Celebrate Ahuna with purpose, responsibility — Minister G Kaito Aye

DIMAPUR — The second day of the Ahuna Festival 2025 at Pughoboto town, Zunheboto district, on Friday was attended by Minister for PWD (R&B), G Kaito Aye as the ‘Ahuna Papu’ (Ahuna father).

A significant highlight of the programme was the unveiling of the ‘Angami–Sümi Tribal Relationship Stone,’ symbolising long-standing friendship and mutual respect between the two communities, the Sümi Hoho stated in a press release.

Addressing the festive gathering, Minister Aye called upon the Sümi community to celebrate Ahuna with purpose and responsibility.

He urged the people to go beyond ritual celebration and strive for excellence in agricultural production, praising the Pughoboto community for its dedication to cultivation and for making the most of the region’s God-given fertile land.

The minister emphasised the importance of sustaining and strengthening the longstanding relationship between the Sümi and Angami communities.

He appealed to both groups to continue working together, noting that their unity can play a vital role in addressing larger challenges faced by the Naga people.

The minister further suggested that the spirit of the Ahuna post-harvest celebration should be shared with all other Naga tribes, promoting inclusivity and extending the festival’s message of gratitude, unity and communal harmony across Nagaland.

Also read: Bureaucrat Kikheto Sema urges Nagas to ‘make peace, not pieces’ at Ahuna Festival in Pughoboto

Delivering the welcome and presidential address, Sümi Hoho president Dr. Vihuto Asumi said the festival reflects the values of humility, hope, and togetherness that bind generations of the Sümi people.

Referring to Pughoboto as the ancestral cradle of the Sümi, Dr. Asumi stated that celebrating Ahuna at its historical birthplace reaffirms the community’s connection to its roots and the ideals of faith, love, and respect that have guided the Sümi through generations.

One of the key highlights of his address was the emphasis on the renewed relationship between the Angami and Sümi communities. He recalled the joint meeting held on January 24, 2025, at the APO hall in Kohima, where the Angami Public Organisation (APO) and Sümi Hoho, along with elders, resolved to further strengthen their long-standing ties.

Dr. Asumi noted that the Angami and Sümi have historically lived as neighbours, partners, and friends, sharing boundaries and mutual respect.

The Angami–Sümi relationship stone was unveiled by APO president and special guest, Thejao Vihienuo, who underscored the deep-rooted friendship between the Sümi and Angami communities.

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Referring to the unveiling of the ‘Relationship Stone,’ Vihienuo said the monument not only reflects centuries-old ties but also serves as a reminder to strengthen and deepen this bond for generations to come.

He noted that the two tribes’ ancestors shared migration paths, settlements and mutual respect, forming a relationship “rooted in friendship and confidence” that has been passed down as a legacy.

Vihienuo acknowledged that the relationship has experienced periods of mistrust in the past, often arising when self-interest overshadowed collective wellbeing.

Without concern for one another, he said, respect diminishes, trust erodes and meaningful sharing becomes difficult.

Over 1,000 Angami brothers joined the Ahuna celebration, with the total gathering exceeding 4,000 for the grand event, it stated.

Dr. Sukhato Sema, MLA of 13 AC Pughoboto, highlighted Nagaland’s abundant natural resources and the immense potential of its youthful population.

He noted that Nagaland is blessed with fertile land and a generation full of energy, creativity and a strong desire for progress. However, he stressed that potential alone is insufficient without “discipline, dedication and direction.”

Dr. Sema pointed out that today’s youth enjoy opportunities that earlier generations could not have imagined—access to the Internet, modern technology, global communication and innovative education. He urged young people to use these privileges responsibly and for the greater good.

Akükau Hetoho S Zhimomi, president of the Sümi Kükami Hoho, reaffirmed that the Sümi people remain as one community despite living across different sub-divisions.

Earlier, the stone-unveiling prayer was pronounced by Rev. Dr. Kiyeto G Sema, senior pastor of Sümi Aphyumeyi Baptist Church, Kohima. The Ahuna blessing prayer was offered by Rev. Vibo Sumi, executive secretary of NCRC Sümi.