Kohima, February 21 (MExN): The premier festival of Angami Nagas- Sekrenyi 2011 celebration will take place here at Kohima Local ground on February 25 under the auspices of Angami Public Organization (APO) under the theme “Sanctification of the body, soul and spirit.”
The organizing committee under the leadership of Kekhriengulie Linyü, president APO is making hectic preparations for the festival. Traditionally, Sekrenyi festival is a time of cleansing all the ill-fortunes, sins and guilt of the year past by with an act of washing rituals with holy water so as to begin the new year afresh. It is a time to take stock of the year past by, and a time to look ahead with a new conscience and a renewed sense of freedom and confidence.
Sekrenyi 2011 will be a time of festivities and social event rather than a time of religious rituals as in the animistic past. The large majority of the Angami people having become Christians, the APO retains the name Sekrenyi as a legacy of tradition and observes the festival as a time of social event and cultural celebration every year. “Sekrenyi 2011 will be a time of cultural celebration for the Angami people to display their colorful and cultural finery and traditional heritage through cultural processions, rallies, dances and songs,” said APO advisor Mhiesizokho Zinyü. He added that the festival is also expected to be a time to boost cultural tourism to a great extent in this increasingly globalized world. Different cultural contingents from all the four corners of Angami country-i.e the Northern Angami, the Southern Angami, the Western Angami, and Chakhroma in traditional dress will come to participate at the festival.
The organizing committee under the leadership of Kekhriengulie Linyü, president APO is making hectic preparations for the festival. Traditionally, Sekrenyi festival is a time of cleansing all the ill-fortunes, sins and guilt of the year past by with an act of washing rituals with holy water so as to begin the new year afresh. It is a time to take stock of the year past by, and a time to look ahead with a new conscience and a renewed sense of freedom and confidence.
Sekrenyi 2011 will be a time of festivities and social event rather than a time of religious rituals as in the animistic past. The large majority of the Angami people having become Christians, the APO retains the name Sekrenyi as a legacy of tradition and observes the festival as a time of social event and cultural celebration every year. “Sekrenyi 2011 will be a time of cultural celebration for the Angami people to display their colorful and cultural finery and traditional heritage through cultural processions, rallies, dances and songs,” said APO advisor Mhiesizokho Zinyü. He added that the festival is also expected to be a time to boost cultural tourism to a great extent in this increasingly globalized world. Different cultural contingents from all the four corners of Angami country-i.e the Northern Angami, the Southern Angami, the Western Angami, and Chakhroma in traditional dress will come to participate at the festival.
