In the cafés of Kohima, the skate parks of Shillong, the rooftops of Imphal, and the bustling lanes of Guwahati’s GS Road, a cultural shift is taking root. Generation Z from the Northeast is crafting a new urban identity — one that is stylish, original, and unapologetically rooted in its ethnic heritage. They’re not simply trying to fit into the mainstream narrative. They are building one of their own.
Arunavi Thangjam, a 22-year-old from Tura, merges thrift-store denim with handwoven Garo beadwork. Her Instagram grid is equal parts vibrant fashion and social commentary. “I don’t dress for trends. I dress for my people,” she says. Her words reflect a larger generational instinct — to turn everyday style into statements of pride and protest. In cities across the Northeast, fashion is becoming a powerful tool for visibility. Bamboo hats appear in photoshoots styled like high fashion, handwoven shawls double as capes, and old-world accessories are now remixed with sneakers and crop tops.
Meanwhile in Guwahati, Assam’s youth capital and creative hub, a different energy pulses through the streets. The vibe is a little more metropolitan, but no less grounded. Here, music cafés in Uzan Bazar host acoustic Khasi folk sessions next to EDM nights led by tribal DJs. Local artist Kabita Basumatary, 24, uses Assamese lyrics in her trap tracks, saying, “When you spit bars in your mother tongue, it hits harder. It’s a flex, but it’s also home.”
Across the region, music is becoming a bridge between memory and modernity. Artists blend Ao, Mizo, and Karbi dialects with genres like lo-fi jazz and electronic beats. DJ Naron Lotha from Dimapur mixes field recordings of log drums and bird calls from his village into club tracks. “It’s like dancing with our ancestors,” he laughs. And in Guwahati’s youth circles, such blends are catching on fast.
Much of this expression thrives online. From meme collectives to digital zines, Gen Z creators are using platforms like Instagram and YouTube to push back against lazy stereotypes and erasure. One of the most popular voices is Lalmita Pamei, a law student in Aizawl, whose blog breaks down Northeast tribal history through pop culture metaphors — comparing colonialism to Marvel villains and clan systems to anime storylines. “Representation starts when we tell our stories our way,” she explains.
Entrepreneurial energy is also surging. In Guwahati, flea markets brim with booths selling upcycled fashion, handmade jewelry, and Zine art. Across the region, young people are launching their own ventures — sustainable fashion brands in Itanagar, underground poetry cafés in Shillong, pop-up noodle bars in Kohima. Sashi Zeliang, a 26-year-old baker in Mokokchung, turned her grandmother’s recipes into a thriving millet-based pastry business on Instagram. “We don’t wait for permission anymore,” she says. “We build our own platforms.”
Whether through style, sound, storytelling, or self-made startups, Gen Z from the Northeast is rewriting the cultural script. They’re reshaping what it means to be modern and indigenous at the same time. Theirs is a movement marked by confidence, creativity, and deep community roots. They are not waiting to be noticed — they are showing up in full color and full voice. And whether it’s in Guwahati’s concrete corridors or the green ridges of Kohima, they are already defining the now.
