How Slow Travelling In Nagaland Changed My Life

Slow Travel In Nagaland | The present-day tourism scene mostly surrounds fixed itinerary-based trips, hectic journeys, and Instagram travel. In doing so, we miss out on learning and connecting with the local culture and the meaningful relations that enrich life experiences in the present moment and for the future. Slow travel focuses on connecting with local people, their culture, food, music, and their relationship with the environment. As a traveller, I love slow, offbeat experiences, learning local languages, and connecting with and making friends from different cultures.

Beginning of Change

As the new year 2022 approached, I set out for Nagaland to visit my friend Kezha, an Angami who lives in Kigwema, about 16 km from the capital city, Kohima. Meeting him and his family always feels like coming home to me. Greenwood Villa, his family’s homestay, became my base for the week.

Over the next few days, Kezha, his friend from Kerala, and I travelled together to Kapamodzu in Phek district, hiked to Dzukou Valley, celebrated New Year's Eve with his friends, performed in the church chorus on January 1, and attended a local event in Kigwema Village.

Cultural Experiences In Nagaland

Among all the experiences, my favourites were participating in the New Year celebration efforts at the church and with his family and visiting the sports event in his ancestral village. We performed a chorus at Kiphuzha Church in Kigwema. Praying in their Angami dialect and singing the chorus, I felt part of their ethnic group. Picture Joydeep, an Angami Naga.

The New Year celebration concluded with a communal feast of delicious Angami cuisine. As my fingers gently scooped up the soft, warm grains of rice, infused with rich Naga spices, it wasn’t just the flavours that made the meal memorable—it was the experience of savouring each bite with the beautiful view of Mt Japfu in the background.

At the end of that morning's celebration, Kezha’s azotsa (grandma in Angami) warmly invited us to a dinner she had lovingly prepared. Having lost Mom due to COVID-19 a few months ago in 2021, the love and oneness I received that day made me feel like Maa connected with me through her. 

On January 2, the entire village gathered at the Kigwema Village ground—young and old alike, some dressed in vibrant traditional attire and others in tracksuits, ready for the village games.

We joined the crowd, enthusiastically cheering for every team on the field that day. Some played volleyball, while others played tug-of-war. While the energy was high on the field, far away, the sun played hide-and-seek with the towering hills. To be there, at that moment, connecting with the energy around—it was precious! The day's highlight was being a part of Kehu, the traditional cheering melody sung by fellow Nagas; and Mepfü, which usually accompanies the Kehu chants at intervals.

The Kigwema Village Walk

Subsequently, we strolled around the Kigwema Village, trying to learn more about its history and present and the panoramic views of the nearby peaks. Kezha showed us the panoramic balcony view of his ancestral house, the narrow sloping alleys, and the village Morung (the traditional centre of learning their culture and customs) where we spoke to the village elders. Our visit concluded after playing volleyball with the kids near the unique Kigwema Community Library, started by brothers Akho Phira and Thepfukelie Phira.

A Transformative Trip

How did this Nagaland trip change me? Well, the grief turned the lost feeling of 'family at home' into acceptance, love, and oneness. It was fun to communicate with everyone in Nagamese (the lingua franca of Naga ethnic groups). I always recommend that everyone learn the basic words and greetings of the local language. This helps in connecting more soulfully with the people.

In a nutshell, these experiences that I now share with them are eternal. If I had not chosen the approach of slow travel, I would have missed all of these precious moments. This Nagaland trip would have been confined to just doing the trek, clicking photos and videos, and coming back home. The slow travel approach allowed me to explore like a local and learn about cultures from a local perspective.

About the author: Awarded by Meghalaya Tourism for travel writing, Joydeep runs “The Gypsy Chiring” travel blog about the lesser-known treks, adventures, and culture of Northeast India. Follow him on social media at @thegypsychiring.