Tuensang, January 10 (MExN): The Chang Tribal Council (CKS) will celebrate the 3rd Poanglüm (Winter Festival) on January 12 and 13 at Loyem Memorial Ground, Tuensang Headquarter, with the theme ‘Enveloping Peace in Oneness’ with MLA, CM Chang and APO, DRDA Tuensang C. Ebou Chang as chief guest and guest of honour respectively.
Poanglüm Festival Convenor H. Wongto and general secretary CKS, C. Yenten in a press release informed that there will be trade fair and cultural programme throughout the festival. The organizing committee and CKS also stated that the programme will be enchanted with entertainment and extravaganza on the last day of the festival, which will be grace by SDO (Civil) Tuensang Pakon Phom NCS as guest of honour. The Chang Tribal Council (CKS) and planning committee of the festival invites all head of the department, Tribal union leaders, community leaders, general public of Tuensang town and well wishers to attend the festival.
Significance of Poanglüm (Winter Festival)
The Chang Naga tribe observes Poanglüm which is also called winter festival celebrated in the month of January. This festival is observed to commemorate the completion of the year long agriculture activities in the life of an agrarian man. This festival is celebrated to honour the God of providence for filling the barns of the cultivator after the tiresome summer. This festival is a time for the village and with the neighboring communities. They sing songs of fulfillment, praise, honour and friendship during Poanglüm.
Rituals of inviting guest
The intent of inviting people from the neighboring community is to make friendship treaties and to build a trading relation between the villages. During this festival, craftsmen and traders from neighboring villages come with their products and barter their goods and products in a place called “Khongdang” which is akin to modern day bazaar (market). The friendship build during Poanglüm is maintained and honored for lifetime.
Mode of celebration
Cattle and other domesticated animals which is earmarked for Poanglüm celebration are being butchered a day before the main event i.e. ‘ukthenyet’. Peer groups (Edou) and people of the same khel both men and women enjoy this festival by singing, dancing and sharing foods and wine.
Mode of sharing
At first, the women folk of the village share their best wine and food to the men folk especially elders form their clan men. In reciprocation the elders give meat to every sisters and daughters who have shared their wine. Certain portion of the meat like neck part is given to the best man, heart portion is given to the bridesmaid, tail portion is given to the eldest among the families and the pair of the ears is given to the adjacent neighbor one each to the left and the right of the house. The guest invited to the festival from the neighboring villages for friendship treaty are given half the portion of the pig that has been butchered for the festival, signifying sharing of joy and pain together until dead. In this festival courtship among young boys and girls from different villages are also encouraged.
