A Tuophema man and Ungma youth during Angami Sekrenyi festival at Tuophema village in Kohima district on February 26. (Morung Photo)
Our Correspondent
Tuophema | February 26
The Angami’s premier festival Sekrenyi celebrated here today strengthened the bond of friendship between two villages— Tuophema under Kohima district and Ungma under Mokokchung district.
During the Sekrenyi celebration here today, both the villages reaffirmed their aspiration to maintain ‘eternal friendship.’
In unison, they joined cultural activities in the form of folk dances, merry making and indigenous game and it received thunderous applause from the celebrants and tourists.
Addressing the celebration as chief host, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio appreciated the people of Tuophema and Ungma for renewing the 21-year-old friendship through the Sekrenyi festival. He expressed happiness for the presence of Ungma villagers from Mokokchung, Dimapur and Kohima in the festival.
Basically, tribal festivals provides platform to renew friendships and also establish new friendship while also upholding and preserving the age-old tradition of the forefathers, he said.
Nagas, he said, known for their unique identity, has attracted the attention of the tourists elsewhere.
Encouraging the people to continue to uphold and preserve the rich culture and traditions, Rio prayed that tribal festivals will continue to strengthen the Naga unity in true sense.
Gracing the festival as the special guest, Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) speaker Sharingain Longkumer recalled that it was over two decades ago on February 26, 2001, when ‘friendship village’ between Ungma and Tuophema was established with the initiative of the then Chief Minister Dr S C Jamir and the then home minister Neiphiu Rio.
In the same year on March 8, Rio led a delegation of Tuophema to Ungma village where Ungma villagers at the residence of then Village Chairperson Imtimayang Pongen sacrificed a pig and the body portion was equally divided and shared, signifying and establishing ‘friendship and brotherhood – one body and one spirit’ between the two villages, Longkumer said.
He said Ungma is grateful to Rio for remembering them (Ungma) at all times and in all aspects of socio-economic and human resource development.
Longkumer asserted that Ungma would stay true to the spirit of friendship and brotherhood with Tuophema for all years and generations to come.
He maintained that the coming together of two villages through Sekrenyi exemplified the spirit of ‘one perfect united Naga family in both body and spirit.’
Earlier, the programme was chaired by Kechangulie Kense while Tuophema Village Council Chairperson Pfuduolhou Kense delivered welcome address. Vote of thanks was proposed by Tuophema Village Council advisor Keduo-o Zumu.
