1st All Nagaland Spelling Bee Championship 2017
Morung Express News
Dimapur | January 7
Rightly spelling 8 out of nine words in the final round, Rishiben Walling, a Class 10 student of Jubilee Memorial School, Mokokchung and a native of Meküli village, was crowned champion of the 1st All Nagaland Ao Spelling Bee Championship 2017 held at Changtongya Baptist Church (CBC) on January 6.
She beat 15 other contestants on the fray to emerge champion rightly spelling tongue-twisting words in Ao like Sentsüwangshidaktsütsüsa (deem to glory), Bangjibangzüngogo (reach an agreement) Ngangshirikangshia (harassed/torture forcefully) etc.
The contestants – five from Kohima, 3 from Dimapur, 3 from Mokokchung and 5 from Changtongya circle - had converged at Changtongya Village for the contest after preliminary qualifying competition in respective areas.
Lanusenla T Jamir (of Khar village), a Class 10 student of Edith Douglas Higher Secondary School Mokokchung and Imsubenla Tzüdir (Moayimti), representing Kohima Ao Baptist Church, Sunday School and a Class 10 student of Fernwood Higher Secondary School Kohima, won the 2nd and 3rd slots respectively.
The first prize winner will be given a scholarship worth Rs. 500 per month for 6 months by Lenjeter, a monthly Ao Magazine, which organised the contest in collaboration with Department of Linguistics, Nagaland University Kohima.
The Changtongya Students’ Union (CKT) was the host of contest for this year.
At the preliminary round, the contestants were asked 10 words each. It was followed by top 10; top 5; top 3 and finally two contestants were selected for the ultimate championship with 9 words each.
Some other words at the final round included (rough translation in parentheses) - Tzüsentsüpurtem (who are to be baptised), Züngdangteptsüsa (countable), Nguyangushia (suffering with painful ailments), Zübazülemtepba (complacently), Ngangbaor (sleep-talking), Tsünüsenpongtsü (various seeds), Ngasangatembapurtem (false prides) and so on.
Earlier, the championship started with an invocation by Rev. I. Wati Jamir, Pastor CBC while CKT Advisor O Tongpang Jamir spoke on behalf of the host. Dr. Chubatola Aier, Principal, C-Edge College Dimapur was the main speaker at the event.
The Secretary of Ao Senden Literature Board (ASLB) Temjen Tzüdir, who was the observer of the championship, exhorted the gathering while the Education Secretary of Ao Student Conference (AKM) Pangnemchiba gave a short speech.
It closed with a benediction by Rev. C. Manen, Pastor, Christian Revival Church, Changtongya.
