A One-day gathering under the Naga Oral History Project - ‘Weavers of Empathy’ conducted by Project Empathy was held at Hotel Vivor, Kohima on 22nd November 2025, to bring together scholars, artists, musicians, educators, students, and community voices for an intimate exchange of stories, ideas, and reflections exploring how empathy is lived, practiced, and passed down in Naga Society, a space where Art, Culture, and Youth stand together to say to the world — Nagaland Cares.
Advisor to the Chief Minister, Nagaland, Chairman IDAN and Vice President AFI, Abu Metha who was the Chief Guest, while congratulating the Project Empathy for their excellent work and production said this gathering is contributing towards that aspiration, where our traditions, our way of life is kept alive, not only for ourselves, but also to share that knowledge with different communities and different parts of the world. He also recalled that he too belongs to the generation who grew up listening to stories by the fireside from his parents, grandparents and uncles and now trying to pass on whatever he knew and learned to his children and to the younger people, whenever he gets the opportunity.
He mentioned that the Naga society is a unique, special and different as we have a close-knit sense of community be it in times of celebrations, sorrow, joy or work that reflects the empathy of our society we have grown up in and how we continue to teach our coming generations these rich traditions, culture, heritage, the Naga way of life so it is not lost. He also stated that Naga society too have shortcomings, like tribalism a negative inheritance that has grapples our society, and therefore called upon today’s generation to combat and overcome this tribalism from our society for united, survival, thrive, success, excellence and recognition, he also urged to strengthen the pillar of unity through our traditions and empathy that we have learned from our previous generations.
He reflected that in today’s society, we often see, but we don't observe, hear, but don't listen, and emphasized that every face and eyes that we see has stories or experiences behind to tell, which are not spoken of or shared, therefore he reminded that we need to pause by putting ourselves in the other person's shoes to understand them better and feel more so that we learn empirical and share the works and message about the richness of Naga culture and Naga way of life not just to our community but also to the rest of the world community.
Abu Metha also shared about the times, when there would be discomfort for civilians to attend programs of army and military for obvious reasons, but today there is a space where the civil and military relationship is getting better by working as a team and collaborating in partnership after having learned from the past and from each other's mistakes and reasoned we can do much more, not just for ourselves, but for humanity today. He stressed that in today's world there are many tools and technologies despite connecting us, are also the ones that divide us again, polarize us, create divisions therefore emphasized the importance of empathy which is the tread and the treasure that connects, unites, that brings us together. He also acknowledged that Naga society is stepping up by overcoming challenges and hurdles not only to succeed, but to contribute for progress, humanity and for nation building.
Lt. General, Vikas Lakhera, AVSM, SM, Director General, Assam Rifles who was the Guest of Honour, in his address shared also about his long association with the people of Nagaland since his posting to Nagaland in 1993 as a young officer and narrated that difficult times, have made him realized that the power of love, compassion have given him a ray of hope, making him realize that we all are similar in every which way. He admitted that there may be anger for the past, but he had never witnessed hate ever in armament, however the dark and tough the times were, as he believes that heart devoid of hate, is the purest form of existence for human beings. He expressed “May God bless Nagaland, may you really understand how blessed you are to be born here. If you understand that, I think you will carry forward the legacy of your ancestors”. He also said “life is a real race, the baton is in your hand, pass it to the next generation, and the baton should always be carried ahead and to all others” and added we need to respect our past, for those who respect their past are destined to grow in the future.
Abeni TCK, Author and Designer who was the other Guest of Honour while congratulating ‘Weavers of Empathy’ said the project captured a journey that is not just about stories, but about people, way of life, memory and dignity, commitment in preserving ways that often remain unheard. She remarked that ‘Weavers of Empathy’ reminds us of the beauty and depth of Naga oral culture, where every story is a thread and every thread carries life and wisdom and this tradition passed on from generation to generation. She also added that the power of Naga Oral Culture lies in its ability to carry emotions, identity, history and also valuable information, we have done so far for century, through stories, songs, folktales and ancestral narratives, by preserving a living archive, rooted in community courage and a deep connection of our learning. She reminded that the stories are not just past memories, but they are a way of thinking, teaching, reconciling and that keep us together thus urging all to keep sharing our stories to keep us alive, and our stories live on long after we are gone from one generation to another.
Founder of Project Empathy, Vibha Lakhere in her welcome note highlighted that her project ‘Weaves of Empathy’ on empathy drew to seek the wisdom, about care, community and the belonging already living in everyday life of the Naga people that has become the seat for the project Naga Oral History and stories of empathy. She noted that the journey was not simple as it meant asking difficult questions, hearing truth that were layered, sometimes painful that carried generations of memories. But she stated that as some stories began to fade, she turned to the youths holding tradition in one hand and modernity in the other to document stories but listen with empathy.
The event also saw the screening of ‘Weaves of Empathy’ a documentary film of Project Empathy directed by filmmaker, Parasher Baruah. Exhibition Display of Naga tradition Tassle Dress and Painting, Discussion, Naga Oral Tradition live Storytelling/Singing, Display of photographs, artwork and paintings and artwork series.
(Maongtemjen, IA)
