Rengma community celebrated its premier festival- Ngada Mini Hornbill Festival at RSA ground, Tseminyu old town on Tuesday.
Welcoming the dignitaries and officials, chief host of the festival, advisor animal husbandry & veterinary services & women resources development, R. Khing said that the day is observed with dance, rejoicing, equal sharing among rich and poor and forgiving.
He said “Ngada” festival is a seven-day long celebration, however, due to time constraint it has been observed only for two days. Advisor water resources, Namri Nchang, the Ngada guest, extended his appreciation to the villages, concerned departments and individuals involved in organising the Ngada Mini Hornbill festival.
He said that the idea of celebrating Mini Hornbill festival was decided during the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) cabinet meeting held on April 16, 2018, which is the brain child of chief minister Neiphiu Rio to promote tribal festivals by involving tribal hohos of all districts in the state.
He also said that the PDA government keeping in mind the potential of tourism in the state has initiated the Mini Hornbill Festival.
Calling on the Rengma community to preserve the culture and tradition, Nchang said “we are nobody in the society if we lost our tradition and encouraged the younger generation to practice our tradition sincerely”.
He lamented that youth of today were quickly intimating others but find it difficult to follow the rich traditions of their forefathers. In this regard, he challenged the younger generations to uphold the rich traditions and let others imitate them.
Also, speaking on the occasion as Ngada guest, advisor youth resources and sports, Er. Zale Neikha praised the Rengma people, who were known for their act of bravery, hard work and marketing skills. He challenged other Naga tribes to learn the traits of the Rengma community, the culture of struggle and hard-work in improving the economy.
He said the PDA government was for ‘Change and Development’ and intended to work closely with the people. He pointed out that holding of ‘Mini-Hornbill festivals’ across the state coinciding with the respective tribal festivals was one objective and aspiration of the PDA government to boost tourism in the state,
Speaking on the significance of Ngada festival, Rengma Hoho president, Kenyuseng Tep said that the festival is being celebrated in the month of November every year that marks the completion of the year and enjoyment of year’s harvest.
It is a festival where the poor and rich share with each other without any distinctions and the wrongdoings of individual against each other are forgiven and forgotten.
Earlier, the programme chaired by Benjamin Lorin member organizing committee began with a sounding of Ngada call by Tseminyu union, pronouncement of Ngada by Jilo Bukh, invocation by executive secretary CRBC Haiwalo Apon and welcome address by Nokchasashi ADC Tseminyu & convenor organizing committee.
Highlights of the celebrations programme included, folk song by Tesophenyu group, male voice by Hinenlo Kath and friends, cultural presentation by Phenshiinyu Lowjvii and Mishilimi village of Sumi cultural troupe and traditional fire-making by Kandi group.
Thousands of people from Rengma villages, tourists, neighbouring villages and others attended the Ngada mini hornbill festival celebration. After the formal function, Namri inaugurated the Morungs/stalls of all Rengma villages at the ground where various organic vegetables, indigenous food items and other products were sold.