Nagaland Steps Up Efforts to Preserve Indigenous Cultural Heritage

The Nagaland Handloom & Handicrafts Development Corporation Ltd. (NHHDC), under the Industries & Commerce Department, has undertaken a comprehensive project to document and preserve the traditional attires and ornaments of Nagaland’s indigenous tribes. Supported technically by the Nagaland Science & Technology Department and carried out in collaboration with tribal apex bodies, the initiative aims to safeguard cultural knowledge largely passed down through generations through oral traditions. The documentation provides authentic descriptions, visual records and details of traditional designs, motifs and patterns while also helping protect associated Intellectual Property Rights from misuse and unauthorised commercial exploitation. In the first phase, traditional attires and ornaments of 10 tribes—Ao, Khiamniungan, Konyak, Lotha, Pochury, Phom, Rengma, Sumi, Tikhir and Zeliang—were documented, with the books released during the Statehood celebration in December 2025. The second phase expanded the project to the Angami and Sangtam tribes, with the documentation books released by the Chief Minister during the Independence Day celebration on August 15, 2026. The initiative is expected to serve as a valuable reference for researchers, scholars, artisans, designers, cultural institutions and tribal communities while promoting greater awareness and appreciation of Nagaland’s rich and diverse indigenous heritage.