Press Release: 11 December 2011

Screenings of  “Man Tiger Spirit”, an animated folk-tale 

Following the recent premiere screening at the Hornbill Festival 2011 in Nagaland, Tara Douglas, British animator and Secretary of the Adivasi Arts Trust was invited to screen the short animation film “Man Tiger Spirit” at the Wondang-ki Charitable Foundation, an orphanage in Fellowship Colony, Dimapur.
The film is just six minutes long and it captures a story about man's connection with nature and the supernatural.  Tara has worked for the past year to complete the animation film with local help from Nagas for animation, music and character voices, and with support from the State Government, Planning and Art and Culture Departments.

The screening event was held on Sunday 11 December for fifteen girls living at the Wondang-ki centre, aged from 4-17 years old.   The girls also watched a collection of tribal animation films from Central India that each showcase a different indigenous artistic style and they voted to choose their favorite film.  “I am from here and I connected with the background colours and the music of the Naga folktale as they were familiar.  This is why I happened to connect to it”, commented the Director of the Centre, Mr. N.T. Kikon.  He then went on to explain his background, how the centre had been established and his mission to help girls who he felt are the most vulnerable, by providing education.

The next stop for the animation film was to be the Kids Worship Centre in Walford, Dimapur later that afternoon.  After the worship programme by Robert Longkumer, about 25 young people sat down to watch the animation programme.  In the interaction that followed, they expressed that they enjoyed watching the animation films and were glad to know of the tribal folktales from Central India.  The one from Nagaland was a story none of them had heard before, and they listened attentively to Tara’s plea for folktales from Naga tribes for future animation films, in agreement that it was a good idea.

The Adivasi Arts Trust would like to thank Russell Humtsoe for arranging the programme today.

Theatre in Nagaland

The National School of Drama (NSD) (http://nsd.gov.in) became an independent organisation under the Ministry of Culture in 1975.  It is now one of the most important theatre education resource centres in India with special facilities for arranging and conducting children’s theatre activities in North East India to stage plays that encourage children to raise questions, take decisions and make choices. 

The North East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC) in Dimapur collaborates with NSD for regular theatre workshops for children, and in August 2011 a month long workshop was held in Medziphema in Nagaland for children from St Frances De Sales Higher Secondary School.  The workshop was led by Mr. Alopi Verma, a Director and Art Director in films and TV serials.  Mr. Verma had come with a play but he soon realized that it was not relevant, and a new play “Freedom of Choice” was evolved with inputs from Assistant Directors Mr. Zhokhoi Chakhesang and Mr. Boavi Swu from a local organisation, Dreamz Unlimited. 

I accompanied the Joint Director of NEZCC, Mr. Talinokcha for the opening performance of “Freedom of Choice”, at SASRD Auditorium in Medziphema.    The venue was packed to maximum capacity, the play received a lot of appreciation from the audience and the young actors were clearly absorbed in their performance, but in Nagamese language I was unable to grasp the immensely popular jokes that caused so much amusement. 

This was the first time I had heard of theatre in Nagaland, and impressed by the unanimous appreciation the play received, I wanted to find out more and I arranged to meet Mr. Tiakumzuk Ao (Tia), President of Dreamz Unlimited. Tia tells me that NSD first came to Nagaland in 2001.  More workshops were held in 2002 and 2003, and in 2008 Tia auditioned for a 45 day residential workshop, in which Ibsen’s “Doll’s House”, was translated and performed in Nagamese.  This led to setting up Dreamz Unlimited, and more plays  - Moliere’s “Scabin, the Scoundrel” and “Technicolour Dreams”, a play evolved by Naga students that spoke of contemporary Naga issues such as corruption. 

The objectives of Dreamz Unlimited are to bring Nagaland onto the map of theatre, to make a positive change in society and to preserve folk stories and culture through theatre.  To date there have been no major roles for Nagas in mainstream Hindi films (Bollywood), where aspiring Naga actors are likely to face racial discrimination.   “Although Nagas are making advances in technical fields they are still not encouraged to consider a career in acting”, explains Tia. 
As the name suggests this is also the theme of “Freedom of Choice”.  In the play, children wanted to choose their own profession but there is still pressure from the older generation to acquire secure government employment.  “Youngsters perceptions are changing and they want to follow their own dreams and make their own choices.  In the play, the father was poor and he wanted his children to perform well in exams and aim for senior positions in government offices.  The play was divided into separate stories infused with themes that are relevant to society here; for example wealthy people who do not help others and messages of civic sense.  The audience really enjoyed the characters in the play based on the stereotypes we see here.  When the father died, his son left home and joined an Underground faction to become a big man with money.  These situations exist in Nagaland”, explains Tia.

Regarding options for actors in Nagaland I am told that film-makers for Doordarshan have started approaching the small organisation for actors for their productions, but as yet there is no satellite TV channel for the Northeast region.   Serials are shown on the Kohima channel (Doordarshan) from 5-7pm.  Other channels are Doordarshan Northeast and NETV, both from Assam. 

Tia has noticed changes over the past few years.  In 2007 an indigenous folk fusion group, Abiogenesis collaborated with Dreamz Unlimited and NEZCC for a theatre show, and in 2009 the indigenous production, “Technicolour Dream” was performed at the Hornbill Festival.  “Traditional dances are always the same young people want something new”, he remarks.

Within three years Dreamz Unlimited will be eligible for government support.     

Animation film production in Nagaland

This visit to Nagaland for the production of a short animated folktale is coming to an end; I am leaving late on Friday night for Delhi on the Rajdhani train.  It has been a highly productive time and I extend deepest thanks to the North East Zone Cultural Centre for that.  The Centre provided the best support available - a large airy office (with the designation “research officer” above the door), backup power supply during office hours, broadband internet and residential accommodation. 

The location of the Centre, four miles from Dimapur on the airport road, is ideal for a dedicated researcher in need of a peaceful, green, tranquil place to work that is completely away from the world.    But the best part is that NEZCC is an active institution with at least 20 staff pursuing their objective of promoting culture from the Northeast region.  During my two month sojourn many interesting visitors have come to the Centre including artists, animators, journalists and researchers.  I attended several cultural events organised and sponsored by the Centre including a film release, traditional dance performances and a play.  I have also observed the support extended by the Centre to talented young people in Nagaland through collaborative projects and workshops.

A forward thinking leader is clearly of immense benefit to an organization, and appreciation is expressed for the Director of NEZCC, Mr. Som Kamei, whose sincerity and helpfulness and is reflected in the friendly working atmosphere. 

It was my excellent luck that there happened to be an empty old house that had accommodated the director until a new residence was built.    This guesthouse became my home, and it offered the peace and independence that I cherished.  Meals were prepared by the girls who run the canteen; I would go to the staff quarters twice a day – at 8.30am and again at 8.30pm - to eat my daily plates of rice, and sometimes Lereni would cook a special dish from the Lotha tribe for me.

There are additional pleasures to be had from staying at NEZCC.   In the hot, humid summer season of the plains, a river, twenty minutes walk further along the bumpy lane through Diphapur village, offers a refreshing dip, and opposite the NEZCC compound is the “Stone Park”, a garden walk through a collection of modern Indian stone sculptures, the highlight of which is a tree house in the middle, made in the “Karbi” style.

The animation film

Three dimensional models were created by using sophisticated computer software.  These were textured and rigged and they were place in scenes that were composed to match the storyboard for the film.  Lights, forces, dynamics and environmental properties were applied and the animation was key framed.  Each scene has now been rendered at low resolution and over a hundred shots have been place on a timeline in sync with a scratch dialogue track to create the rough cut of the five minute long animated folktale from Nagaland.  

It was not possible to find a local animator available during this time with sufficient experience to assist with the 3D interface.  My friend Oyimpong Imchen had promised to help a year ago, but in the meantime had secured a full time Government job in Kohima as a Graphic Designer with the Department of Health and Family Welfare.  To include some animation made by Nagas in the film, two short sequences of about ten seconds each will be done by hand using stop motion and sand animation techniques. 

The title sequence will be created by using cowrie shells.  This idea came from traditional Naga textiles and  embellished with cowries.  The shells were acquired in Delhi and they were given to “Along”, the chawkidar at NEZCC from the Konyak tribe, to file flat. It was clearly an arduous job because it took him several weeks to file a handful, but they are now ready to be placed against the background of an Angami Naga shawl.  Designs will be created and single frames captured as the shells are animated by Russell Humsoe back in Delhi;  Russell participated in the Animation Workshop held in 2009 for developing the film where he had tested the cowie shell technique.

The climax sequence of the film will be created using sand animation to give a shadowy look.  In the macabre shot, a dog enters from the left and comes towards camera, barking. The Spirit character reaches out, plucks out an eye and transfers it to Man, limiting his vision forever so that he is no longer able to see in the dark or see Spirit anymore.  It has been agreed that this sequence will be animated by Akanito Assumi (Aki), who is a graduate from the National Institute of Design (NID), and co-founder of “Design Stash”, a design company in Dimapur. Students of NID are encouraged to experiment with artistic techniques.  Aki has participated in a group project that used sand as a medium for creating animation while he was a student, and he is eager to do it again.    Difficulties that he will face include unavailability of specialized equipment (such as cameras, adaptors and cables) in Nagaland and the erratic power supply. 

I will be completing the cgi animation in Delhi.  With a deadline rapidly approaching (Mid November, ready for the premiere screening at the Hornbill Festival in early December), I am not willing to depend on the intermittent power supply in Dimapur.  I will have to utilize as much computer time as possible to be able to have the film ready and over the past two months progress has inevitably been delayed by long, frequent “load shedding”.    Approximately 6000 frames will now have to be “polished”  by adjusting rigging, timing, lighting, shading, cameras and dynamic properties, going through the film scene by scene  and rendering to see the results.  Experience has shown that the final resolution of 1024x576 pixels works well.    The scenes will be rendered in layers with characters, effects and backgrounds processed separately and composited using After Effects.  Many of the backgrounds are created using Vue Infinity which is a software that requires a lot  of computational power to produce impressive images of landscapes mapped with Naga textiles and “populated “with trees, bamboo and boulders. 

Challenges faced in the 3D environment have been to create “hair” and cloth textures.  Having tested Paint Effects for the hair for the tail of the Spirit and not achieved acceptable results this has now been replaced by a “dynamic clump of hair follicles”  that are affected by properties of gravity, drag and turbulence, giving a more gracious movement to the tail as it “swishes” about.

The ugly irregularities of the two cloth sashes with attached red hairy tassels that are a key element to the traditional Angami costume still need to be addressed, and if I am unable to achieve a satisfactory look, I will have to engage expertise, probably in Pune or Mumbai.

Final voice recordings were made in Kohima.  Clef Ensemble, the only sound studio available in Kohima was hired for four hours to record dialogues for the film in English and in Angami languages, with voices provided by Ketuoravi-ü Marina, Vikehielie Justin Pienyü and Oyimpong Imchen.  Marina also recorded three traditional Angami folk songs that she has chosen as appropriate for the film and samples will be turned into a “fusion mix” with technical inputs from Richard Belho (Zyronique) to give rhythm and mood to the film.

Indigenous faith in Nagaland

The Zeliangrong people comprise three associated tribes (Zeliang, Liangmei and Rongmei) that live in South Nagaland and parts of Manipur (Tamelong District) and Assam and they share cultural similarities.   The 29th of August is remembered by the Zeliangrong as the day that Haipou Jadonang became a martyr eighty years ago to the cause of independence from the British.

Jadonang was born in 1905 as the second of three sons in a family of modest means.  From childhood there was something unusual about him; He would sleep for several days continuously, and on waking up to find his family mourning for him, he would tell them that he had been disturbed from his dialogue with God.  It was also noticed that he talked to himself and whenever he predicted events in the future they came true.  The rare flowering of bamboo and the rodent infestation it brings is feared as a time of famine.  But when the bamboo flowered, young Jadonang told people not to worry but to sacrifice a mithun (buffalo) instead to God.  They listened to him, and they were saved from the terrible fate of starvation.  Jadonang was also a spiritual healer with the ability to cure many illnesses and everyone concluded that he had special spiritual powers.  

At that time, the British ruled both Assam and Manipur, and in 1927 charismatic Jadonang mobilized the people and declared “Naga Raj” implying freedom from British domination.   He was first arrested in 1928 and imprisoned for three days.  On 19 February 1931 he was arrested for the final time in the Kachar Hills.  He had visited the mystic Bhuvan cave with his young female follower, Rani Gaidinliu, and he had received a premonition of his impending death.  The invitation for a discussion turned out to be a trap and he was jailed and hung to death.  After his arrest Rani Gaidinliu took his place in the fight for independence. 

During his time, Jadonang did not receive much recognition but his impact is still felt today.    He insisted on preservation of culture, religion and identity and to unite his people on one platform he built temples, beginning with the first in his own village. There are now 12 houses of worship known as Kalum Kai in Assam, Manipur and Nagaland where followers come and worship on the full moon and on every Sunday.  “The time in which Jadonang lived was a time of backwardness and he spoke the language of the people.  He was intellectual, and he was ahead of his time.  His songs, hymns, dances and costume designs have made the Zeliangrong culturally great”, points out Som Kamei, Director of the North East Zone Cultural Centre and Chief Guest at a commemorative event held in Dimapur in honour of Jadonang.  He adds that “to nurture solidarity the Government recognizes and promotes Jadonang as a freedom fighter, and in general, we are all proud of the freedom fighter of the Nagas, although he has also inspired insurgent activities.   He sacrificed himself for his people and country.”

The religion advocated by Jadonang was the cult of Heraka, also known as Tingkao Ragwang Chapriak (TRC).   Tingkao Ragwang literally means “supreme God of the sky” and he is the supreme deity of the Zeliangrong tribes.  Beyond time and space, he is believed to be “eternal, good, the source of life, the giver and ultimate goal of the human soul, source of holiness, architect of man’s destiny and source of knowledge and wisdom.”[1]

---

[1] Gangmumei Kamei:  The Zeliangrong Primordial Religion, Imphal 2005, pp 5-6

Meetings with animators and artists

“It is high time that digital media technology came to Nagaland!”

 

Moasenla Jamir read about the 3 day Animation Workshop at the Nagaland Institute of IT and Multimedia in the newspaper, and she decided to meet the resource person, Tara Douglas.  She left Kohima on 27^th August with her mother, Dr. Watikala, and they reached the institute by late morning. 

Moasenla has studied outside Nagaland - in Chennai, Bangalore and she finally specialized in animation from Delhi.  “It is high time that digital media technology came to Nagaland!” She observed.  “I have always been interested in folktales, even before I got into animation.  Because I studied outside I am aware of these things and I am now taking interest in our culture.    Animation is a very sophisticated way of portraying culture and presenting it in a more visually interesting way”.

Moasenla is presently working on six episodes of public service announcements, each a minute long, for the Department of Health and Family Welfare.   She explains that the topics were given to her and she then spent a month doing medical research around the subject, before preparing a script for the series.  The script was approved and she has been working on the production since April, with a delivery deadline in September for the completed 2D animation.

“I would be interested in working on stories from 16 tribes.  Once this current project is over, we plan to visit all the places mentioned in the Ao folktale of Jina and Etiben, as I am considering making it into a film.  It would probably have to be done in live action with actors first and when a team has been established it could be adapted for 3D animation.” 
“There are lots of folktales that my mother and grandparents know that would be interesting in 3D animation, though first she needs her team.  I support her fully in her work;  At the moment we are constructing a building in Kohima and we have already promised the top floor to my daughter to use as her studio”, adds Dr. Waltikala, who is the Joint Director of the Government Department of Health and Family Welfare, and is presently serving as the Chief Medical Officer for Phek District. 

“I have a tug of war going on,” says Moasenla.  “I am feeling a bit claustrophobic knowing about all those big studios out there.  It is too early to be a one man team!  During my training as an animator we were a group of 25 students in each batch, but there were only 3 or 4 girls.  That gender issue is prevalent.   Here it is very male dominated and it will take years to shed the conditioning.  Girls do not have the exposure or the confidence that comes with it.  Here the whole thing is the government.  Right from the beginning I decided that I did not want to be part of the government franchise.  It is high time to break the mould; In fact, there should be a campaign on this topic!” declares Moasenla, adding that when you do something outside on your own, you enjoy it. 

I was impressed by Moasenla’s attitude and I requested her to address the participants of the workshop: She agreed without a moment’s hesitation.  “You need support from your families because animation is new here.  You are the first batch of animation students and there is an advantage to being the first as you are pioneers.  You need sincerity, commitment and dedication and it all depends on your interest.  Seventy five percent of what I know is self taught; Maya is very vast software and you have just seen one layer in this workshop.  You will need 4-5 years of coaching and it might help to download tutorials from the net.   You must also develop your own technique of working and you have to start to think out of the box.  The hardest thing is to apply what you learn and this is why it is so creative.  Experiment with the software and remember that it is just a tool and that you need creativity to convey your message through it.  I was interested in animation even as a schoolgirl.      I have always been into cinematography.  In our group project at Picasso Animation College, I was the cinematographer.  My instructors advised me to watch a movie everyday with the volume turned down, because before handling the software you need to know how a story works, and then when you master the software you can apply it to the story.   There are resources and organizations ready to support animation here, but you need to arm yourselves with the skills to implement it.  I feel strongly about it here in Nagaland.  There is hardly any one for me to form a team with, but if we can catch up again in a few years and work as a team that will be really good!”

Press Release: Animation Explosion, 3 day Workshop in Animation at the Nagaland Institute of IT and Multimedia, Naharbari, Dimapur.

A three daylong event to introduce young people in Nagaland to the medium of animation as a tool to explore and preserve culture began today at the Nagaland Institute of IT and Multimedia in Dimapur.    Titled “Animation Explosion” the workshop is providing exposure to a variety of artistic styles of animation, though it focuses on 3D.  Mrs Chanmayo G. Aier, (Advocate) was invited as the Chief Guest for the inauguration and a welcome address was given by Dr. Rongsenrenla, the Academic Advisor for the Institute.  “Today animation has captured our imagination” she declared, and she encouraged the participants reminding them that animators can command high salaries in an industry that is expanding in India because of outsourcing from Western countries where production is much more costly. 

Tara Douglas, the leading resource person for the workshop, was invited to give an overview of animation. First she explained how she became involved in animation and she spoke of the benefits of job satisfaction that an animator experiences.  She also pointed out that the first 3D animation studio in Nagaland has in effect been set up right here at the Institute, and she urged the group to make the most of the opportunity and to ask for a three month orientation course in computer generated 3D animation as a follow up to the brief introduction offered in this workshop.    Tara informed them that she had volunteered for this workshop as she has been working in Nagaland to make an animation film of  a local folktale and had found it difficult to find Naga animators to assist in the project.  She explained that this first short film is just a sample of what can be done with local resources, and she intimated that it might be appropriate to produce an animated folktale from each of the 16 tribes.  “Funds can be applied for, interest has been expressed for such a project, but we also need to know that we have the ability to do it.  A team is required for it”, she concluded.

Mrs. Aier recollected her own experiences and the decision of her peers not to go for government jobs rather preferring to become their own boss.  She also spoke of a legacy that the group will leave behind through the work ahead and instructed them to be fearless and not put off by hard work,  posing the tentative question as to how many would take it on as a means to express themselves and Naga society.  She explained that Nagas are still a young society, with previous generations engaged in hard agricultural work.  She expressed confidence that Tara’s association with Adivasis through the Trust will lead to sensitivity in the adaptation of culture and she reminded everyone that the Adivasis in Central India are in a more vulnerable situation than Nagas, who still maintain their land rights.  While Nagas can earn their bread through animation they should also bring some of their philosophy to the world through it.  Mrs. Aier reminded the group that of global competition and expressed her hope that more people come and share technology for the benefit of Naga people. 

Mr. Imtiba Pongen, a finalist in Naga Idol 7 entertained the group with a romantic song, and refreshments were served. 

During three days participants will have screenings of animation films made by masters of the profession.  They will also be exposed to indigenous animation films made in other countries and they will engage in practical sessions in 2D cut-out animation, stop-motion animation and computer generated 3D.

The Adivasi Arts Trust would like to thank local collaborators at the Nagaland Institute of IT and Multimedia for organizing a very successful opening day to the Animation Explosion event.

Meetings with artists and animators

My name is Throngkiuba Yimchungrü, but I am also known as Athrong for short.  I am 20 years old and I am an art student studying at the Indian College of Arts and Draftsmanship in Kolkata.  In 2009 I participated in the State Art Exhibition in Nagaland, and in 2010 I was selected in a national competition to participate in a group show organised by ICCR in Kolkata.  In 2011 I was honoured with the Young Talented Artist Award by the North East Zone Cultural Centre (Government of India).

I am from the Yimchungrü tribe in Eastern Nagaland.  Our culture has changed so much and we are losing touch with our heritage.  Unfortunately I do not know of any other artists from my community nor am I familiar with our folktales.  I use charcoal, pencil, acrylic, oil, watercolour – even dental tools and any other materials that I can find around in my creative activities.  I am mostly inspired by political and social corruption in my art, and I really appreciate classical paintings. 

My ambition is to achieve my Bachelors Degree in India and then perhaps to study abroad for my Masters.  When I am fully qualified, I will work to promote my people and culture through the field of art and in that way I will also be contributing for a better Nagaland. 

It was instinct that inspired me to take up art.  I grew up without a father and my childhood was not easy.  My mother had to bring up five of us alone and this hardship continues to shape me as an artist.  I began taking art seriously after a motorbike accident in 2009 which limited my mobility for a while and I began practicing art for up to nine hours a day.   At first my family discouraged me from art, but now they support me fully.   My mother has a lot of intuition and now I am also developing the ability to interpret dreams. 

So far I have not tried using digital tools or animation in my artwork, but I look forward to getting into this after I have achieved my degree.  For the time being, I am totally into painting and sculpture. 

I have joined the Adivasi Arts Trust so that I can meet other artists and get involved in more projects in the future.  I am starting by illustrating some Yimchungrü folktales.

Independence Day in Nagaland

I ought to make a point of learning the words to the Indian National Anthem.  Having never participated in anything nationalistic before, it was an interesting experience to stand in solidarity with the staff of the North East Zone Cultural Centre early on Monday morning for the flag raising ceremony to commemorate Indian Independence, though when it came to the National Anthem, the best I could do was hum along. I hadn’t even noticed the flag pole standing in front of the Centre before, and now there was a colourful crowd gathered respectfully in front of it.  With impressive back up from the home guard,  the Director of the Centre, Mr. Som Kamei, dressed in formal suit and tie saluted the flag as it unfurled, and I reflected on other possible ceremonies of this style that might be taking place today, and the flags receiving salutes from senior representatives of the Indian Government.

I looked around at my companions; the crowd consisted of the families of the staff of NEZCC – wives dressed in their Sunday best and children in fluffy, frilly white dresses - but there was also a special Naga flavour provided by cultural troupes that had been invited and were decked out in their bright tribal costumes.  The cultural programme was inaugurated with a prayer by Rev. Lipok Jamir from the Ao Baptist Church and it was followed with a speech by the Director.  The Lotha Students Union from Diphupar performed a harvest dance in which Lotha Naga maidens sing a song that gives signals to their admirers about their ability, beauty and strength, and the message that they will be inspired to be as loyal as the Hornbill bird.  The Rongmei cultural dance by the Tragopan Cultural Club that followed is usual during the post harvest festival.  I was surprised and pleased to meet Lani, a student from the Rongmei tribe who had participated in the animation workshop organised in 2009.

I hear that Nagaland Independence Day is remembered on 14 August.  The Naga National Council (NNC) became the umbrella organization for the fight for Naga independence, declaring independence for Nagaland the day before India declared Independence from the British in 1947. Angami Zapu Phizo was elected NNC president in 1950.  Charles Chaisie writes:  “S.S. Khaplang, Th. Muivah and Isaac Swu broke away from the NNC and formed their own National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) in January 1980. The Accordists, as they came to be called, were, literally, hounded by those who opposed it and several killed.  But, differences within the NSCN split the organization further into the Khaplang faction and the Isaac-Muivah group in 1988”, adding that  “…by the turn of the present decade, the Naga Undergrounds were divided into four factions.”  Over the weekend the local newspapers have carried emotional declarations by the members of the “Underground” factions about poignant Naga issues that have fuelled insurgent activities for decades.    On this day in memory of India’s independence from British rule, what are the implications of Naga independence?  B.G. Verghese writes about Phizo - “Liberal Naga leaders criticized him for changing the meaning of “independence” from “freedom to enjoy our Naga way of life” to sovereign statehood.”

“Politics and religion are the two obsessions of the Naga” writes Charles Chaisie, and I have certainly
observed that politics is a favorite past time in these parts.  Spending time with a group of Nagas the conversation is likely to turn to politics, and no doubt there are plenty of strong feelings on such matters, but I have yet understand who would benefit from independence.  The impression is that Nagas have the best of both worlds, receiving lavish benefits to cajole them in solidarity to the Indian nation and yet largely left to their own devices as a result of obvious restrictions imposed on outsiders.  
As the Secretary of the Adivasi Arts Trust and all too aware of countless injustices inflicted in history on indigenous people, I support indigenous rights: Here are a people who will not allow their culture to be submerged by the majority.  These Nagas are stubborn, and history has shown that they would prefer to die than surrender and the notorious war-like past still echoes in the Naga Hills today.

A friend of mine in Kohima tells me that Nagas are good storytellers but are less adept at working hard.  They love to enjoy themselves and the tradition was to show off through lavish displays of generosity. Feasts of Merit were given to gain prestige in the community and this extravagant display of generosity would inevitably lead to shortage of resources and a drive to raid and loot neighboring villages.

I suspect that that independence is a sublime state of mind; in a world where we are all increasingly dependent on each other, can we be independent of media and peer influence or the government?  Here in Nagaland, government jobs are cherished for the promise of security. “To reduce the flight of central funds into the pockets of a few corrupt individuals, lakhs of government jobs have been created in every field of endeavor and millions spent on their wages without any work”, writes Verghese, adding that,  “…nearly 10 percent of the Naga population has been provided government employment.  The total salary of these employees accounts for 75 percent of the total budgetary provisions”.
The criticism goes further, expressed by Verghese when he writes that “the refusal to develop themselves and the incessant pumping of funds by the government of India has resulted in the inevitable: extreme sloth.  This lethargy and disinterest in ‘earning’ an honest livelihood has encouraged patronage and corruption.  It has also created a government monopoly in employment, which again has destroyed the work ethic necessary to build a modern economy.”
Without skilled labour or entrepreneurial skills, a generation gap exists with today’s youth who are scornful of traditional mores and structures but lack opportunity.  With just eight percent  of the economy as state revenue, my friend Richard thinks that independence is only viable when Nagas can earn their own income,  “Are we fighting for Independence, or are we fighting to get back to our roots?” He asks.

Meetings with artists and animators

Lepden Jamir is a senior artist in Nagaland.  He is based in Kohima, and I went to meet him to discuss a workshop for young artists in Nagaland to create illustrations for a book of folktales from Nagaland that will eventually be published by the Indian National Trust for Cultural Heritage, in Delhi. 

Lepden tells me that while anyone can study fine art there are some born artists who will give their life in dedication to their work, and I instinctively know that he is such an artist.  Lepden has many skills; he is an accomplished sculptor whose large impressive wooden carvings (masks and pillars) are inspired by traditional Naga sculpture with themes that have contemporary relevance to society here.  He also paints, illustrates, writes and plays music and he received the Governor’s Award in 2006.   He is enthusiastic about our project as he wants to establish an “artists khel” to bring local artists together, and he feels that the initiative could start with the illustration workshop.  He tells me of his deep concern for the youth in Nagaland.  “Artists should not go for survival first.  They should learn something and become something”,  he says, adding that he feels that young people in the state are in a dilemma about their future due to lack of communication between the generations.  He is in touch with young artists and supports several of them but impresses that it is equally important to reach out to their parents too, as their support is essential for art to develop in Nagaland.    Junior artists in Nagaland require guidance and direction from their seniors and the focus needs to be on the quality rather than quantity of artists. Good artists must be recognized and senior artists should be sponsored to organize workshops and they also need opportunities to gain new skills to bring back and share with the rest.    “I tell the young people who have studied outside to come back as we have so many things to do in Nagaland.  We have so many histories and stories, who will record that?”

Lepden has been a Government employee since 1997, holding the job of senior artist in the Department of Agriculture.  He points out the lack of understanding of the language of cinematography in the agricultural field, and that farmers neither read nor understand the terminology used so it is his role to convey information through mass media, including television, posters, leaflets and other visual aids.    When work is delayed in his office Lepden works at home, telling me that while he is immersed in his creativity, time and routine loose all relevance.  “People do before they think, we should think first before we do;   these hands are God’s gift and they are tools.  Good artists are hard to find, and you won’t find them in important places.  A happy man cannot be a good artist, because the artist will be tired and suffering.  Everyone wants to hear good music, but an artist cannot compose popular tunes because they are always many years ahead of their time.  Also, plenty of research is required otherwise the work is superficial.  This is the difference between a craftsperson and a sculptor; the sculptor should study history of art and will try to communicate a message through his work, seen in the expression.    

The illustration workshop is planned for mid November this year and it is hoped that it will help to revitalize interest for art in Nagaland.  

Adaptation

The Story of Man, Tiger and Spirit is unfolding scene by scene in the virtual world.  The short animation film, that will be part of the “Tales of the Tribes” collection, is based on an Angami folktale of three brothers, Man, Tiger and Spirit; it tells how they once lived together, and how they separated.

Storytelling was an oral tradition and folktales are embellished by the storyteller  who remembers certain details and elaborates on others.  This short film is an adaptation.  As Deborah Cartmell writes, “every cultural artifact is an adaptation”[1].

To make this film, the story has to be adapted for the audio visual medium to include movement and sound.  Films are a complex arrangements of shots that have been chosen and edited together to convey the story in a clear, interesting way, and as animation is  labour intensive, a lot of pre-production planning is done.  “Fidelity is tiresome as a critical strategy not least because it is an inexact science…”[2] writes Deborah Cartmell. 

Some folktales are oral epics with many characters and relationships.  “Adaptation is a process of identifying the story and focusing the story line…but this is no easy matter, since the story line is often hidden among character details, thematic statements, information and descriptions”[3]  writes Linda Seger.  Details and nuances may not translate across cultures and it is the animation script writer and director ‘s responsibility  to have sensitivity and a thorough background in research to decide how to adapt the story for the film;  with the theme of tribal folktales it is important to work in collaboration with members of the local community and avoid misrepresentation.   Experience shows that a group workshop is a good way of starting the adaptation process, providing  a “think tank” to  discuss the film at the script stage  where ideas are bounced about by the group and consensus is reached.   It is also recommended to circulate the drafted script amongst selected cultured people from the community, writers, storytellers and film makers.  

The perceived audience for the film has the largest influence on it.   Adaptation is “… repurposing for a new audience in a different time or cultural context”[4], writes Deborah Cartmell.  Understanding and interpretation of the story changes with both time and  exposure but as most tribal folktales have some common lesson of wisdom, the message that the story intended for the listener needs to be identified and communicated in the animation film.    Additional meanings and nuances will be read in the details and juxtapositions of the film, and while some are intended others become apparent.  The main story line demands to be received by everyone that watches the film but subtle details will only resonate with individuals.  “Film can give us the story information, character information, ideas and images and style all in the same moment”[5], writes  Linda Seger.  Through multiple layers the film gains an enhanced feeling of authenticity and members of the community recognize cultural details and their intrinsic meanings.

Filmic conventions include postmodern intertextuality.  Based on one central story of a competition between Man Tiger and Spirit, adaptation for the film script attaches references to several other tales from the Naga Hills.   Two prominent symbols of Nagaland are the Hornbill bird and the wild bison (Mithun);  I wanted to include both in the film.  That myth that man first emerged either from a hole in the ground or a cave is shared by several Naga tribes, and there is another folktale that tells of a deal made by the Mithun with the first Man,  so that he would be able to roam freely.  
The main story, about the three brothers, is clear about how Man and Tiger became separated, but Spirit’s alienation needed to be understood,.  In the animation film Man’s arrogant self importance on winning the race (through devious means), was repulsive to Spirit who felt that he could no longer relate to his human brother; This leads on to the eerie climax of the film, when  Spirit swaps Man’s eyes with  Dog – and  he has not been able to see Spirit since;  This detail  and a scene of head-hunting ants that motivates  Man to achieve his identity as a warrior,  have been incorporated from other Naga tales. 

A detail that was omitted from the story in the film was when Mother was  buried under the hearth after her demise, as I felt that this would not be understood by youth today.  On the subject of unintended meanings – I wondered if anyone would associate pregnancy caused by a passing cloud with the virgin birth of Christian ideology. 

Naga  woven shawls have been used to create the environment for the story.   Mapping photographs of hand woven shawls  from various tribes onto 3D computer generated geometry is an experiment that gives an  unusual and undeniable “Naga” look to the film.  That it is an Angami tale is reflected in the selection of textiles used in the home environment of the characters (around and inside the cave);   Textiles of other tribes are used to suggest the tribal diversity of the Naga Hills.  Jewelry, accessories and props in the film are mostly faithful to the Angami tribe, with exception of the spectacular Konyak beaded belt worn by the “Mother”  character and the head pendant acquired by Man at the end of the film;  though from the Konyak tribe, it is the most recognizable symbol of the headhunter warrior. 

The Narrator of the story is now the Hornbill bird.  This seemed to be suitable as the exotic hornbill is the kind of bird that one might expect to talk.   Now that the first rough cut of the short film almost done,  I will be going to Kohima next week to liaise with musicians.  The musical soundtrack of the film will be a fusion mix.  A catchy tune with a distinctively Naga flavour is required, while avoiding the musical influences of the church yet giving space for contribution by young Nagas.

---

[1] Deborah Cartmell,”Screen Adaptation, Impure Cinema”, Chapter3, Literature on Film: Writers on Adaptations in the Early Twentieth Century, p55

[2] Deborah Cartmell,”Screen Adaptation, Impure Cinema”, Chapter 1, Adaptation: Theories, Interpretations and New Dilemmas, p20

[3]  Linda Seger, “The Art of Adaptation: Turning Fact and Fiction into Film”, Chapter 5, Finding the Story, p 77

[4] Deborah Cartmell,”Screen Adaptation, Impure Cinema”, Chapter 1, Adaptation: Theories, Interpretations and New Dilemmas, p21

[5] Linda Seger, “The Art of Adaptation: Turning Fact and Fiction into Film”, Chapter1, Why Literature Resists Film”, p 16

Launch of “Fading Ink – The Dying Art of Naga Tattoos”, a documentary film

The premiere screening of a documentary film, “Fading Ink – The Dying Art of Naga Tattoos”, was held at the North East Zone Cultural Centre on Friday 5^th August 2011.  The 60 minute film was made by the team at Design Stash: Akanito Assumi, Lipok Yanger and  Inotu Nawang Khulu, and it was commissioned by the North East Zone Cultural Centre.  The film is an pleasing and entertaining production “not as a scholar, but as a seeker of truth”.  Aptly described as a “travelogue” on the cover of the DVD, the young Naga film-makers toured Nagaland visiting the tribes that had a tradition of tattooing (Ao, Chang, Konyak, Khemungan, Yimchungrü and Pochury) to find out more about the reasons for tattooing and the cause of its demise.  In the Ao tribe it was only women that were tattooed, showing commitment to her husband and family, and there were also associations with the notorious headhunting past when murdered women would be recognized by their clans by their tattoos.   

In the Konyak tribe tattoos proclaimed the exalted status of headhunting warriors.  I felt that the most interesting sound bites in the film were the charming, amusing reflections from a few of the remaining old opium fuelled warriors of bygone days.  “How is it better when we live like sissies?  Show them to me!  Instead of being fierce like this we have become meek, useless cowards”, declares one elderly warrior, adding that, "now all we do is say Hallelujah and tell lies….”  

Conversion to Christianity spelt the end of many animist traditions, including headhunting and tattooing.  Nowadays the youth are not getting tattooed for the same reasons as their forefathers, though some are turning to it as a fashion.  Well researched and backed up with quotes from renowned anthropologists  and a good standard of production,  the film has obvious appeal for young people and I suggest that it be submitted for screening on national TV encouraging the young film-makers and  fostering general understanding of Naga traditions amongst the urban mainstream audience.

The screening was attended by the Commissioner of Art and Culture, Mr. Himato Zhimomi and it was introduced by the Director of NEZCC, Mr Som Kamei.  It is encouraging that young Nagas are taking such initiatives to explore their roots and that they are receiving support in this from NEZCC.  It could also be the first of a series of such films on Naga culture, through the eyes of the modern generation.   

Press Release: 4 August 2011

Students of Christian Mission Secondary School in Dimapur were invited to the North East Zone Cultural Centre for an animation film screening programme and presentation by visiting British animator Tara Douglas.  Tara is currently working at the Centre to complete a short animated folktale from Nagaland.  She is also Secretary of the Adivasi Arts Trust, an NGO based in London that collaborates with indigenous artists in India for digital media projects.  This animation project received a grant for its completion from the State Government of Nagaland (Department of Art and Culture), with a request that young Nagas become involved in the project to gain exposure to new ways of preserving their culture.   Tara felt that the 3D software used to animate characters based on traditional wooden sculptures would be too complicated for beginners to learn, but as she was determined to turn the youth on to animation in Nagaland, she felt that screening events would raise awareness of the potential of animation as new tool for artists and storytellers.

  

Films screened at the event today included “The Tallest Story Competition” collection of animated folktales in various indigenous art styles from tribes of Central India as an example of what could also be done  here in the Northeast.  To inspire the group Tara also screened “Nopokliba”, the first short animation film from Nagaland made by Meren Imchen,  and  few short films by international animation masters showing that animation is not limited to commercial cartoons on TV, and that it can be achieved beautifully using  all kinds of mediums from cel drawings to cut out puppets and even beads.    Students felt shy to share any of their own folktales at the occasion though one student admitted that he knew the Angami story of Man, Tiger and Spirit that has been chosen for the new animation film. 

As her fourth week in Nagaland concludes, Tara is convinced that the animation medium can provide a way for young Nagas to contribute to their cultural heritage where ancient traditions are suspended in time and according to one, “monotonous”.  Change is inevitable and artists always find new forms and means of communicating through their work so why not animation, when it holds so much appeals to the youth?  All the children at the screening event expressed their enjoyment of animation, and it is hoped that on the journey of understanding identity, animated storytelling may one day be an option in Nagaland. 

Press Release: 30 July 2011

An animation film screening programme was held at the Delhi Public School in Dimapur on Saturday 30 July. 

Students of class 8 expressed their enthusiasm for cartoons when they met Tara Douglas, Secretary of the Adivasi Arts Trust.  Tara was one of the animators who worked on a collection of tribal animation films called “The Tallest Story Competition”, for a Scottish company, West Highland Animation, in 2006, and she wanted to share the animated folktales from Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra with the students.  After the screening, Tara asked the students to vote for their favorite story, and she explained how local art styles had been chosen to give a unique look to each of the films.   The students had not heard any of the stories before, nor could they recollect any from their own tradition, but they all thought animation was a fun way of learning new things. 

Tara is presently in Nagaland for two months to complete an animated folktale from Nagaland for a new series of stories from the Northeast.  Students of Delhi Public School were intimated to look out for the first screening of the short film planned to be held at the Hornbill Festival in December. 

She encouraged the youngsters by telling them of her own experiences as an animator and she proposed it as something they could do in the future but she also warned them that animation is very hard work. “An animator really needs to be interested.  Unlike other jobs, it goes on long after regular office hours, but because it is magic an animator is happy to work hard,” she said, reminding them that “we do not mind working hard to do something that we enjoy.  An animator first has to imagine the film in his mind.  Each scene has to be sketched as a storyboard which is quite like a comic book, and you really have to get to know the characters before you can start using software to bring them to life. The first step anyone who is interested in animation can take is to keep alert for good stories.”

Meetings with animators and artists

Design Stash is a cool new design company in Dimapur, Nagaland.  The studio is an enterprise started by a group of Nagas who were based in Mumbai until a year and a half ago.  Anakito Assumi  (Aki) is a graduate in Animation from the National Institute of Design and his partner is young  designer Lipok Yanger.  They pooled in their resources, renovated a rundown apartment in Dimapur turning it into a stylish open plan studio, and last year Aki was commissioned to illustrate “Folktales from North East of India”, published by the North East Zone Cultural Centre and Heritage Publishing House.  The collection consists of forty short stories, five from each of the states of the North East region, and Aki has experimented with various interesting artistic styles for the illustrations.  He jokingly tells me that he is now an expert in folktales, and he shows me his work for a comic book on folktales of Nagaland.  For this project, commissioned by the State Department of Art and Culture, Aki will use a different style for each story.  The styles vary from black and white comic art to collage and painterly techniques of water colour washes.  The stories seem to be replete with spirits: Foreboding monstrous ones, angels deprived of their wings and spirits that teach mankind how to dance.  The story of Man Tiger and Spirit is well known to Aki and he points out the association between the folktale and a belief  in a special relationship between Man and Tiger that was prevalent before Christianity in Nagaland. 

The usual exchange at such meetings between people of the digital generation is data from hard drives.  Before I leave, Aki asks me to show his team around the fundamentals of Maya, so I demonstrate how to make a simple three dimensional object, set up lighting, texturing and movement and then render it, taking time to reassure the group not to be put off by the daunting technical terminology of the software.   

Aki tells me that it is tough to have the spirit of an entrepreneur in Nagaland and he shares concern that the team will find enough work to sustain their business. 

The Hope Centre of Excellence for dance, music and art was opened two years ago by Z. Mozhui and his wife, Zubeno in Nagarjang, Dimapur.  I was invited there to present certificates at the closing ceremony of a weeklong Art Workshop led by Mumbai based artist, Aditi Chitre.  The workshop had been sponsored by the North East Zone Cultural Centre and all the artwork created by the students, ranging in age from the youngest at seven to the eldest at seventeen was on display.  It was an impressive show, and Aditi was enthusiastic about the latent talent that she had noticed in the children.  The workshop had explored the mediums of collage, sketching, painting, clay modeling and animation.  She explained that the last three days had been dedicated to animation, with children choosing their own stories, animating their clay models and recording narration.  She also told me that they had been present during the editing process as the sequences were turned into four short films, so in effect they had been the directors.

Zubeno showed me around the centre, which was holding music classes  by the Head of the Singing Department, renowned singer from Nagaland Nise Meruno and by visiting faculty that had come from outside Nagaland.  She explained that the centre is the only place in the state where classical ballet is taught by a teacher from Malaysia, and that they put on a yearly performance at the Hornbill Festival in December.  She told me that this year they are planning to stage a musical based on folktales of Nagaland that has received inputs from Gilles Shuyen, a French dancer, choreographer and director who has been visiting Nagaland for many years.      The production will be a style of modern fusion and when I asked her about this, she revealed that the young generation do not have much interest in the pure form of traditional dance but are captivated by modern forms of expression.  In the discussion I began to realize that traditional cultural does not offer scope for change or development by the young generation as it is suspended in time, but naturally youth would like to infuse their cultural activities with impressions gained through their own experiences of change in Naga society. Furthermore, a modern style can unite tribes and art forms in a way that is restricted by traditional practices.  This is important when remembering the diversity of tribes in the state. 

In conversation with Mr. Mozhui (Vizo) I learnt that the unusual attraction for western classical music was an influence from the Christian missionaries, and he told me that there was undeniably a preference for violin and piano over instruments such as the sitar.   Grandfathers and fathers had been introduced to western hymns and until more recent times, there had always been negative connotations associated with the people from the plains, instigated by the presence of the Indian army.  My forefathers (the British) he said, had  oil and tea interests in Assam.  The hill areas were largely left alone, with occasional punitive expeditions sent to suppress his forefathers (the Nagas) who would sometimes raid the tea plantations.  As a result Nagas became too independent and he felt that they now needed to learn to be a cohesive group. 

I wanted to know how a whole population had been coerced into accepting a foreign religion so completely at a time when  there had been no common language of communication between the American and British missionaries and the Nagas:   Vizo expressed his personal belief in the power of the word God (the Bible) and the relative innocence of the Nagas who accepted Christianity with total faith; religion is  undeniably a binding force of Naga society today.  

Meetings with animators and artists

Sundays in Nagaland are generally very quiet; everything is shut, and there is little point in thinking of going out.  At home here now in the derelict guesthouse in the jungle, tucked away quietly behind the North East Zone Cultural Centre, it was a day for visitors.  The first was Aditi Chitre, an artist based in Mumbai who I had met several months ago at the screening of her 26 minute animation film, “Journey To Nagaland”, at the India International Centre in Delhi.  Like me, Aditi has fallen for Nagaland and she is now back on her fifth visit (like me), to conducting a week long Art Workshop at the Hope Centre of Excellence for Dance, Music and Art in Nagarjang, Dimapur. 

We spent several hours comparing experiences in Nagaland and exchanging films from our hard drives.  Aditi’s film, commissioned by PSBT, took her two and a half years to complete and it tells a story of a woman who returns to Nagaland in search of her roots.   During the research period for the film, Aditi visited Chisemi in Phek District and she later went back to conduct an art workshop there for school children.  So inspired was she by the response and outcome that she is determined to find sponsorship for a follow-up workshop to teach students how to write and illustrate their own stories.  Aditi felt that Naga youth are mostly shy and reserved and are neither taught nor encouraged to do art.    She explained that she also involves parents by inviting them to see the outcome for themselves so that they will recognize and support the artistic potential of their children.  Aditi was familiar with the story of Man Tiger and Spirit and she told me that it is shared by several tribes.  She showed me illustrations of the story made by the children in her workshop and she also revealed a detail that from another version of the tale that I had not heard before.   As we walked a kilometer to the highway for Aditi to find an auto rickshaw back into Dimapur, she related her experience in the previous workshop, where students had been asked to adapt traditional stories but had been unable to reconsider the stories in any new way.     On my return, I reflect on my happiness at knowing Aditi, who is both inspiring and adventurous.

A short while later, a gang of about a dozen young Nagas arrived at the guesthouse, in three cars.  It was Lima and Sari, my Ao friends from the Nagaland Institute of IT and Multimedia in Dimapur, with their relatives and friends, and they had come with gifts of beautiful Ao and Konyak jewelry for me! 

I had conducted a one day Introduction to Animation seminar and workshop last year at their centre above the garage for 75 students, and I recall the day well – It had been extremely busy with three sessions of film screenings and practical cut out animation, and the gang obviously remembered me too.  Sari and Lima are now proposing to raise funds from the State Government for a 3 day workshop with me at their Institute at the end of August, and they had come to discuss details of the programme, so as to advertise it.

This day has rejuvenated my hope for the youth here in Nagaland.  I am proud to know such an optimistic, enthusiastic group of bright young Nagas who are motivated to do something for themselves despite the unusual difficulties faced here - poor infrastructure and undercurrents of frustration and unrest.  I appreciate the efforts of my friends and I know that they will arrange a fine programme for us because they are an efficient team.

Intermission: There is nothing as charming as a pineapple farm!

It is called Gaspani, the place where you will find pineapple farms in Nagaland.  It was a regular Saturday afternoon outing, of the kind you might have here in Nagaland.  Climbing up into the hills on the road to Kohima, the air is comfortably cooler than it is in Dimapur, and in monsoon the dense jungle is verdant and humming with life.  You feel a spontaneous surge of good feeling, which bursts into delight on seeing the bamboo stalls piled high with fresh, bright pineapples, the air smelling of them too.  The road bends and twists up and up, and then you spot them on the left, the most charming pineapple farms that you can ever imagine! 

We stopped at one of the stalls, parking.  Soon we had the sweetest of pineapples juicy and dripping all over our hands.  On the rolling hillside behind was my pineapple farm; I pretended, though I knew it really belonged to the Church.  Seeing the little bamboo field hut at the top, I wanted to pretend that I was going home as I clambered up the hill, in between the pineapple plants. 

Pineapples are so attractive on the plant that they never fail to draw a smile.  My companion told me that there could be 10,000 pineapple plants growing on four acres of land, and we calculated an estimated income for the farm.  It seemed to be a good business option.   Under favourable conditions, a pineapple plant yields a crop within two years.   Once established in neat rows, work on the farm would consist of weeding and harvesting.   A workforce of ten would need a week to weed the entire farm, which would be repeated 6-7 times a year.   Laying our hands on surplus, discarded pineapple plants, I claimed three.  We also carried off handfuls of ripe pineapples at 25 rps each. 

I wondered whether pineapples are indigenous to Nagaland, and I made a note to ask my friend Abong, (a Naga who does animation), if he could model a computer generated pineapple plant for the animation film.  (Now that sounds absurd – but what I really mean is that the film could do with a pineapple plant in it, for decoration).  I was happy to have replenished my pineapple supply and back in the bare, Spartan guesthouse they lie there as ornaments in my room, monsoon rain pouring down outside.  

Press Release: 22 July 2011

Naga folktales are acquiring new dimensions at the North East Zone Culture Centre in Nagaland.  Stories that have belonged to the oral tradition are now becoming animated with high end 3D software, used to create a virtual world that is colored by indigenous Naga textiles projected onto computer generated topography, and inhabited by characters inspired by Naga wooden sculptures.  The project, called “Tales of the Tribes”, uses media technology as a tool to preserve minority cultures and make ancient traditions accessible to the young generation, and in Nagaland this has become a collaborative venture by the UK based Adivasi Arts Trust, the Nagaland State Government and the North East Zone Culture Centre.

Tara Douglas, British animator and Secretary of the Trust is directing the project.  She has come to Nagaland from Delhi with her 3D computer workstation and she is presently based at NEZCC in Dimapur.  Tara is eager to involve Naga youth in the project, and to raise awareness about animation as a tool to preserve culture. On Thursday 21 July students of the Eastern Academy Secondary School in Dimapur were invited for a screening event and presentation at the Cultural Centre.    The programme began with a film screening of “The Tallest Story Competition”, a collection of five animated folktales from tribes of Central India that was produced in 2006 by Scottish based West Highland Animation.  In the programme, the five short films are competing for the best story.   The Northeast region of India was not represented in this first series of films and “Tales of the Tribes” is set to change this, with four of the five films originating from folktales from Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.  With support from the forward thinking Department of Art and Culture in the State Government of Nagaland, the short film from Nagaland is taking shape in a drama between three characters – Man, Tiger and Spirit - who are brothers in Angami Naga folklore. 

It is hoped that youth in Nagaland, with limited exposure or opportunities in the volatile region may get inspired by this initiative started by Tara, who encourages them to look towards their own Naga traditions for content for creative projects.  “We are looking to develop new styles for animation that will resonate with people over here, so I urge you not to copy the cartoons you see on TV.  Disney and Manga has already been done, let us look at Naga culture to find a new style for animation films”, she told the group of students.

Man, Tiger and Spirit

It is peaceful at the North East Zone Cultural Centre, three and a half miles out of Dimapur.  The road that brings one here is a small, pot-holed lane that passes the airport.  Though I hear a few large trucks rattling past the Centre, I have no idea where they are going, because this place feels right off the beaten track.   The monsoon rains make it even more tranquil, as the sound of rainfall has the effect of peacefully watering the land - and keeping oneself and disturbances (self inflicted or otherwise) inside. 

Inside the Centre I am playing out a drama with my characters, Man Tiger and Spirit.  I switch on the computer as soon as I hear the power back up supply come on, and then I am lost for the rest of the day in the virtual world I am creating.  It is incredibly absorbing:  To be the creator of the world, there is so much to consider! 

The first step was to “block” out the shots by putting my 3D models in position and roughly moving them about.  These sequences were rendered and placed on a timeline using After Effects software, as I am familiar with it.  I look for ways to explain to the uninitiated why so many months – even a year or more-  is required  to make such a short animation film:  There are well over a hundred shots for the five minute film, and this is something that I suspect people do not realize unless they are animation film makers themselves.    Each scene will take more than a day to “block” and “render”. (Rendering can be seen as processing all the inputs fed into the computer to create images).

The rendered sequences are inserted into the animatic (a filmed storyboard) to replace the sequence of still images that provide the “blueprint” for the film:  All of this pre-production is crucial for animation which is such a time consuming process that one cannot afford to create scenes that will not be useful for the film.   But the very first rough cut of the short film is not something one would like to show off.  That first stage was mostly completed in Delhi over the past years, and now I must make transform the rough cut into something that I can show others, so that I can get inputs from musicians for the all important audio track. 

I am going through my scenes and reworking them.  I realize that animation film-making is about getting the right shots which communicate the story to the audience, and my first rough cut did not always do that, so now I must focus on what is important in each shot and try to show it in the most interesting way:  If the most important thing in the scene is missed, it has failed.  I am learning this through experience, and it cannot be underestimated.  This is such a delightful phase in the production and I compare it to adding details to an oil painting once the composition has been sketched and the base layers of colour have been applied. The look of the film is inspired by art from Nagaland, which makes it special and different from other 3D animation films.  The Naga animation scenes are becoming noticeably more beautiful with adjustment of textures, cameras and lights. 

According to the story line, the three main characters have emerged from the cave and I have now reached the point where the characters are getting established.  The three personalities are different – “Tiger hunted, Man grew rice and Spirit did whatever he wanted…”, explains the narration;  the last part is depicted by Spirit popping out of the basket of rice that Man carries home on his back, somersaulting in the air and becoming  a shooting star.  As I go on with this blog, I want to discuss adaptation, because it is something that has to be well considered when looking at tribal folktales as content for animation films. 

Meanwhile, the Chowkidhar (caretaker) of the Centre who sits and watches me at work, (I know he would rather go home, but his responsibility is to lock up), remarks that the basket is like a Naga basket, and I feel happy that he has recognized this detail.