Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio joins in with the Culture Club, Khensa during the traditional tug of war presentation at the Tsungremong Festival celebration at Khensa village on Monday, August 1. (Morung Photo)
Mokokchung, August 1 (MExN): A pleasant day, traditional fervor and happy folks marked the first day in one of the grandest celebration of Tsüngremong festival at Khensa village which was attended by Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and a host of dignitaries including Home Minister Imkong L Imchen and others.
The grand celebration at the Imrongtenem, Khensa witnessed an array of cultural displays by different cultural troupes of the village. Young school boys from John Douglas School, Yimyu ward presented an invigorating cultural dance, while Rio and his entourage also joined in the traditional tug of war presented by the Culture Club, Khensa. The village is located just about three kilometers away from the main Mokokchung town.
The Chief Minister in his speech, while extending Tsungremong greetings to the villagers and the whole Ao community, expressed deep happiness and satisfaction on being able to celebrate such traditional festivals under an atmosphere of peace and harmony.
Spreading a message of hard work and earning income, Rio said that the Naga forefathers were hardworking, who toiled in the fields and celebrated the fruits of their hard work. Therefore, he said that the people should first earn and then celebrate festivals. In this connection, Rio construed that the Ao’s are not only the first to receive education, the first to receive Christianity but also the most hardworking people, and therefore the most advanced and progressing community in the society.
‘Be it in keti, be it in school, be it in any profession, hard work is there (among the Aos),’ Rio maintained.
Nonetheless, Rio strongly lamented the weak economic scenario of the Nagaland and challenged the people to earn income for lifting the weak Naga economy. He lamented that while in other places the government is dependent on the people; the Naga people are dependent on the government and added that the Naga economy is ‘salary economy’, as most of the Naga population is dependent on their monthly government salaries.
In this regard Rio said that the Naga forefathers survived through hard work, and therefore urged the people, “We have to work and eat.”
Besides, while asserting that traditional festivals are celebrated to preserve our rich culture, Rio maintained that cultural festivals should have no problem with the Christian doctrine. He asserted that religion and tradition festival should not clash since cultural festivals are just about preservation of culture; rather religion and cultural festivals should complement each other, he asserted.
In this regard, the chief minister said that the Naga people now understands the importance of preserving culture and this understanding should also be retained in the days to come. Rio also promised to contribute something towards the Khensa Community Hall after consulting with the Home Minister.
The Home Minister, Imkong L Imchen, who is the elected representative from Koridang assembly constituency under which Khensa village falls, paid rich tribute to the Khensa villagers for their education; and said that Khensa might be the most literate among the Ao villages. Perhaps it is for their high literacy rate, that Khensa villagers are one of the most cohesive and humble villages, Imkong said while adding that he feels proud to be in the village to celebrate Tsungremong festival. A grand Tsungremong feast followed after the programme.
It may be noted here, Tsungremong festival, which is one of the premiere festivals of the Ao Nagas, is a traditional pre-harvest festival which is celebrated to appease god for a bountiful harvest. The festival is celebrated every year from August 1-3.
The grand celebration at the Imrongtenem, Khensa witnessed an array of cultural displays by different cultural troupes of the village. Young school boys from John Douglas School, Yimyu ward presented an invigorating cultural dance, while Rio and his entourage also joined in the traditional tug of war presented by the Culture Club, Khensa. The village is located just about three kilometers away from the main Mokokchung town.
The Chief Minister in his speech, while extending Tsungremong greetings to the villagers and the whole Ao community, expressed deep happiness and satisfaction on being able to celebrate such traditional festivals under an atmosphere of peace and harmony.
Spreading a message of hard work and earning income, Rio said that the Naga forefathers were hardworking, who toiled in the fields and celebrated the fruits of their hard work. Therefore, he said that the people should first earn and then celebrate festivals. In this connection, Rio construed that the Ao’s are not only the first to receive education, the first to receive Christianity but also the most hardworking people, and therefore the most advanced and progressing community in the society.
‘Be it in keti, be it in school, be it in any profession, hard work is there (among the Aos),’ Rio maintained.
Nonetheless, Rio strongly lamented the weak economic scenario of the Nagaland and challenged the people to earn income for lifting the weak Naga economy. He lamented that while in other places the government is dependent on the people; the Naga people are dependent on the government and added that the Naga economy is ‘salary economy’, as most of the Naga population is dependent on their monthly government salaries.
In this regard Rio said that the Naga forefathers survived through hard work, and therefore urged the people, “We have to work and eat.”
Besides, while asserting that traditional festivals are celebrated to preserve our rich culture, Rio maintained that cultural festivals should have no problem with the Christian doctrine. He asserted that religion and tradition festival should not clash since cultural festivals are just about preservation of culture; rather religion and cultural festivals should complement each other, he asserted.
In this regard, the chief minister said that the Naga people now understands the importance of preserving culture and this understanding should also be retained in the days to come. Rio also promised to contribute something towards the Khensa Community Hall after consulting with the Home Minister.
The Home Minister, Imkong L Imchen, who is the elected representative from Koridang assembly constituency under which Khensa village falls, paid rich tribute to the Khensa villagers for their education; and said that Khensa might be the most literate among the Ao villages. Perhaps it is for their high literacy rate, that Khensa villagers are one of the most cohesive and humble villages, Imkong said while adding that he feels proud to be in the village to celebrate Tsungremong festival. A grand Tsungremong feast followed after the programme.
It may be noted here, Tsungremong festival, which is one of the premiere festivals of the Ao Nagas, is a traditional pre-harvest festival which is celebrated to appease god for a bountiful harvest. The festival is celebrated every year from August 1-3.
