A section of the Konyak women dancers during their Guinness World Record attempt.
Result expected to be declared in the next five days
Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, April 5: Around five thousand Konyak women on Friday attempted to set a Guinness World Record for the “Largest Traditional Konyak Dance” in Mon town.
The performers danced to the beats of traditional instruments and sang a ceremonial song for five minutes and one second, according to sources.
The event was part of the Konyak community’s annual Aoleang Monyu festival.
Guinness authorities are expected to declare the result within five days, the source said.
The official adjudicators from Guinness World Records could not make it to the event due to “security-related issues,” according to the source.
However, representatives from the North East Zone Cultural Centre under the Ministry of Culture were present to capture the event; the video evidence will be sent to the Guinness authorities, after which the latter will deliver the verdict.
The record attempt was an initiative of the Konyak Nyupuh Sheko Kong (KNSK) and the Konyak Union. According to the general secretary of Konyak Union, Honang Konyak, they had initially applied for world record attempt on use of muzzle-loading gun but was rejected due to firearm related issues.
“We applied for the dance and got accepted on March 5; so they had only a month to practice for this world record attempt,” said Konyak.
According to him, the performers were all residents of Mon town. There are 11 wards in the town.
“Five-hundred women from each ward took part in the world record attempt,” said Konyak.
He said that the Konyak Union had entrusted the KNSK to attempt for the world record ‘to empower women as well as promote the community’s cultural heritage.’
On January 12, 2013, Nagaland set the Guinness World Record for largest electric guitar ensemble when 368 guitarists assembled at the Agri Expo site in Dimapur to perform Guns N’ Roses’ famous cover of Bob Dylan’s Knocking on Heaven’s Door.
