Nagaland ‘The Land of Festivals’ is replete with festivities all through the year. All the tribes celebrate seasonal festivals with a pageantry of colour and a feast of music, which they hold so dear and significant to them. The Nagas regard their festival very sacred, and for which, participation in the festival is a blessing. Most of the festivals are related to the creation and life situation (context) of the people, especially agriculture which is the main occupation of the Nagas. The predominant theme of the festivals is offering of prayers by the chief priest and villagers. Religious and spiritual sentiments in the form of sacred prayer/chant are offered, in order to please the Supreme Being, and in return, he will bless them.
As the seasons change so also the sentiments of the people. The winter wind blows from the west swiftly and the eastern horizon brings the signs of the time of festivities for the Zeliangs. The days began to stay longer as the sun moves back to its original position and the villagers wait and observe the signs of the time with much hope and enthusiasm, by listening to the proclamation and announcement of the festival which is done ahead of time. The HEGA festival falls in the second week of the second month of every year. Now the festival days are fixed, and it is always celebrated from 10th to 14th February.
It is a festival invoking the Almighty God to shower his blessing upon the people for bright future especially for the whole year. As the Chief Priest performs sacred rites and rituals, the people in turn wait for the blessing from the Supreme Being. It is also a festival of get-together in order to take rest and rejoice after the Harvest. This is the reason why all the family members and relatives come together from far and near in order to celebrate and receive blessing from the Almighty. Another important and significant part of the festival is the marriage engagement; during the festival the engagement of the young couples are publicly declared, in which both the Bride and Groom will start visiting each other’s house accompanied by their relatives and friends for the engagement party. So this is the festival where every new foundation begins, and new couples were united for a new family. Thus, God’s plan is manifested beginning from the formation of the new and happy family.
The HEGA festival lasts for five days, whereas the rich celebrate for seven days. The high priest announces in advance for the festival and the preparations are done ahead of time. The festival begins with varieties of activities and the merry making follows everywhere. The festival also follows by a circle of rituals and ceremonies.
1. The first day: HEGA TEUDAP : On the first day, all the killing of animals (especially Dogs) for the festival are done in every household and those who have no such animal or cannot afford to, either buy or share from other members. Slaughtering and sharing of the meat is the order of the day. As evening comes, their respective grandparents invite the grandchildren for the special dinner of the year, which is the beginning of the actual celebration. The elders and grandparents will share the family history, other related and important issues and also narrate stories to the grandchildren and bless them. At the same time, the Bride will invite her Groom for the engagement dinner, where she will give away all the presents and gifts for her would-be husband, like shawls and other traditional dresses and garments, and together with the boys and the elders, there will be a common gathering at their respective Morungs where the elders will give advice to the youths.
2. The second day: HERIE KAP : On the second day of the festival, the village gatekeeper of the main gate will offer a separate and a special prayer invoking the protection of the Almighty to the villagers and to shower his blessings in all walks of life for the year to come. The gatekeeper will assign the village youth to cut and shape it into a Hornbill and put it in the main gate with decoration and necessary things in order to perform rites and rituals in the evening. As the evenings comes, all the males – young and old – will howl (NRO) by going up and down the whole village for three times and will gather at the village gate in order to pierce the heart of the wooden carved Hornbill. It is a sacrifice for good luck especially for the men folk in hunting. If the villagers manage to hit the heart of the Hornbill then it is a sign or good luck and blessing will be bestowed on the villagers.
3. The third day: TSING RAK : The third day i.e. Tsing Rak is dedicated to the bride, in which all the villagers will sacrifice their time and talents for the bride. In the early morning, the bride will gather all the young boys and girls from their respective Khel, and will go to the jungle in order to cut fresh firewood for the evening’s ceremony. The firewood will be brought into the main gate after splitting into pieces and all bark will be removed. (No dry or dead firewood will be entertained for the ceremony). In the mean time, the elders and the youth from the groom’s Khel will also go to the Jungle and cut a big tree and shape/curve out into two identical pieces called NKANGKIE (seven to eight feet long) after which the colour is painted on the two pieces with the design signifying and showing the purity and virginity of the bride (this is very sacred where only the virgins and who has got good reputation can observe the ceremony). In the evening, the bride will carry the two white and spotless identical pieces (NKANGKIE) which signifies her life and would walk around the village followed by the boys and girls from her respective khels, and after going around the village, they will carry it to the girls’ dormitory (morung). On this night, the Groom will provide food and drinks to the girls.
4. The fourth day: RODI : The fourth day is one of the most important and sacred day of the festival, because it is on this day the most sacred place in the village is explored and used for the sacrifice, which is done only once in a year. On this day, in the morning, the youths will clean and prepare the sacred place where long-jump and wrestling is performed in the evening. Community long-jump and wrestling is held only once a year and it is observed on this day, where the best athlete and wrestler will be selected for the year.
In the evening all the male members (young & old) join in the howling (NRO) where thy march around the village for three times. After which, they will come and continue their howling at the most sacred place. In the meantime, all the villagers will gather to witness the contest and other rites and rituals of ceremony. The howling is repeated twice at the sacred site invoking God’s presence and blessing to the villagers, and other necessary rites will be performed followed by long-jump and wrestling. The winner of the contest will have to give in kind or cash to the village high priest. Finally, there will song singing together dedicated to the bride by marching around the village. The songs are very emotional and sentimental in nature, which is mainly addressing to the bride and groom, especially to the bride because she can never take part again in such an occasion. As they sing around the village, it is directly or indirectly giving farewell to the bride. As a result, the ladies sing in tears and this brings the real meaning of the songs to its zenith.
At night, the bride along with her friends would visit each household encouraging men, boys and girls to take part in the most interesting day of the festival, which is marked by dancing for the elders. The bride will prepare special chicken soup and provide them for their health and strength so that they can participate in the most important day of the festival i.e. in the dance the following day.
5. The fifth day: KOKSUI : KOKSUI is the most interesting and exciting day of the festival. On this day, the people from neighbouring villages come to witness the dance and also to receive blessing of the festival. One can experience and see the villagers right from the dawn preparing and putting on their traditional dresses, getting ready for the dance, which is the most sacred and exciting event of the festival. Early in the morning, the bride along with her friends will go around the village giving bath to those who are willing to take part in the dance, specially to the elders. It is the sole duty and responsibility of the bride to organize the dance, because this is the last privilege for her to participate in the dance. KOKSUI is so sacred that only the menfolk and the virgin girls can participate in the dance (regarding the men, they can participate throughout their lives as long as their health permits).
The dance KOKSUI is performed in the afternoon with different steps and meanings. In the midst of the dance, their will be howling (NRO/HERUI) which will be exclusively done by the male. After the dance, all the dancers will march around the village, which is commonly known as KILORO, by way of singing, playing games and dancing with variety of songs dedicated to opposite sex especially to the bride and groom.
6. The Sixth day: HEWANGME HEGA (festival of the king): On this day the king and the rich people continue to celebrate the festival.
7. The Seventh day: HEGAPA (end of the festival): A new fire which was lit by the elders from each Khel, on the first day will be used throughout the festival. During the festival no men should sleep with their wives, because they are observing gennas and mainly for fear of bad luck. The chief priest of the village and the elders of the respective Khel put off the new fire on the Seventh day, which is known as HEGAPA and the celebration of the most important festival of the Zeliangs, i.e. HEGA, comes to an end.
As the festival ends with putting off of the festival fire by the chief priest, and with the invocation of new blessing from the almighty God, all leisure activities are left behind. And the villagers begin the new dimension of life concentrating in the field and in other related works welcoming a new fruitful, successful life and years to come.
Rangro Herie
President
Peren Students’ Union
Peren
