Our Correspondent
KOHIMA, MARCH 14
The exploitation of festivals by many ‘wherein the true significance of the festival has lost its importance and meaning through improper or excessive use of food and drinks,’ has created room for misconception among other peoples, a minister has said during a community celebration in Kohima on Monday.
The community of Rüsourülou Peli 13, a same-age peerage of Kohima village comprising 283 members, celebrated their 25 years of existence and Sekrenyi with traditional fervour on Monday. Khriehu Liezietsu, parliamentary secretary for Youth Resources & Sports, Music Task Force and State Lotteries was the chief guest of the event at Merübotsa, L Khel, in Kohima village, near Kohima town.
Congratulating the Rüsourülou Peli 13 on attaining 25 years, Liezietsu said Sekrenyi, the sanctification or purification festival, was one of the major and most important festivals of the Angami Naga.
While noting a major change in the lifestyles of the people with the change of time, the parliamentary secretary stressed on the need to preserve and conserve one’s ‘good traditions and customs.’
Liezietsu also noted with concern what he said was the exploitation of the festival by many ‘wherein the true significance of the festival has lost its importance and meaning through improper or excessive use of food and drinks.’ This has created room for misconception among other people, he said. He, therefore, asserted that the people need to continue to uphold ‘our good traditions passed on by our forefathers, through proper conduct of ethics and behaviour.’Although all the rites and rituals associated with the festival are not followed anymore with the coming of Christianity, Liezietsu emphasized on the need to keep alive ‘our traditions, customs and through folk songs and dances, display of traditional attires and other indigenous games.’
Earlier, the chief guest, Khriehu Liezietsu also unveiled the jubilee monolith.
The deputy commissioner of Dimapur district, Kesonyü Yhome, also a member of Peli 13, expressed concern that even as the people race to keep up with the fast-paced world ‘many of our good traditions and culture are getting lost along the way.’
Citing an example of a survey conducted by the UNESCO in 2001 the Tenyidie dialect was found to be under the category of ‘vulnerable language’–only 1, 25, 000 people are found to be speaking Tenyidie, he said. Expressing concern on the ‘slow decline of our culture and traditions,’ Yhome urged the community to preserve, conserve, and promote the dialect and pass on to the next generation.
In this regard, the Dimapur official asked the community to start ‘cultural classes or sessions’ for the present generation ‘in order to make them aware with our rich traditions and customs so that it can be passed on to the coming generation.’
Also expressing concern on the fast depreciation and random exploitation of our forests, Kesonyü maintained there should be mutual respect between man and nature, and reiterated now is the time to start some initiatives towards preservation and conservation of nature thereby balancing the ecosystem, lest we meet our doomsday.
While emphasizing on the need to pass on the cultural traits and values, the bureaucrat also asked the people to uphold forefathers’ values of honesty and integrity, ‘for which they were known for.’ Of late, Yhome said, these values are ‘fast losing.’ He urged the people to imbibe said values wherever they are.
The programme was followed by a jubilee feast.
