All posts tagged: Local People

Meet Eyingbemo Ovung – Soulful Singer from Nagaland, Who Now Teaches Music To Young Aspiring Musicians in Delhi

Published by Shanmi

To discover your talent at a very young age is indeed a wonderful gift from God. When Eying discovered his true passion, he managed to keep up with certain obligations, didn’t waste his talent but developed it. Growing up with a strong passion for music, he was singing in his church choir and taking part in other musical activities, all through his childhood. His love and respect for music have brought him to where he is today. Now working far away from home, Eying still looks back to his life in Nagaland and teaches school kids in Delhi, all he learned as a child. We had a chat with Eyingbemo Ovung – a talented musician from Nagaland, who now teaches music to young aspiring musicians in Delhi. He talks about his roots and the many reasons he finds joy in his work. Read on to know more about him. Hello Eying! Do introduce yourself to our readers. Hello, my name is Eyingbemo Ovung. I was born and brought up in Kohima, Nagaland. After I finished school, I graduated …

Roots & Leisure Team Tours Wokha District in Nagaland to Cover “Tokhü Emong” Festival and Welcome The Famous Migratory Birds Amur Falcons

Published by Shanmi

“Tokhü Emong” is a post-harvest festival which is celebrated by the Lotha tribes in Nagaland. This year, the founders of Roots and Leisure will be traveling to Wokha district (home of the Lotha tribes) in Nagaland. We will be experiencing the festival first-hand and will take all our readers along for the ride – Tune in for LIVE video coverage from the tour and the festival on our Instagram page. This year, the festival starts from the 5th of November and goes on till the 7th of November at Wokha, Nagaland. It will host various local indigenous fun games like fire making, traditional karting, yodelling and more – with local Naga bands like De Band, Tune Up Channel from Mokokchung and more performing at the evening function. Banner set up for Tokhü Emong Festival in Wokha, Nagaland. | Photo by wethenagas Tune Up Channel, rock band from Mokokchung will be playing at Tokhü Emong Festival | Photo taken from Indihut Another exciting thing about this tour is the “Amur Falcon Festival” which will be happening this week from …

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Meet Devika Gurung from Sikkim Who Is Using Her Passion For Arts And Crafts To Empower The Underprivileged Women Of Her Hometown

Published by Vilina

Some of us go a whole lifetime before we know for sure what our true purpose, passion, and calling in life is. Devika Gurung, from Namthang, Sikkim, is one of the lucky ones who found hers in her 20s. She uses her skills in traditional knitting and weaving, which were passed down to her by her mother and grandmother, to empower underprivileged women in her home state. Let’s delve deeper into the story of this inspiring woman. We had the pleasure of speaking with Devika Gurung, founder of “Fidgety Fingers” – a project that empowers local women in Sikkim by teaching them traditional arts and crafts such as knitting and crochet. Devika shares with us her personal journey in discovering her life’s purpose and the challenges she faced along the way. Conversation with Devika Gurung, founder of ‘Fidgety Fingers’ – a project that empowers women in Sikkim to earn a living through art and crafts R&L: Hi Devika! Please introduce yourself, and tell us more about your journey that led to starting your own venture …

Winter Fashion For All Ages | Cosy Up And Take A Cue From These Stylish Local Folks from Kohima

Published by Arepla Jamir

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for friendly company and for invigorating conversations beside the fire – it is time for home.” ~ Edith Sitwell Nagaland during the winters is indeed the time of the year when all the towns and villages come alive. Most of the local folks – scattered across the globe flock homewards to celebrate the festive season with their families. Along with the festivities, winters also bring with it the much daunting chills with temperatures already reaching as low as 13° in Kohima (by Oct).In spite of the cold weather, the local folks in Nagaland are in high spirits in anticipation of the upcoming season of celebrations. With the chills already in the air and an ever-growing list of formal gatherings to attend, it’s almost time to get ready for the favorite season of the year – in true Kohima style – with our wardrobes!To help us get started, we reached out to some of our fashionable folks to give us a first taste of the latest fashion …

#FACES | “The Scene of the Local Boys Playing Against a Serene Backdrop Was a Surreal Moment For Me” – Saqlain Muran, Kashmir

Published by Shanmi

“This photo was taken in Indian administered Kashmir, in a place called Harwan in Srinagar. The time was 6:30 pm. As I tried to capture the beautiful landscape of the mountains with the sunset in the background, I noticed a group of local boys playing volleyball. They were in a paddy field that was converted to a playground. The boys were very engrossed in their match and were thoroughly enjoying the game. Little do they know how lucky they are to be away from the city noises. They are blessed to be in such a peaceful environment surrounded by such unmatched natural beauty. I thought about how Mother Nature never stops playing her role as she gives us the sweet voice of the birds and the leaves rustling in the breeze -all in perfect sync with the happy chatter of the boys. That whole scene felt so surreal .. I tried to capture that emotion I felt through this photograph . .” “The happy chatter of the boys against a breathtaking natural landscape felt so surreal and …

Award-Winning Photojournalist from Nagaland, Zhazo Miachieo Takes Us Through His Photojournal and His Coverage of “Floods in Nagaland”

Published by Vilina

Robert Capa, known as one of the greatest war photographer and photojournalist in the history once quoted, “If your photos aren’t good enough, then you’re not close enough.” True to these words, this young talented photojournalist Kekhriezhazo Miachieo from Nagaland has embarked on a journey different from many others. What sets him apart is his simple photographs that speak a thousand words as he unwinds a different emotion each time he clicks his shutter. R&L had a conversation with Zhazo Miachieo, a photojournalist, from Kohima, Nagaland about his journey, his recent series of work – “Floods in Nagaland” and more. Read on! It’s such a pleasure to have you with us Zhazo! Tell us a little bit about yourself. My name is Kekhrie Zhazo Miachieo and I’m from Kohima, Nagaland. I started off with a two-month long internship at Hindustan Times in New Delhi and that eventually led to a full-time job as a staff photojournalist for 1.5 years. Later, I joined India Today Magazine as a photojournalist in 2013 and continued till 2017. I now work as …

Rootsandleisure_Naga Traditional Mekhela

“We are Wearing Naga Traditional Mekhelas for Our Cultural Sunday in Pune”~ Aien

Published by Vilina

“In this photo, my friends and I are wearing Naga traditional mekhelas. It was our cultural Sunday at our Naga Christian Fellowship (NCF) in Pune. We love wearing mekhelas, so it was a great opportunity to showcase our lovely traditional attires. I am wearing an “Ao Naga” mekhela, which is usually blue and red in color (we do have it in other designs and colors). I got this mekhela from home. Most of the Naga students usually pack at least one traditional mekhela from home whenever they go outside Nagaland for their studies. Currently, I am pursuing my Bachelor of Arts at Abeda College in Pune.” ~ Aien from Nagaland [Buy Naga Traditional Mekhela on R&L Shop] Check out more on how young fashionable folks from Northeast India wear their traditional Mekhelas and Accessories [Shop Naga Traditional Jewellery and Mekhelas on R&L Shop]

Ziro Music Festival Special | A Chat With Takar Nabam, A Self Taught Musician From Itanagar Who Is All Set To Rock The ZFM Stage

Published by Nara Longkumer

For Takar Nabam, a musician from Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, music has been his best friend since he’s spent his school years away from home. He picked up the guitar, taught himself some tasty chops and mastered the main techniques and skills on stage at his school events. He’s now moved back home to help his parents, spend some time reconnecting with his roots, and is currently preparing to grace the stage at Ziro Festival of Music this year! Ziro Festival is one of the most talked about outdoor music festivals in India! Started in 2012, this four-day festival is now in its 7th edition. With music and performances by bands and talented musicians from all over the country and abroad, this festival is one that has to be experienced at least once for any travel, music or festival junkie. You can check out our coverage of Ziro Festival of Music 2017 and 2016 Today, we chat with musician, guitar player, singer-songwriter and performer, Takar Nabam as he prepares to perform with his band at Ziro Festival of …

#Faces | “I Wanted to Capture The Moment When This Mom (Who Runs a Homestay) Finally Gets Time to Piggyback Her Baby” – Abi Lama, North Sikkim

Published by Nara Longkumer

“I work for a travel company, so this was taken during one of our work visits to a homestay at Gnathang Valley which is at an altitude of 14,000 ft. The woman in the photo runs this warm homestay with her husband, who is posted in North Sikkim. In the picture is her baby Hissey, who is as adorable and caring as her mum. She had just finished serving us breakfast and I managed to take this picture of her and her baby. This picture, to me, really captures her warmth as well as her strength as a woman and as a mother. Because her husband works as a police officer in Sikkim, she runs this homestay by herself for the better part of the year. Gnathang Valley is such a remote place… life up here isn’t as easy as it looks, so just her unabashed zeal and commitment is truly inspiring.” ~ Abigial Lama “I felt like capturing those little moments, like when she gets time to piggyback her baby” – @AbigialLama

“My Grandfather’s and My Own Feelings of Nostalgia and Longing for Our Homeland in Nepal Inspires My Work” – Meet Graphic Artist Mayur Gurung from Himachal Pradesh

Published by Vilina

They say, ‘Home is where the heart is’ and today we speak to 25-year-old graphic designer, Mayur Gurung who is rooted to that motto. He feels that living away from his home in Himachal Pradesh has left a void in him identifying his language and culture. He hopes his art can bridge the gap between his longing memories for his community, and his memories of his home country of Nepal that rests in his heart and mind. We sat down with young, talented and inspiring graphic designer, Mayur Gurung from Himachal Pradesh. He talks to R&L about why he is so passionate about his roots, his inspiration for his gorgeous artwork and much more. Mayur, so nice to speak with you! Tell us a little bit about yourself. I am Mayur Gurung. I’m 25 years old from Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh. At present, I work in New Delhi as a graphic designer, both full-time as well as a freelancer. I also have other side projects where I feature elements from my Nepali culture. I am also very passionate …