Kohima, Dec 8 (MExN): Nagas have successfully showcased their rich cultural heritage at the just-concluded seven-day Hornbill Festival at the picturesque Kisama Heritage Village, no doubt.
However, some of the performers at the cultural extravaganza have also depicted the barbaric side of the Nagas brutality and cruelty through demonstrations, by performing sacrificial rites in the form of torturing and massacring live animals.
On the concluding day of the Hornbill – also dubbed as the ‘Festival of Festivals’ – a cultural troupe, taking centre stage, performed a sacrificial rite in which a dog was torn apart – live, limb by limb after which its head was smashed – while another troupe sliced deep into the chest of a goat, hollowed out its heart and drank its blood. In both the cases, the performers made sure to show the slow, agonizing deaths of the animals just to satisfy their bloodlust.
While the performers carried out the show in the name of entertainment, the act of sheer cruelty to the animals have earned them the dubious distinction of being sadists.
Surprisingly, it was learnt that the organizers of the biggest cultural event in the state were not apprised of the sacrificial performances.
These performances have left the organizers as well as the visitors stunned and seething as these acts of cruelty to live creatures have churned the guts of the revelers.
The cow sacrifice performed in October last year during the joint celebration of the Tsokum-Yemshe at the same venue had also evoked much criticism and outrage. However, after a flood of letters expressing outrage, this year’s version of the festival was celebrated in a low-profile manner – minus the controversial sacrifice.
Nagas have come a long way since the days of their savage, headhunting ancestors and they now proudly claim to be marching along with the rest of the world towards modernization and development.
At an age where animal rights and wildlife and environment have become a major concern, Nagas also need to study themselves and their position and do away with such rites that only reflect barbarism in us.
