to legendary stories and folktales. (Documented in 2023).
2. Documentation of traditional attires and ornaments (documented in 2021)
3. Documentation of Morung Construction rituals, traditional oath taking in conflicts. (Documented in 2020)
8. Craftsman and Artisan honorarium/award
Since 2021 under the directives of the directorate our District office have been selecting annually two persons (one each from Chakhesang and Pochury tribe) specialized in the field of local Crafts and Weaving and are in need of financial assistance to promote their works. A onetime honorarium is awarded to the selected persons. The Office is conscientiously striving to acknowledge the talents of the deserving.
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