Indisen village celebrates Tsungremmong
Morung Express News
Dimapur | August 1
The Indisen Lanur Telongjem (ILT – Indisen youth forum), Dimapur celebrated Tsungremmong with gusto on August 1. One of two prominent traditional festivals of the Ao Nagas centred on farming and the jhum cycle of cultivation, Tsungremmong festivities occurred on the days leading up to harvest of paddy. In the present day, it falls on the first week of August with festivities mainly organised on the first and second day of the month.
Additional Director (retired), Land Resources Development, Moatoshi Longkumer, also a resident of Indisen, was the special guest at the celebration today hosted at the village playground. In his address, Longkumer called for greater awareness about one’s cultural heritage and preserving it for posterity. “Be clear about your ancestry. Only when we are knowledgeable about us and our roots, can we assert our identity,” he said.
He cited traditional medicine as a great knowledge bank that can be preserved and promoted. Inculcating such knowledge however, he said, can happen only when one is familiar with the socio-cultural practices. While stating that research is another area which requires attention, he encouraged scholars to take up the challenge of studying the past and retracing steps. Pointing out the absence of dates in the traditional narratives about origin, he cited the instance of other cultures in existence today that can trace its roots to millennia before.
Taking into context the current scenario in Nagaland in terms of growth and infrastructural development, Longkumer called for greater coordination among the people to take the state forward.
Principal of Phek Government College, L. Mefütiba spoke on the significance and essence of Tsungremmong. With Nagas today caught between modernity and traditional mores, Mefütiba said that it demands striking a healthy balance between the two. According to him, there is more to simply celebrating because tradition demands so. Understanding the ethos behind the celebration of festivals and the significance behind observing customs would only enrich the experience, he said.
