Nagaland tourism partners with Pluc.TV to build digital archive of tribal heritage

As Nagaland gears up for the 26th edition of the Hornbill Festival—the state’s iconic “Festival of Festivals”—the Department of Tourism has announced a major partnership with People Like Us Create (Pluc.TV) Network Private Limited to digitally document and preserve the state’s tribal heritage. 

The collaboration, formalised through a memorandum of understanding signed on 31 October 2025, aims to create a research-driven, technology-enabled cultural archive aligned with the Ministry of Tourism’s vision for sustainable and community-centred tourism.

Nagaland Tourism has been working closely with tribal bodies, festival committees, and community custodians to safeguard indigenous knowledge systems and cultural practices. The partnership with Pluc integrates digital tools, field research, and narrative-based documentation to ensure that community voices remain central to how cultural materials are preserved and presented. The initiative focuses on accessibility, authenticity, and long-term community stewardship.

“Digital documentation is no longer just a tool for visibility—it has become a responsibility,” said Toka E. Tuccumi, Joint Director of Nagaland Tourism. “Our cultures evolve, our communities adapt, and our stories travel far beyond the places they originate from. This partnership allows us to preserve these narratives with care while making them accessible to the world. What matters most is that the people of Nagaland remain at the centre of how their heritage is researched, represented, and remembered.”

Pluc.TV CEO Tamseel Hussain emphasised that much of Nagaland’s cultural knowledge is held in oral traditions and community memory. He said the partnership offers an opportunity to use technology thoughtfully—“as an extension of tradition”—ensuring that digital archives are shaped by the communities they represent and available to future generations.

As part of the collaboration, Nagaland Tourism and Pluc will establish an Influencer Advisory Panel comprising filmmakers, photographers, travel documentarians, and cultural researchers. The panel will guide digital storytelling, evaluate cultural representation, and help craft a coherent narrative framework for the state’s tourism identity. An Influencer Fest will provide hands-on learning opportunities for creators, reinforcing field-based, community-led storytelling.

A major component of the initiative is the digitisation of Morung Houses at the Hornbill Festival, structures that serve as repositories of tribal identity and intergenerational memory. Pluc will conduct anthropological documentation, oral history interviews, and multimedia archiving to create contextual narratives around each Morung. Visitors will be able to access these materials through QR codes linked to WhatsApp, offering verified information, archival recordings, and interviews for a richer, more immersive experience.

Pluc has also partnered with The Ultimate Travelling Camp (TUTC) to establish a storytelling lounge at the TUTC Camp during the festival. The space will host cultural dialogues, live sessions, and recordings throughout the event. “We are always looking for ways to promote Nagaland and share the stories that surround it,” said TUTC CEO Rajnish Rai. “Our partnership with Pluc.TV allows us to deepen this engagement. It has now been a decade of working closely with the state, and our involvement remains consistent.”

The collaboration will feature a fireside chat series with elders, musicians, artisans, and cultural custodians, recorded in podcast format. It will also include a live edition of Pluc’s food show “Served,” featuring Chef Joel Basumatari, alongside a rotating showcase of films, photography, and archival visual content. TUTC will oversee venue management and coordination, while Pluc will lead content production, research design, technology integration, and digital dissemination.

While the MoU is non-binding, it sets a structured foundation for long-term efforts in cultural and ecological documentation—signalling Nagaland’s commitment to merging tradition with modern storytelling tools, and ensuring its diverse heritage is preserved for generations to come.