'Experience the Naga Kitchen' in Chedema

Vishü Rita Krocha 
Kohima | August 17

Enhancing the tourist experience in Nagaland, an initiative under the banner, "Experience the Naga Kitchen" in Chedema has been providing tourists with an authentic cultural experience while preserving and sustaining the rich Naga cultural identity. 

Initiated by Dr. Keneilhoulie Medom who studied Rural Tourism from Mongolia and wears many hats as a musician, entrepreneur and Anesthesiologist & Managing Director of KOHIMAS Hospital, Kohima, the initiative has also been empowering youngsters, widows and unemployed women by creating income opportunities through the promotion of Naga cuisine and heritage. 

Located just a couple of kilometres away from Kohima town, Chedema was where a distinguished faculty of doctors from Mumbai, Manipur and Sikkim headed to, for a unique cultural immersion experience on the evening of August 16.

The guests were in Nagaland for an intensive first-of-its-kind "Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Conference cum Live Workshop" organised by Department of Surgery, Putuonuo Hospital Kohima, Nagaland in collaboration with Plastic Surgery Foundation & Association of Surgeons of Nagaland from August 15-16 at Hotel Vivor and Putuonuo Hospital Kohima.

Need to revive the Naga Culture

In anticipation of the guests, two youths from Chedema, Ruokuovotuo Kiwe and Medovizo Chakrüno, currently managing the "Experience the Naga Kitchen Project" related to The Morung Express that it gives them a sense of pride to share unique aspects of the Naga culture with travellers. 

The two youths are also neighbours in the village and interestingly, both of them taught in a mission school in Nepal for about a year before joining the Radiant Protection Force in Chennai where they served as security guards till the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

It was only upon returning home that they also realised that, "we are losing a lot of our culture." Especially acknowledging Dr. Keneilhoulie Medom for his keen interest in reviving Naga culture in Chedema village through the initiative, they said, "we are not only able to give people a unique Naga experience but we are also learning a lot more about our own culture."

They also exuded hope that more young people would involve themselves in the revival of Naga culture. 

Highlighting what happens at the "Experience the Naga Kitchen", Ruokuovotuo Kiwe said that travellers get the real experience of sitting inside a Naga kitchen, where organic food sourced locally are being prepared besides being witness to folk group performances including folk songs and dances in cultural attires. 

One of the common feedbacks has been that of Naga culture being so unique. "So far we have been getting a lot of positive response. They enjoy the organic food and we feel proud about that", Ruokuovotuo Kiwe articulated. 

As far as possible, "we treat them to Ura special", he added while highlighting that they usually buy local chicken from a fellow villager or vegetables from the farmers in the village.

"We have many unemployed youths or widows and women who are also struggling to make ends meet, and this project is helping many of us in the village to earn an extra income", he further impressed upon. 

Ever since the project took off, they have organised about 7 events, passing on the Naga experience to people from different places and various walks of life right in the heart of Chedema village.

'Supporting local communities and preserving traditions'

Observing that tourists are now visiting Nagaland throughout the year and not only during Hornbill Festival, Dr. Keneilhoulie Medom shared that the initiative was conceptualized to enable tourists to experience and see the culture and tradition of the Nagas at any time of the year. 

While one of the objectives is to boost tourism in Nagaland beyond the festival season, he highlighted that it is also to showcase the rich Naga culture and diversity while emphasising on supporting local communities and preserving traditions at the same time. 

Even as the "Experience the Naga Kitchen" initiative enables tourists to savour traditional Naga cuisines, it also gives both tourists and local communities the opportunity to learn more about the Naga culture and traditions. 

Tourists also get to interact with the locals decked in traditional attires and participate in folk performances and dances besides getting to wear traditional attires themselves to experience the rich heritage of Nagaland. 

While the local community of Chedema village has been doing this on their own so far, Dr. Keneilhoulie Medom further urged for the support of the government in this endeavour of promoting the Naga culture by way of building a proper Naga Kitchen, morungs and a hall that can be used for cultural exchange programmes.