Millet Festival: ‘Revitalizing Millet Based Biodiversity’

Morung Express News
Tuensang | October 1

Chingmei Sao Thangjam (CST) in collaboration with Chingmei Village Council organized Millet Festival, a biodiversity festival on the theme ‘Climate Change: Revitalizing Millet Based Biodiversity’ at Chingmei village, Tuensang on September 30.

According to CST President, B Naong most villages have given up millet farming but through this festival they want to encourage and revive the millet cultivation.

14 women from Chingmei village, are also members of the CST had the vision to once again inculcate the importance of millet farming and with minimum financial resources they planned to hold a small gathering for the women folk of the village. However, with the support of Chingmei Village Council and Yimkhong Sipong, Land Resource Department, Tuensang who suggested the idea of inviting experts in the field they decided to organize. It turned out to be one of its first kinds in this part of Nagaland. 

The Millet Festival saw the participation of women folk from the village and from Sangtam, Yimkhiung and Khiamniungan communities. It was also attended by dignitaries from different fields.

Special guest, Imti, Senior Treasury Officer in his solidarity speech said, “It is a new festival for us and I may not be wrong when I say that this festival can be called a rebirth of millet in Eastern Nagaland because millet as such is almost extinct.” Imti said that that festival is a time of having fun and reconciling relationships with relatives, neighbours and family. Seeing the faces of friends from different communities truly it is a festival of rejuvenating, love and sharing. 

Giving the keynote address, Seno Tsuhah, Honorary Member, NEN Nagaland said, “the NEN is reviving millet festival because it is not only a food item but it also a part of our culture, it is part of our way of life.”

She noted that Climatic change is one factor which destroys many crops but millet is one crop where even there is less rainfall it can sustain and grow. It is a climate compliant grain. “We have to protect, preserve and conserve our indigenous seeds. We need to revive the indigenous practices of conserving seeds like our fore parents have done in the past. We have also labelled farming as something which is not up to the mark so we need to have inter-generational knowledge system between the elders and youngsters,” she affirmed.

Earlier, N Alem chaired the formal program and Pastor, Chingmei Baptist Church graced with the invocation prayer, by traditional welcoming ceremony by playing Kongkin (a Chang-Naga mouth organ).

The resource persons, Wekoweu Tsuhah, State Coordinator NEN and Neitshopeu Thopi, NEN conducted technical session on topics – Millet for food and nutrition security and Millet recipes respectively.

Other highlights were cultural song called Kongthang Onet by the women folk of the village, a traditional tune by Langesao and a tune of traditional husking of millets were performed by the women folks.  A story on millet was narrated by Sangbou, Head GB Chingmei village while short speeches were delivered by Chubala, Rtd Principal, Sao Chang College and Lipichem, DPO Land Resource Department, Kiphire. Vote of thanks was delivered by CST President, B Naong.

There was a display of seeds, uncultivated food exhibition and also sale of local products. The usage of millet on food, juice and desserts was also very evident.