Yiepetso Wezah
Seluophe, Dimapur
To the Chakhesang Nagas, Sükrünye (in Chokri) Sükrünyi (in Sümi and Tekrünye (in Khuzhale). It is one of the most important festivals. It is a New Year festival. It is a festival of purification and an act of blessings upon boys and girls. It is a celebration of life together by singing, dancing and wrestling. The practices celebrating Sükrünye may differ from village to village and from area to area. Traditionally, Sükrünye is a ten days festival. Yet, today, we celebrate one day to mark the significance of Sükrünye.
Looking into the ritual practices, it has two significances- The first part is purification and the second part is an act of blessings upon boys and girls. On the first day, the whole village would observe genna and feasting together, singing and dancing and wrestling and do various games. On the second day, there would be an act of purification and blessings.
1. Purification and act of blessings upon boys- On the second day of Sükrünye, at the dawn most of the male folk would go to the village common wells and bath naked. While bathing they would utter-
Creator of Heaven and Earth;
Let all dirt go away.
Let all diseases and sicknesses go away.
From today I will be healthy and live a victorious life.
It is an act of confessing sins to the Creator and washing away of infirmities. They would also sprinkle water upon their guns by saying, “let good luck be upon it.”
Kuputi Küsükrü/Thepu Sükrü/Pfütsü Tekrü: It is an act of dedication and blessings upon boys. At the dawn, a father would fetch clean water from the well and bring (Zohunyi in Chiokri and Aramhi in Sümi). A father would wash his son’s face, hands and legs with crystal water by saying, “let my son be as pure as this crystal water in his life.” Then he would bind his son’s hands and legs with Zohunyi/Aramhi and cut this leaf by saying “Let my son be as sharp as this leaf in his thinking and doing. Let him be smart and above others.” This is a prayer of father’s blessings for his son. He would erect new oven with alder tree and cook cock and rice in a new earthen pots. They used bamboo cover as plates and banana leaf cup. It signifies the beginning of new life.
On this day, all the male folk would hunt birds and hang on the bamboo posts in the village before sun set. The elders would predict the fortunes of the village.
Titi Kuso/Thenu nuso/Nitsü tekrü: It is an act of purification and blessings upon girls: On the 3rd Day of Sükrünyi/Sükrünye/Tekrünye, at the dawn a mother would fetch clean water from the village common well. The mother would wash her daughter’s face, hands and legs with this pure water by saying, “Creator of Heaven and Earth, Let my daughter be pure as this pure water in her life. May your blessings be upon her. May no sickness come upon her but help her to live a prosperous life.” She would erect oven with alder tree and cook awuli/vuli/Fuzhi (young hen, which has not yet hatched eggs) and rice from new earthen pot. In the same way they would use bamboo cover and banana leaf as plates abd cups. It is a celebration of new life.
Today, we do not follow such traditional practices, but celebrate Sükrünye to mark the importance of purification and cleansing infirmities and dedication of life to enter into New Year. It is vital to dedicate youth to live a righteous in today’s world of filthiness.
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