Kohima, April 20 : This is a tale of two villages bound together in a unique blend of tradition and amity.
Come April, the residents of two villages of Nagaland — Shena Old in Zunheboto district and N. Longidang in neighbouring Wokha — converge to observe the rituals of their forefathers to invoke the blessings of the Almighty and foster a bond among indigenous communities.
This year, too, the villagers gathered to observe their annual indigenous tradition of community fishing in the Doyang, the biggest river in the state, to invoke God’s blessings for a bumper harvest. The practice also helps forge unity between Sumi Nagas of Shena Old and Kyong Nagas of N. Longidang.
More than 3,000 villagers gathered at Doyang village, on the border of the two districts and about 5km upstream and east of the two villages, on April 16 for community fishing. The men of the two villages performed some rituals, sounded a war cry and then threw the bark of a locally available tree (the barks are known as aichi by both the communities) in the middle of the river. It’s taboo for women to take part in the trashing of barks. While the men are involved in the rituals, the women prepare food for them.
For more than a month, the youths of the two villages have been keeping an eye on the stretch of the Doyang belonging to them so that other villagers do not fish in the river during this season.
The previous evening, the villagers had performed rituals in their respective villages, including a war cry led by the village headman. Later, they were briefed about the next day’s customs and asked to maintain strict discipline, failing which they would face dire consequences. Liquors and other intoxicants are strictly banned while fishing.
Roads and bridges minister Kaito Aye, who was present along with 10 legislators, was so impressed by this unique tradition that he appealed to other Naga communities to follow suit. He assured the villagers that a bridge would be build over the Doyang for easy communication between the two villages, which are now linked by a suspension bridge. Agri-link roads have also been constructed on the banks of the Doyang under the National Employment Guarantee Scheme.
The additional commissioner of Nagaland, K.N. Ngullie, who chaired this year’s organising committee, said the two villages have been practising this tradition for more than a hundred years. “We practice community fishing to invoke the blessing of God and so that the two villages remain united,” he said.
The two villages were established about 150 years ago and despite the spread of Christianity nearly 130 years ago, they still practise their indigenous rituals and traditions in many aspects.
Ngullie said performing community fishing brings good fortunate to both the villages. “If we don’t perform community fishing, our fields will not produce a bumper harvest,” he said, adding that the practice between the two indigenous communities was one of its kind.
The secretary of the organising committee, Kuputo Achumi, said the decades-old practice of community fishing had brought the two villages and their indigenous communities closer.
He said every five years, the villagers also gather for a community feast, whereby they vow to maintain peace and unity between the two villages. The amity assumes significance as it was established during the head hunting days of their Naga forefathers.