One of the first women to ever weave the Naga national flag, Lathon Kemp, passed away on the 5th of January,2021. The news of her death brings to mind the flag and the very important place it holds in the life of the Nagas. Although , it was hoisted for the first time on the 22nd of March in 1956 in the Parashen-Rengma region, the Nagas believe the flag to have a divine origin and not designed by any mortal.

The whole Naga struggle, it is purely because of the invasion by India...this here is our land, this is ours. The coming of the English language too has given us new terms to describe us, including the word “indigenous” which itself is a way of saying that we are under India and it distorted our definition of who we are. After the British invasion, India too thought of us as a weak people and that it has a sense of ownership over us that led to the making of the state. It was an opportunity for Nehru to show a backup plan by giving us statehood which we didn’t ask for.

Nini Lungalang is an important voice in Naga poetry. She taught English and classical music in Northfield School, Kohima, Nagaland. In the poem Dust, she voices the experiences of numerous Naga brothers and sisters who have lost their lives. 

This is what Monalisa Chankija had to say when we asked her how she views women's freedom in Naga society:

This song "Rise, Naga Woman" composed by Theyiesinuo Keditsu, music by Khyochano TCK and Topeni as soloist,  was chosen as the winner for the ‘State Theme Song for Women’ and was released by the State Resource Centre for Women (SRCW) under the aegis of the Nagaland State Social Welfare Board (NSSWB) during a program organised to observe the International Day for the elimination of violence against women.

The song speaks to Naga women and asks them to spread their wings and rise up against discrimination and inspire all of Nagaland and take them to a glorious future.