The Chang believes that the entire Human Race emerged from “CHANGSANGMONGKO”. It is considered as one of the oldest settlement for the Changs and interestingly, many primeval stories of CHANGSANG are unique in its essence. Of all the festivals, Changs revere the “NAKNYULÜM” since it is believed that the whole world was engulfed in utter darkness for THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS. The darkness was so intense and was considered as NAKSHOU NAKNYU or THE MOTHER OF ALL DARKNESS.The people in CHANGSANG were stranded in the fields, some in the jungle, some at the journey to their way back home and many were stayed up in homes or people were held up wherever they were in that course of events. It is also believed that during the course of such untold events, those remained inside their homes completely for the said consecutive days caused lots of difficulties and became short of everything. In order to keep the fire burning inside their homes they burnt out every available things and when nothing was left they were compelled to burn the horns of buffaloes, mithuns, cows and other animals that were hung inside or outside the houses. At such a time, when the people were striving hard to overcome the darkness, a man named NAMO MOLO happened to kill a double tailed Tiger amidst the darkness. At that instant, the entire darkness suddenly burst into daylight. In order to celebrate the victory of light, the forefathers in CHANGSANG resolved to please the heavenly Gods by celebrating the Naknyu Festival symbolizing ‘THE CONQUEST OF DARKNESS BY LIGHT’.
The ancient Changs believed that, there were three heavenly gods, each God were having their own powers and blessings. During the festival, people offers prayers invoke God’s blessings with special rituals so that, the darkness doesn’t rule over them again.
Naknyu festival is celebrated every year on the eleventh (11) month of Chang calendar that is in the last week of July during moonless night/month (Daomou in Chang dialect) just before the new moon appears. The Naknyu festival is firstly pronounced by the elderly person of the Oungh Clan and is celebrated for three days and nights. NAKNYU festival is marked by many rituals and restrictions, for instance, if a guest happens to accidentally visit the home, he/she is expected to come the following year for the Naknyu festival so as to avert ill omens.
On the first day of the festival i.e., ‘Wenshi’ or preparation day, the women folk prepare flour from sticky rice and freshly harvested millet to make steamed biscuits. The selected animals for the feast particularly mithuns and pigs are slaughtered. As a traditional practices of Chang Naga Tribe, the priest from the Oungh Clan initiate the process followed by aged male members of the respective villages engage in making Yan’s (tops) and Kongkin (mouth flute made of bamboo) for all. On the remaining hours, the members of the whole villages put ‘Ngounam’ (Ezhehozea, a scented plant use in ritual) by decorating the surrounding of the house, at the water well and both inside and outside the house.
Ngounam was believed to ward off the evil spirits. At night, after dinner and before sleep, three pieces of “Wei” (Saponaria, a wild nut which was used to shampoo the hairs in ancient days) is placed at the door step with some hot ashes placed over it and wait till it burst out because of heat. If the seeds burst and split inside the house, it was believed to be a bad sign and that the family would see famine and destruction but if the seeds burst and split outside the house, the event meant a good and prosperous year ahead.
The second day of the festival i.e. ‘Youchem’ or rest day, is filled with indigenous games of competition, sharing and giving. In ancient days, early in the morning, women folk offer rice beer and traditional pickle made of meat to their brothers, cousins and relatives, near and dear ones.
The youngest in the family would be busy doing errands distributing steamed biscuits made of sticky rice, millets cakes and cooked meats to relatives, neighbours and friends. This festive event plays a significant role in building up love, compassion, concern, respect and honour for one another in turn inspiring the sense of ‘We feeling’ among the mass of people. Through exchanging of gifts and food items people come closer or come to know each other’ consanguinial or marital affinity. And thereby, they build a strong bond of relationship.
At the same day of festival, men and women of different ages wear Ezhehozeas’ (ngounam in Chang) as a kind of an ornament – especially by those who have their ears pierced to ward off Evil spirits, the women folk plays kongkin and the male plays yans. Biscuit made of sticky rice and millet is hung high on the pole and the young and old alike compete to reach and bite it with their mouth with hands fold behind.
The competitors are rewarded with hordes of rice cakes and many goodies. It is believed that the gods during NAKNYU comes down to earth to collect yans (tops) and Wei (saponaria) and hence, one piece each of ‘Wei’ and yan is placed at the entrance of the house for the gods at night.
The third day of the festival i.e., ‘Nakseng’ determined the fate of the villagers where young men beat log drum from dawn till sunrise that denotes ‘THE DECLARATION OF THE PEOPLE COMING OUT OF DARKNESS AND USHERING DAWN OF LIGHT’. The old men too sit together in the morung waiting in utter silence to listen to the first chirping bird of the morning. They wait in attention for the pronouncement by the bird. It was believed that the kind of bird to chirp would define the future. If it is the aoumeishou -A small bird with blue spots to chirp first, it is considered a good omen as it signifies that the harvest of the year would be plentiful and an abundant crop was predicted. If the bird to chirp first is black with white spotted one then it confirms that there would be birth of many warriors in the village. But if the first bird to chirp is the shopangshou -a small bird with mixed red and yellow feathers ‘then it announces misfortune for the people and Village. After a day break, the villagers clean up their respective traditional wells and ponds where the rest of the day is spent clearing and constructing the roads & bridges to the Villages and the fields. In short, it symbolizes the approach of new season i.e., winter, as it is based on ancient days with deep underlying meanings. The last day of Naknyulüm is an important day where aged old traditional bond of agreement and Treaty Alliance or Peace Treaty- Lamshok (in Chang) were made between the neighbouring Villages. This celebration of Naknyu Festival is compulsorily marked by every individual household/family irrespective of status to avert evil spirits by pleasing the heavenly Gods.
In sixth(6th)day, i.e., counting from the first day of Naknyulüm, a special festival called ‘Monyulüm’ is celebrated for the young children. During the celebration of this festival, sticky biscuits are made and distributed equally among the young children, six for the male and five for female, which signifies the strength of the male and female. Despite the fun and merriment during the Naknyulüm, the festival is signified by the rituals and many ghenna has to be observed strictly. Some significant observation and practices of the Naknyu festival are as follows: Changs do not folk dance and sing during the festival, if any guest visits a home then it is expected of him/her to visit the Naknyu festival again the following year as well. This is a solemn festival where men and women are also not allowed to stay and visit neighbouring Villages. All animals booked for this festival are not spared. No marriage and physical sharing is observed, even between the husband and wife during this month of Naknyu festival. If rain pours during Naknyulüm, it is believed that it will brings good harvest and fill granary. No house or granary is built during this season. People are restricted from even trimming ones hair. It is believed that any mistake in observation of the rituals shall cause famine and pestilence in the village. It is assumed that on the last night of the Naknyu festival, the soul of man or woman who is destined to die the coming year leaves the person. Weaving, handicraft and knitting should not be left incomplete/half done during this season. Exchange of uncooked meat during this festival is strictly prohibited. Before the festival, one’s own belonging such as household properties and cultivating tools from the fields or elsewhere are collected and kept at home, failing which a bad Omen will befall the family. On the 3rd dawn day, a chicken is released by the priest from Oungh clan at the entrance of the village to signify the conclusion of the festival. Thence, normal life begins the following day as usual.
(NGAKHU THUNGTI CHANG)
Kohima
