By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 7: The first-ever Northeast India Heritage Festival (NEIHF) will be held in Columbus, Ohio, United States, from September 19-20, marking a historic step in showcasing the region’s diverse heritage to a global audience.
Themed CARE “Connect, Assimilate, Research, Empower,” the festival will highlight Northeast’s untapped tourism potential, promote employment opportunities, foster environmental awareness and build exchange programmes.
The event will feature handloom and handicrafts, food, music, traditional attire, and exhibitions. Panel discussions and presentations on tourism, commerce and sustainable development will further strengthen cultural and economic ties between India and the United States.
The initiative was conceptualised by Dr Utpola Borah and Dr Hans Utter through their organization Himalayan Folkways and inspired by their project “Indigenous Percussion Instruments of Northeastern India: Collection, Preservation and Documentation.”
The project underscored the urgency of preserving the region’s rare musical traditions, shaped by trade routes and spiritual practices.
“We want to provide a voice for the people who are not seen,” said Dr Borah, an eminent ethnomusicologist and Hindustani classical vocalist who regularly performs in India and North America.
Celebrating art, culture & trade
The festival will connect artisans from remote corners of the region with international buyers. Alongside displays of bamboo, banana fiber, water hyacinth products, and indigenous silks such as Muga and Eri, artisans will also receive guidance on global shipping and trade practices. An attire walk will showcase traditional dress and jewellery from different communities.
Music will be another highlight. Youth musicians will reinterpret regional melodies on Western instruments, while students of Sacred Music will present devotional Borgeet by Srimanta Sankardeva and Bhaktigeet by Bishnu Rabha. A professional jazz ensemble from Ohio, led by Dr Utter, will fuse Northeast Indian folk with jazz traditions.
Photography, Literature and Gastronomy
The festival will also feature a striking photo exhibition curated by Kishore Seram, Editor of Discover India’s Northeast. Each frame will capture the essence of the “Jewel of India,” Manipur, and the region’s landscapes, people, and traditions.
To commemorate the occasion, a monograph titled “Destination India’s North East,” authored by Dr Palmi Borthakur, Seram, Dr Borah, and Dr Utter will be released.
Food enthusiasts will get to savour Northeastern delicacies, while a curated tea-tasting session will celebrate the 200th year of Assam’s tea industry, showcasing premium teas from Sibsagar’s Banamalie Tea Company.
Supported by the Greater Columbus Arts Council, Ohio Arts Council, Ohio State University, and local businesses, the festival reflects strong cross-cultural collaboration. Proceeds will support the Ohio Food Drive.
Behind the scenes, diaspora youth have played a vital role —designing festival materials and participating in music performances.
Dr Borthakur has been instrumental in connecting weavers and artisans from remote areas, ensuring authentic crafts—from Tripuri jewellery and Sherdukpen bags to Nagaland artifacts and Asharikandi terracotta—find their space on the international stage.
The organisers said the festival is a humble effort to give the local community in Columbus a chance to experience the heritage of Northeast India. They hoped that “this tradition of showcasing our arts and culture to North America will grow in the years to come.”