Nagaland’s Ao tribe celebrates Tsungremong festival

By Hempi D. Henpilen

Longsa village (Nagaland), Aug.10 (ANI): The Ao tribe celebrated Tsungremong festival zealously at Longsa village of Nagaland recently.

Hundreds of Ao tribals and others from neighbouring villages in Tuensang and Zunheboto district also participated in Tsungremong or, the ‘festival of blessing’.

Tsungremong, named after the man who started the ritual, is a thanksgiving festival.

Before the festivities begin, the village gates, known as Süngküm are closed and entry or exit is restricted and regulated for the day.

The natives wear their colourful traditional garbs, sing traditional songs and perform their ritualistic dances to express their gratitude to god for giving a high yield.

The festival also provides opportunities for the budding generations and other villagers to display their skills and physical strength.

This year, a colourful programme was hosted on the occasion under the auspices of the Longsa Village Gazetted Officers’ Union.

G Kaito Aye, Nagaland’s Minister for Roads and Bridges accompanied by K Kannan, Vice-Chancellor of Nagaland University were the chief guests on the occasion.

According to the locals, the festivity is symbolic of a good harvest and members of Ao community gather to thank God for blessing them with a rich harvest.

‘Man knows since primitive days that without God, there is no blessing. And Ao Naga tribe has understood it very clearly. This Tsungremong is to particularly ask God to bless and to invoke God’s blessings in one’s life. And therefore, the Tsungremong significance is very clearly brought out for the reason why it is observed,’ said Alemtemshi Jamir, a member of Longsa Village Gazetted Officers’ Union.

Kaito Aye, the chief guest, expressed his happiness over the ‘coming together’ of different villages and communities to celebrate the colourful festival.

Like Aye, the local residents also believed that that without peace, no development is possible in the strife-torn state.

‘I can say that industrialisation is lagging behind in Nagaland and we discuss about the faction of movement and problems in Nagaland, development cannot be possible. This is because people’s attitude is deep inside. We cannot break the shell of this attitude. So if there is peace, development will come,’ said K. Nokmerenba, a participant from Longsa village.

As per custom a round of tug of war between men and women during the festival and interestingly, men purposely lose to please the ladies. (ANI)