Status Of Naga Indigenous Knowledge of Crafts and Arts and Its Relevance in Education

Shitire, Chideno1, Yeptho, Vivi2, Yadav, Surendra3

1Research Scholar, Department of Teacher Education, Nagaland University

2Research Scholar, Department of Teacher Education, Nagaland University

3Assistant Professor, Department of Teacher Education, Nagaland University

Abstract

Art and crafts have always been a part of Naga culture which have been a strong pillar to the tribal society, not only as a part of culture but also a way of sustaining their living in many ways. The skills and work are inherited from the forefathers from generations to generations of skilled craftsmen.  The richness of raw materials and the inherent skills of the tribal craftsperson has played an important role in creating and sustaining a rich cultural heritage of the Naga culture, where art and craft is a big part of it. With the start of formal education and schooling, the importance of learning the skills of craft and arts from the elders decreased. At present, very few young people know the art of crafts, weaving, basket making, pottery etc. though it has always been part and parcel of the Naga society. The study aims to examine the present-day relevance of art and craft in education with reference to the Naga society. The research method for the study is based on the secondary sources, where the researchers consulted various resources from books, articles, research papers and newspapers. The revival of art and craft in recent times has not only instilled in the people the importance and value of craft and arts but also allowed the tribal craftsman and artist to revive their work and also earn as he produces. NEP 2020 talks about art-integration as a pedagogical approach that utilizes various aspects and forms of art and culture as the basis for learning of concepts across subjects. Art-integrated approach will strengthen the linkages between education and culture. (4.7, NEP 2020). 

Keywords: Art, Craft, Naga, NEP 2020, Indigenous

Impact statement

Arts and crafts have always been a part of Nagas culture which have sustained the society from generation to generations. The richness of raw materials and the inherent skills of the tribal craftsperson has played an important role in creating and sustaining a rich cultural heritage of the Naga culture. With the start of formal education and schooling, the importance of learning the skills of craft and arts from the elders decreased. At present, very few young people know the art of crafts though it has always been part of the Naga society. The study examines the present-day relevance of art and craft in education with reference to the Naga society. The revival of art and craft has not only instilled in the people the importance and value of craft and arts but also allowed the tribal craftsman and artist to revive their work and also earn as he produces. 

About Author

Ms. Chideno Shitire is a Research Scholar in the Department of Teacher Education at Nagaland University. 

 Ms. Vivi Yeptho is also a Research Scholar in the same department and campus. 

 

Dr. Surendra Yadav is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Teacher Education at Nagaland University. He holds qualifications including M.Sc. in Mathematics, M.Ed., UGC-NET-JRF in Education  and a Ph.D. in Education from Banaras Hindu University (2018). His areas of specialization and interest include Methods of Teaching Mathematics, Teacher Education, Measurement and Evaluation, Research Methodology, and Educational Statistics. 

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