An experimental pop-up brings the diverse culture from the Northeastern hills to Mumbai, featuring exclusive fashion, food, art, music and above all, stories
A Naga artisan makes handcrafted beads to showcase at the pop-up. Pics courtesy/Asenla Jamir
It is always a pleasant surprise to discover the many cultures that the melting pot of Mumbai holds. This weekend, Bandra will play host to a community celebrating the beauty and heritage of the far Northeast, or as they call it — home.
A fabric from the collection
The Otsüverse not only offers a warm home away from home for Mumbaikars hailing from Northeast India, but also invites everyone else in the city to experience the diversity and vibrancy of this relatively unexplored, but rich, culture. In the Ao Naga dialect, the term otsü means stories. It is also the term that Otsü Clothing — the heritage textile dedicated to the fashion of Nagaland — takes from.
Tribal handicrafts
This is the first such cultural pop-up organised by the line, to showcase the stories and culture of the region. Every following event will feature something new from each of the ‘Seven Sisters’, a term used to collectively refer to the seven Northeastern states. “I came up with this idea and everyone else [at Otsü] immediately liked it,” shares Asenla Jamir, founder.
Asenla Jamir
A highlight of the pop-up is its dining menu, featuring food from a few unique spots, including straight from Naga Chukka, a Mumbai-based cloud kitchen that delivers authentic Naga cuisine; a couple of notable dishes from the kitchen that will be featured at the event are chicken meat balls infused with local Naga herbs and served with Axone sauce (a key sauce in Naga cuisine), and black sticky rice cake, best paired with coconut ice cream. A few more interesting additions are soda options with varying local flavours from Mizoram, coffee brewed with beans sourced from farmers across Nagaland, and even vegan ice cream.
A fabric woven on the loin loom
However, there is more than just food. “There will be multiple activities [for an attendee] to enjoy,” says Jamir. “There will be music and textile presentations, sculpture presentations, showcasing unique art forms, such as tribal cultural handicrafts, inspired by Naga head hunters, and live visual art, with one girl putting up a performance as well.” Apart from this, the pop-up will also feature a display of contemporary ethnic Northeastern designs and hand poke tattoo services.
Black Sticky Rice Cake
For the visitors, Jamir offers the experience of a new culture. “It is certainly intended for everyone — especially families who just want to have a good time and are open to discovering the culture forms we are bringing to the city. It’s all about a fun vibe and telling our stories through the fashion and art forms, music, food and people. Although this is only the first edition, I definitely want to make this a regular event.”
Chicken Meatballs. Pics courtesy/Naga Chukka
ON September 7; 3 pm to 12 am
AT Pioneer Hall, Pioneer St John Baptist Road, Bandra West.
LOG ON TO @otsuverse.in
ENTRY RSVP mandatory
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