Recently the Konyak Union has declared September 28 and 29 as the dates for official celebration of ‘Lao-ong Mo’ festival for the Konyak Nagas.
Accordingly, the Konyaks, led by its apex organisation, are gearing up for the first official celebration of the festival on September 28 in Mon town.
Likewise, its constituents units will be celebrating the same in accordance with the norms. The state government has also declared September 28 as a restricted holiday for Konyaks.
Festivals occupies an important place in the life of the Konyaks. The three most significant festivals were Aoling-Monyu, Aonyimo and Lao-ong Mo (Laoun-ongmo).
Aolingmonyu is celebrated in the first week of April, celebrated after sowing of seeds and marks the beginning of a new year. Its religious significance is to appease (Kahwang/ Yongwan) God for a prosperous harvest. Aonyimo is celebrated after the harvest of the first crops like — maize and vegetable.
Lao-ong Mo, a post-festival of thanksgiving and is celebrated after the completion of all agricultural activities.
The post harvest-festival has been traditionally been observed and adhered by every Konyak household after the completion of the harvest and marks the end of all activities, rituals and norms that were in progress/process since the completion of “Aoleang Monyu” celebration.
Literally translated ‘Lao’ is the time/ occasion/event/activity/season of harvest and 'un ong' means finishing all the activities and returning home... 'Mo' means festival...
The celebration is preceded by various rituals and norms that are being observed in the paddy field. Apart from its focus on the harvest, the festival also seeks to unify the souls and minds of every individual.
It is the state of time when all its granaries are confidently stored from the harvest and hence a celebration on the bountiful harvest with utmost sense of goodliness and thanksgiving, according to KU.
The festival is also a time when families starts arranging matrimonial alliance of their children or between lovers. Since the harvest is done and the granaries are well-stocked, with confidence they could make arrangements for the weddings since that’s all they needed for the wedding feast.
The main objective in celebrating the post harvest festival is to revive and preserve the glorious age old cultural and traditional heritage of the Konyak society.
