All posts filed under: NAGALAND

Explore Nagaland

Football Fans in Nagaland Gears Up For World Cup 2018

Published by Kumti

Northeast has always been open to the culture of sports and football has definitely been one of the most celebrated sports in this part of India. Nagaland has now rolled over to move a step ahead with the rest of the world in cheering for their favourite team this year and if you are a football fan, you would have surely noticed the houses hoisting the flags as well as cars passing by with proud waving flags of the country they are supporting. World Cup 2018 has definitely become a festivity rather than just a game. With the FIFA World Cup 2018 kicking in ,we spoke to some of the football fanatics from Nagaland sharing their memories from previous World Cup, and their thoughts on what is going to be the destiny for the team they are rooting for and more! Alem Aier, a teacher by profession, is a true Manchester United fan and says he is supporting Belgium this year. “My favourite memory last year was organizing the screening of final match at police point, …

Recipe of Nagaland’s Favorite Snack – Spicy Wai Wai Noodles

Published by Lidang

“Growing up in Nagaland, Wai Wai Instant noodles have always been a huge part of our lives. Our lifesaver in times of midday or midnight hunger – especially in hostels when we had no access to stoves in our rooms. Some like it raw and crunchy – mixed with meat or axone pickle; some like it cooked “Naga style” with a hot Raja mircha and some of us here crave for it first thing in the morning! With a hot cup of tea – especially on a cold rainy morning.” Today, we have a special and easy-to-make wai wai recipe – contributed by our friend from Nagaland, Lidang. Ingredients 1 packet Wai Wai noodles 1 small finely chopped onions 1 tablespoon dark soya sauce Green chillies/ Naga King chilli/ Chilli powder (as per your preference) 1 cup of chopped green veggies of your preference Directions to cook Boil 1 cup of water and put the chopped onions. After 5-8 minutes, add soya sauce and the wai wai masala and cook for some time again. Add …

Local Fashion Brand “Shipen-Shisang” from Nagaland Celebrates Women with Their Spring Summer ‘18 Collection

Published by Roots & Leisure

It’s the month of June, and the weather in Nagaland is becoming warmer.It rains occasionally – sometimes very fierce, but as the sky opens up after the showers of rain, temperature may soar as high as 30°C; maybe a little cooler at around 25°C in Kohima. But the overall mood is relaxed and summery – with the locals often paying a visit to the nearby ice cream parlor, a friend’s place or an evening out to check out the lineup of cafes/lounges that have recently popped up in various parts of the state. That’s when they dress up in their most comfy – yet stylish outfits to capture #Instagram-worthy clicks. Thank their stars, they have some talented fashion designers – along with the local boutiques, to gather to their never-ending pursuit for the trendiest outfits – that are uniquely and exclusively made for the local fashion tastes. Today we have the talented fashion designer/entrepreneur duo from “Shipen-Shisang”showcasing their Spring Summer ’18 collection. The talented sisters behind the brand have been dressing up the savvy dressers with …

Directions to Cook the Rice: Wash the rice and put it into a pressure cooker Pour hot boiling water and pressure cook for 20-25 mins Rice is ready! Ingredients For the chu

Recipe | Steamed White and Red Sticky Rice with Ginger and Axone Chutney

Published by Roots & Leisure

Sticky rice is another favorite of the people in Nagaland. It can be eaten simply as a rice substitute for meals, or as an afternoon snack. Usually eaten with a chutney, it is one of the best afternoon snacks to be relished with a hot cup of tea on a cold rainy day. There are a variety of sticky rice available in the region; the ones we have used here is a mix of white and red sticky rice, and the end result has a beautiful dark red finish. Ingredients: 3-4 cups of sticky rice(mix of white and red rice) 3-4 cups of hot boiling water Directions to Cook the Rice: Wash the rice and put it into a pressure cooker Pour hot boiling water and pressure cook for 20-25 mins Rice is ready! Ingredients For the chutney : 5-6 chunks peeled ginger (approx 3 inches) 1 small bowl of chunky axone (fermented soya beans) mixed with with chili flakes and salt 2-3 tablespoons of ground schezwan seeds (“mong mong” seeds) Directions to Make the …

Meet Naga Yogini Orentsani Kikon from Nagaland – Certified Yoga Instructor and a Fitness Inspiration for Many

Published by Tiarenla

Fitness is fast becoming a hot topic in Nagaland – with the young and old alike suddenly waking up to a healthy lifestyle. You can see a lot of local folks going out for a jog in the early hours, fitness centres and gyms opening doors in various parts of the state and conversations about fitness popping up during conversations over locally made green tea. Amidst this new wave, yoga and pilates are soon becoming hot topics of conversation – and has sparked a curiosity among the fitness enthusiasts. Being a recent trend, yoga is still a mysterious activity that the world seem to be obsessed with – for folks out here. Trust the youths to throw light into anything that’s trending and ought to be explored. Miss Orenstani Kikon, known as the Naga yogini is on a mission to share her passion, and with that, the benefits of Yoga with the local folks in Nagaland. We chat with her to know more about her journey and the initiatives she has set up in her hometown to enlighten the …

This Talented Pianist Wants to Enlighten Us on Naga Folk Music and Ethnomusicology | Meet Jaremdi from Nagaland

Published by Tiarenla

Music is food for the soul, so they say – and the Nagas are no doubt among the lucky ones who are blessed and with an innate and exceptional talent in this field. There’s a musician in almost every household in this part of the country but talent alone does not guarantee success; it needs to be backed sufficiently with persistence and a strong entrepreneurial drive to create a successful music career. Today we chat with one such lady who has all qualities that can potentially carve an enthralling musical career. Say hi to Jaremdi Wati Longchar from Nagaland, a seasoned pianist, who is working passionately towards a career in ethnomusicology. Hi Jaremdi, tell us something about yourself- your background and your musical journey Hi, I am 29 years old and I am currently based in Dimapur. However, I’ve lived half of my life in Kohima as well, so, I consider myself both a Dimapur and a Kohima girl. I am currently working towards building a career in ethnomusicology, which is basically the study of music …

Recipe of Banana Blossom Chutney from Nagaland

Published by Lidang

A Naga meal without a chutney can never make for a complete meal. At least in most of the households. Staying true to the Naga spirit, we have a special chutney made out of banana blossoms. Ingredients 2 banana blossoms(chopped and washed) One large tomato One large onion 1 ghost pepper or 3-5 green chillies(based on your preference) 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder 1 teaspoon chilli powder 1 tbsp oil Ingredients of the banana flower chutney (clockwise from left : chopped tomatoes, green chillies, finely chopped banana blossoms and chopped onions) Directions to cook Remove the first few layers of the banana blossom and chop the rest into fine pieces. Chop onions, chillies and tomatoes into thin slices Heat oil in a pan and sauté the onions. Now put the chopped tomatoes and chillies and stir fry for 5 minutes in medium flame Add the turmeric powder and chilli powder Once the oil separates, add the banana blossoms. Cook with lid on till it’s soft and tender. Once soft, remove the lid and cook till the …

Meet These Self-Taught Jewelry Makers from Nagaland

Published by Tiarenla

Remember Aben of “Aben Jewellery” – one of our first guests on Roots and Leisure? Thanks to people like her who has inspired many to follow her footstep and take up jewelry-making as a serious hobby and eventually turning it into a full blown venture from home. Over the last 2 years, we have seen hundreds of people joining this creative force to produce new forms of art in the form of handmade jewellery. Today our contributor Tiaren profiles some of them to understand the motivation behind their creative journey – and to take a peek into their collection. “After talking to some of my friends who have taken up jewellery-making as a hobby, I realize that one of the main motivations is to turn their innate talent and interest in creative art, from a hobby to now a means of financial security. It’s super inspiring to see how these talented determined individuals are taking their passion to the world by nurturing their love of all things local – especially their aesthetics taste, which can range from eccentric to minimalistic to over the top! …

Recipe of Mixed Vegetable Dish from Nagaland “Rosep Aon”

Published by Roots & Leisure

It is true that Naga food is especially popular for their non-vegetarian fare but we love our vegetables just as much. In fact no Naga meal is complete without a side of local vegetables in a variety of formats : raw, steamed, boiled, blanched and so on. Today’s recipe is another really popular mixed vegetable dish called “Rosep Aon” – a specialty of the “Ao” tribe in Nagaland. It’s a slow-cooked dish made of local vegetables with bamboo shoot juice. Scroll down below for the full recipe! Ingredients: 500 gms of young furled taro leaves (of the Colocasia plant) 250 gms of Mejanga/Sichuan pepper leaves 100-200 gms of bitter eggplant (“Likok” in Ao dialect) 1 cup of bamboo shoot juice 10-15 green chillies – split vertically into 2 each Some dried fish for flavor Handful of garlic chives for garnish (optional) Salt to Taste Water as required Young furled taro leaves (photo below) Mejanga/Sichuan pepper leaves (Photo below) Bitter eggplant (photo below) Bamboo shoot juice (Photo below) Green Chillies (Photo Below) Directions to Cook: Put all …

Fashion Designer Lusano Zakiesato Gives a Modern Twist to Naga Traditional Symbols with Her Spring Summer Collection 2018

Published by Roots & Leisure

No doubt that Northeast India has some of the most creative talents and yet, the most intriguing part is their originality – so pure and raw – and often tells a story that is deeply linked to their roots, that they are most proud of. This storytelling coupled with unique designs that makes your heart flutter and inspires you enough to wear their creations – or create one of your own – with your own story weaved into them. These are the things that has a strong presence in this Spring Summer 2018 collection by Lusano Zakiesato, a fashion designer from Nagaland. This petite designer has come a long way since her first collection in 2014. “My latest collection is a modern take on Nagaland inspired details on everyday comfortable casuals for summers” says the designer. Here she showcases her SS18 collection, that brings to life an intricate dream that can only be made in the local heaven of Nagaland. “I’ve been studying and seeing some amazing traditional inspired designs created by our very own local designers from …