A Brief Signifance of Tsungkam-Neo or Neoto-Neo Festival

Toshi Wungtung

Tsüngkamneo also known as Neotoneo which means chief festival of festivals. It is by tradition & customary practices the most significant & important festival. There are almost 10 significant festivals that were celebrated by the Yimchungrü Nagas in the ancient past. However, with the changes in the social system & norms in the present & modern days & times, many of these traditional & festival practices are no longer observed & celebrated as in the past. These practices must be revived so as to maintain our historical background & heritage; otherwise we would be uncertain of our identity & equally result in a threat to our social identity. Nagas are distinctively known by their unique social & political history, customs & traditions, which are renowned all over the world.
Tsüngkamneo or Neotoneo is celebrated in the month of ‘Youngphu’ (January) & hence seasonally called as Tsüngkamneo or Winter Festival. In the ancient days, the preparation to observe this festival took months ahead, especially after harvest which was normally after the month of October.
One very unique & outstanding feature or practice of the festival was Aneo-ji khi or Limtsüa-tsuachih -khi (Holding special feasts of merit for special invitee’s where the Chief feast master would host the entire village, communities etc. In this practice, expensive gifts were presented & also exchanged for lifelong friendship. During festival, Peace Treaties, bonding of relationship, reconciliations were observed between the warring villages, communities & individuals. This was observed by hosting lavish feasts between the enemies & at the same time re-affirmation/ re-strengthening & maintaining of friendship between existing enemies.
Another point to be noted is the feast of merit & kind of thanksgiving for the blessings such as livestock, harvest & other wealth & properties. The best of delicacies in different items/Menu & special brewed/drinks were prepared in the finest & choices eg Preparation of the special items & best of wine such as the finest rice beer were served in Mithun horns & special crafted wooden/bamboo mugs. Normally the finest animals were slaughtered for the feast.
A particular folk song called as “Penkhun” where the song is sung describing the basic elements of the earth/ universe & the role of the Man-Kind in the social spheres &b norms. It is also noted to be a taboo to abuse the process of the song, in other words it must be completely sung from beginning to end in term of notes & lyrics. It is also said that the song is sung from morning till sunset. A Robust dancing & waltzing were displayed by the warriors & the young. Both genders had different items of dance performance, different traditional games & sports were also organised. The duration of the festival last a few days keeping in mind that the festival is prepared in months.
During this festival, the finest & the best textiles/clothing were woven to be worn, where along with dressing there is display of traditional jewellery & ornaments. One outstanding shawl which was adorned was “Rhe-hü khim/ Rhehü khih-khim”, where the patterns in the shawl displayed bravery, wealth, & status in the society. There were other shawls which depicted similar significances.
This festival is significant & outstanding encompassing the historical heritage, social-cultural, economic & political heritage of the Yimchungrü Nagas. This festival was/is originally & uniquely practiced by the Yimchungrü Nagas since the ancient times, which must be proudly maintained & practiced as a heritage.

Note: Yimchungrü Arih -Ako Chumukedima will be celebrating Tsungkam-neo Festival on 16th January 2018 at Chumukedima Town Hall.