The story of Naga literature is not particularly well-known. Among the pioneer Naga writers are Easterine Kire, Temsula Ao, Nini Lungalang, and Monalisa Changkija, whose works are well received regionally, nationally, and internationally. Their writings have paved the way for Naga literature to travel beyond borders.
In the last decade, the literary scene in Nagaland has indeed grown, but sparsely. In 2011, the Nagaland state government organised the Hornbill Literature Festival as part of the famed Hornbill Festival, which ran for a couple of editions before it eventually stopped, much to the disappointment of the literary community.
The children of Kohima were probably the happiest when Bookaroo, the first, largest and the only multi-city children’s literature festival in India, made its foray into North East India with Kohima in October 2018, bringing 21 speakers from different parts of the country to engage children in several fun sessions and activities.
In 2018,…