Distant Voices: Drug-Resistant TB Patients in Nagaland, India

Excerpt:

In the mountainous region of Nagaland, northeast India, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has worked with local groups and health authorities to treat people with drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB), a form of the disease that does not respond to the two main drugs used to treat TB. The two-year regimen for treating DR-TB is extremely arduous and can cause patients to become blind or deaf and can cause organ failure. MSF is calling for better diagnosis and treatment for DR-TB. Support the Test Me, Treat Me DR-TB Manifesto.

Sign now at http://msfaccess.org/TBmanifesto/ 



Source: MSF INDIA

Hornbill Festival: full length film on India's biggest fun fest!

Source: WildFilmsIndia on YouTube

NAGAS: the People of the Clouds

Source: Joseph Jacobs

Wild Films India | All roads lead to Christmas Bazaar, Kohima

Excerpt from the video description:
"Christmas Bazaar is an annual exclusive market organized at the Local Ground in Kohima, Nagaland. This exclusive bazaar is especially organized for people to shop during Christmas. Majority of the population in Nagaland follow Christianity hence the market is highly awaited and crowded during the festival season..."

A traveller tries out fire roasted pig intestines in Nagaland, India (the Traditional Way)

India is a land of diversity. One who is not much aware of the North-Eastern part of India would hardly believe this is in India.

Watch a traveller (Mark), enjoy fire roasted intestines with an old Naga.

Read Mark's travel adventures in his blog: link

Boating across the Doyang river, Nagaland

Source: WildFilmsIndia
Doyang river is one of the most important river in the district. It is the biggest and longest rivers which run near the state’s southern boundary. The Angami people in whose area it rises calls it Dzu or Dzulu. It first flows almost due north, slightly turn towards east when it received an addition of Saju, an eastward parallel tributary. The river then enters Zunheboto district still flowing north westwardly. It later on forms a boundary line between Sema and Lotha areas. In the west of Litami it makes westward bend and emerged in the western Lotha area in Wokha district, and proceeds to the southern border of the district, it suddenly turns westward and then debouches the hills for the plains west of

Manual Stone cutting in Nagaland

You must have witnessed such a scene in various parts of Nagaland. These stone workers really sweat out to cut stones by using bare chisel and hammers.





Source: Wild Films India

Headhunters of Nagaland

A traveller visits remote Mon district of Nagaland to explore head hunting past of the Nagas.

Nagas practised head hunting before they were converted to Christianity by American missionaries. The practice of head hunting stopped several decades ago but the history of the past is still vivid through collection of skulls in remote villages. The vast and vibrant cultural diversity amongst the Nagas and their history attracts quite a lot of travellers around the world to explore Naga inhabited areas.


Source: http://www.youtube.com/user/dirttreks

Hunting deer in Nagaland

Those who care about wildlife would be most enraged by this video but here it is. A traveler explore life in a remote village in Nagaland.

Nagas have hunted in the past but mainly food and livelihood, and some still do. But now that people are more aware of its impact on environment and nature, many organizations and groups are educating the public to discourage hunting. And in the recent times social media is not behind. There have been posts in popular social networks like Facebook where members have posted pictures of 'hunted-wildlife' being sold in the market and many of them expressed concerns and encourage each other to spread awareness of such practices that is depleting the natural beauty of Nagaland, which I think I a noble thing to do.



Courtesy / Source: http://www.youtube.com/user/gordonramsay

Dog Meat

Food habits vary from culture to culture determined by a lot of factors such as - availability, attitude, beliefs, income, taste, appetite, skills, education, knowledge about food etc. According to the European Food Information Council (EUFIC) the major determinants of food choices are based on the following factors -

• Biological determinants such as hunger, appetite, and taste


• Economic determinants such as cost, income, availability


• Physical determinants such as access, education, skills (e.g. cooking) and time


• Social determinants such as culture, family, peers and meal patterns


• Psychological determinants such as mood, stress and guilt


• Attitudes, beliefs and knowledge about food

source: http://www.eufic.org/article/en/expid/review-food-choice/

Nagas are known to consume dog meat. In fact, it is a delicacy beside many other exotic food here in Nagaland. Besides, there is a hilarious lore that is often told to a non-Naga - "Nagas eat anything with four legs except chairs and tables, anything that crawls the earth, that flies in the air except aeroplanes...".

But feeding on dog meat is not exclusive to Nagas. Dog meat is consumed in several countries like China, Vietman, Switzerland, Phillipines and Mexico. Whether an individual like a certain food is his or her choice, and there is no reason to detest. It might not be advisable to make dog meat a common meal on your dinner table but it might not be so bad for the 'adventurous-in-food-habit-ones' to try once if you haven't.  Even in Nagaland, dog meat even though it is consumed is not a common meal in many household. Many people in towns and cities do not consume dog meat.

The exotic food habit in Nagaland (also some parts of North East India) compared to rest of India have attracted quite some articles in media. Some are unjustly written without understanding the culture and by comparing to the rest of the country, while some are alright. Though an article in the media might be judgmental, it is interesting to know that the author is writing from his or her personal perspective. So it is interesting to read the comments from readers on such news. People who are adventurous in food habit and who have experienced different food cultures around the world are the most rational in their comments. Check out some article links below the video.

I found this video on YouTube and thought I'd share on this topic. Share us your views too ... :)



Video Coutesy / Source: http://www.youtube.com/user/J0sephMJac0bs

DNA India: Nagas fancy eating snakes, rats, squirrels, dogs, cats, spiders!

Outlook India: Man Eat Frog

The Hindu: Dog meat, a delicacy in Mizoram

Have you ever tried a dog meat? :) Leave us a comments? 

Wikipedia: but definition: except for the fact. ?

Travel Video- Mumbai, Nagaland

Courtesy: http://www.youtube.com/user/steeboo1

Nagaland - Journey Through the Choir of Clouds (a film by Jim Ankan)

Nagaland - Journey Through the Choir of Clouds - a short travel documentary.

Direction & Concept - Jim Ankan Deka;
Script - Parmita Borah & Schuyler Ellers;
Anchor and Narrator - Schuyler Ellers;
Producer - Jim Ankan;
Editor - S.K. Biswa;
Sound Editor - Pinku Saikia;
Music - Jim, Pongchai & Apong;

Markets in Kohima, Nagaland

Source: http://youtu.be/7bCwp4RQQAU
Warren Apel's YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/WarrenApel

Watch them explore hand-loom shops, the Kohima bazaar and Christmas carols during December.