Kakheli Inato Jimomi addresses the 52nd SKK General Conference held at Satoi Town on January 29.
Zunheboto, January 31 (MExN): The 52nd general conference of the All Sümi Students’ Union (SKK) witnessed a clarion call for the restoration and revival of Sümi pride, with Kakheli Inato Jimomi, former Secretary, Women Ministry, Western Sümi Baptist Akukuhou Küqhakulu (WSBAK), challenging the SKK to restore traditional values.
Addressing the gathering at Satoi Town on January 29, Jimomi called upon the students to convert their time and learning into practical reality while urging them to respect elders in order to revive and restore the pride of the Sümi tribe. Reflecting on the present Sümi context, she said that the community must honestly question what traditional values have been lost and called on the students’ community to honour and respect the wisdom of elders and pioneers.
Stating that students should take the lead in reviving Sümi culture, she encouraged them to live a disciplined life, to carry forward the legacy of their forefathers, beginning from this very conference. “Let us start with our own family, community and tribe to restore the traditional values of the Sümi people,” she said.
Asserting that the pioneers and elders of the Sümi tribe were known for their hospitality, generosity, mutual support, and for exchanging thoughts and wisdom, she described the practice as a treasure of the Sümi community, adding that these practices and values are slowly eroding from the society.
Emphasizing traditional Sümi indigenous culture, Jimomi maintained that the tribe must protect and preserve its rich cultural identity. At the same time, she reminded the students that the Sümi have a rich indigenous cultural heritage where elders once convened meetings at the Sümi Morung, took decisions, and collectively preserved Sümi culture. However, with social advancement, she lamented that the practice of meeting in the Morung has declined and, as a result, important cultural practices are slowly being lost.
Kakheli urged the student community to return to traditional roots by practising indigenous methods of farming and livelihood. She stressed that today’s youths must cultivate good discipline and strong moral character.
Furthermore, she encouraged people to wear Sümi traditional attire during wedding ceremonies in a decent and dignified way, showcasing the rich cultural identity of the Sümi and bringing back pure traditional values to seek the blessings of their forefathers.
Narrating a story when the SKK conference was earlier held at Satoi Town in 1979, she recalled that there was no road connectivity and people had to trek from one village to another, driven by dedication and hard work.
Highlighting the access of road connectivity today, she stressed that while times have changed, the community must cultivate the art of traditional living, return to its roots, preserve traditional values, and uphold the integrity, peace, and unity of the Sümi tribe.
Likewise, she also encouraged support for and preservation of organic indigenous products of the Sümi tribe as a way to honour and reflect the practices of the elders of the past. She opined that while headhunting is no longer practised, the present environment of disunity, jealousy and hatred resembles the old spirit behind headhunting.
Clan-based associations should serve only for historical research, not to deepen divisions
Kitoho Rotokha former SKK President (1997-99) exhorted the gathering on January 29 in the evening session.
In his address, Rotokha urged students to prioritize impactful resolutions where every SKK conference must form a compulsory Resolution Committee and adopt concrete resolutions.
Highlighting the need for strong community, he challenged the student community to ensure each tenure delivers tangible outcomes for the Sumi tribe—especially students—rather than wasting resources on lavish events without results.
Addressing the clan divisions among the Sümi tribe such as Zhimomi, Yepthomi, and Ayemi, Rotokha cautioned that clan-based associations should serve only for historical research, and not to deepen divisions.
Stressing the urgent need to rebuild the Sümi society through unity, he encouraged the youths to seize opportunities everywhere, venture beyond familiar bounds, and pursue skill development for success.
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