First Northeast India Heritage Festival to be held in Ohio on Sept 19–20

The first Northeast India Heritage Festival (NEIHF) will be held in Columbus, Ohio (USA) on September 19 and 20, 2025. The festival will showcase the history, culture, handloom and handicrafts, food, and musical instruments of Northeast India. Photo exhibitions, panel discussions and presentations on tourism, commerce and the sustainable development of this unique and vibrant region will serve to create new connections and opportunities in Northeast India and the United States as well.

This festival is unique in that it features all the eight states of the region Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. Representatives from all the states will participate and showcase their unique handloom and handicraft products, performing arts and food. Local and national government representatives from India and the United States will be present.

The idea was conceptualised by Dr. Utpola Borah and Dr. Hans Utter under their organisation Himalayan Folkways, conceptualised from their ongoing project 'Indigenous Percussion Instruments of Northeastern India: Collection, Preservation and Documentation'. This project garnered widespread interest and highlighted the importance of preserving the unique heritage of Northeast India.

CARE Connect, Assimilate, Research, Empower, will be the central theme of the festival. During the event, there will be discussions on how to promote the beautiful but untapped tourism potential of Northeast India, increase employment opportunities, raise environment awareness and create exchange programmes to name a few.

"We want to provide a voice to the people who are not seen," says Utpola Borah, ethnomusicologist, music educator and an eminent exponent of Hindustani (North Indian) classical music who is an accomplished concert in North America and India.

While the artifacts on display here are uniquely handmade and authentic, many of the artisans who make these reside in the remote areas of Northeast India and their ability to produce and showcase their creations is still constrained by lack of modern-day transportation and electronic communication. This festival will attempt to educate these artisans on how to gain access to modern shipping and transportation while guiding them on how to navigate the intricacies of international trade rules. The discussions will provide opportunities for artisans to connect and network with key people in the USA and in India.

An attire walk will feature participants in their traditional dress and jewellery. Products made of banana fibre, water hyacinth, bamboo, muga silk, eri silk, known as non-violent silk found only in the Northeast, and other indigenous motifs will take centerstage during the event.

Dr. Palmi Borthakur, Assistant Professor, Royal Global University, Guwahati, has been one of the key personnel helping to collaborate and connect with the artisans and weavers across the Northeastern states. Dr. Borthakur has been the backbone for the handloom and handicraft programme planned for the event. The festival will showcase costume and jewellery from the Deb Barman/Tripuri community of Tripura; bags from Sherdukpen community of Arunachal Pradesh, Khasi and Jaintia attires; artifacts from Nagaland, Sikkim; and terracotta dolls from Asharikandi Terracotta village, Gouripur, Assam.

Music representing various themes of Northeast India will also be a focus for the event. "We have curated performances to cater to both adult and young audiences. Young musicians will play the regional music of Northeast India on western musical instruments. The idea is to evoke interest in music from Northeast India within the younger age group so it is carried forward from generation to generation," says Borah.

A noteworthy mention is a performance by the students of Sacred Music who are scheduled to sing a Borgeet- which belongs to the genre of devotional songs composed by Srimanta Sankardeva, and Bhaktigeet composed by Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha.

Bringing together jazz musicians to play regional music reiterates the fact that music transcends boundaries. The adult music band composed of professional jazz musicians from Ohio will play regional tunes from Northeastern states. The team will be led by Dr. Hans Utter, who is an ethnomusicologist, music producer, composer, and author.

A key aspect of the event will be the display of photos from across the region. Stunning views of Northeast India's landscape along with the vibrant culture of the indigenous communities will adorn the walls of the event halls. Kishore Seram, publisher and editor of Discover India's Northeast-the only magazine dedicated exclusively to India's eight Northeastern states will curate a powerful photographic exhibition capturing the region's rich diversity and vibrant spirit.

To commemorate the event, a monograph, titled Destination India's North East, will be introduced. The monograph has four authors Dr Palmi Borthakur, Kishore Seram, Dr Utpola Borah, and Dr Hans Utter.

An event is incomplete without a tour of gastronomic delights. The event will have special treats from the Northeast states and to celebrate 200 years of the founding of the Assam tea industry, a curated tea event will also be organised

- Gina Barua