Sekrenyi: Occasion to bury differences; renew old friendships

Dimapur, Feb. 25 (EMN): With the call to bury differences among Naga tribes and renew old friendships, this year’s Angami Sekrenyi Mini Hornbill began on Monday at Khuochiezie in Kohima.

Organised by the Angami Public Organisation (APO) and the government of Nagaland, on the theme ‘Purifying Confluence,’ the festival will end on Feb. 27 at Tuophema village, according to a DIPR report.

The APO had invited members of the Ao community to join the celebrations on the first day. In his speech, the president of Ao Senden, Chubawati Ao said that it was an honour and a privilege for him and members of Ao community to partake in the festival. “Sekrenyi is a purification festival, a festival to cleanse the body and the soul; while the cleansing is a meaningful ritual what is even more meaningful is to be made new.

“The Angamis and the Aos shared a cordial relationship since our ancestral days. Both tribes have steadily maintained the stability in the relationship. But why settle at that when our friendship could be stronger and more impactful? In the true spirit of Sekrenyi, let us renew our friendship and take it to greater heights, the kind of friendship that reinforces each other’s strength and dignity,” he said.

Ao urged all Nagas to bury the differences “and bring unity among the Naga people and work together for inclusive growth and development in our lands, where none is left behind.” He further added that no society can progress in parts, it can only progress as a whole and therefore in the path of progress, we shall leave the past behind, carrying with us only the rich legacy of our culture and tradition and march to the future as equal stakeholders in growth and progress.

He thanked the Angami community for being a gracious host all these years to all the people from different tribes who in one way or another call Kohima their home.

“The gesture is appreciated and shall always be an exemplary trend for all the other tribes to follow and practice in their respective districts. As for me and my fellow Aos, we renew our commitment to keep up this spirit of brotherhood and fairness in our dealings with not just our Angami brothers but with all other tribes residing in Nagaland,” he said.

The APO president, Dr. Kepelhousie Terhüja said that Sekrenyi is a festival of “purification and sanctification” of the body, mind and soul. He said that the forefathers practiced rituals to cleanse off the “wrongs and sins” to renew and purify the body and soul.

With the advent of Christianity, he said, today the head of the family seeks God’s forgiveness and “cleanse off the sins to renew and purify the body, mind and soul.”

According to the report, Terhüja also thanked the women on behalf of the APO for supporting the men in their prayers and further urged them to continue keeping them in their prayers. “In order to have true human flourishing, we need to purify ourselves not once in a year but in our daily lives,”

Terhüja also highlighted “some of the countless admirable qualities of Aos” and added that the Angami community recognises the former’s contributions in various fields.

Quoting an African proverb, “a person becomes a person through other persons,” he said that in Naga context it translates as: “a tribe becomes a tribe through other tribes.”

The deputy commissioner of Kohima, Gregory Thejawelie said that festivals in Nagaland will help create better tourism infrastructure in the state and also create tourism-related jobs. He also said that this year’s Sekrenyi theme ‘purifying confluence’ is a reaffirmation to the guests and commitment of the Angami people to overcome the past flaws and misdeeds through the sanctification of the mind and soul, to surge ahead, striving for a better society.

Chatuo Paphino blessed the festival. Other highlights of the programme include Sekrenyi song by Vizho Thakro, cultural item by Ao cultural troupe, and a song by Coloured Keys. Cultural performances were presented by Northern, Southern, Western and Chakhro cultural troupes.