Ukhrul: The Tangkhul Naga Wungnao Long (TNWL), the apex Tangkhul customary chiefs’ body Saturday in a statement said it is against the vulgar portrayal of the community and its culture during the Lai Haraoba during Lai Haraoba festival.
The chiefs’ body in the statement said, “We respect the belief systems of every community and any civilised is expected to be tolerant. However, the recently concluded Lai Haraoba, portraying the ritual Tangkhul Nurabi/Loutaba is distasteful. It presents the Tangkhul community in a very poor light. Such vulgarity as entertainment and art form is condemnable. Tangkhul community has a rich and beautiful culture with highly developed customary norms, laws and practices as indigenous peoples”.
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TNWL stressing the importance of culture and tradition and its nuances said, “Our textile is not just a piece of cloth. It carries stories and has meanings, significance, contexts and usages. Wearing our traditional attires and performing the most disrespectful and vulgar act removed from such meanings and significance is unacceptable and is an insult to our identity and history”.
It then warning of legal recourse for such misrepresentation, emphasized the need to be mindful of the value system of other communities, when presented in any form, rituals.