Nagas in Manipur Celebrate Fest Sans Politics

By Khelen Thockchom

Naga youths perform a dance as a part of the celebrations at Katomei village ground in Manipur on Monday.

Senapati, Feb 16 : For once the Nagas of Manipur did not speak their minds on the day of their biggest festival, Lui-Ngai-Ni. Instead, they let their colorful culture and tradition showcase the unity of the ethnic group and other communities in the state.

The Nagas today celebrated Lui-Ngai-Ni, the sowing festival of the ethnic community, at Katomei village on the outskirts of this district headquarters town.

Members of different Naga tribes from various parts of the state gathered at the Katomei ground to seek blessings for a bumper harvest.

This year’s festival, however, is a departure from the earlier ones and a surprise for those coming here to celebrate. There was no talk about the ongoing peace talk between the NSCN (Isak-Muivah) and the Centre or the unity of the Nagas.

Mani Charenamai, a former MP from Outer Manipur, Naga legislators Morung Makunga, K. Raina and Awangbou Newmai and leaders of the Naga Hoho and the United Naga Council attended the festival but refrained from speaking about politics.

“We don’t want to play politics on this day. Instead, we want to strengthen the bond of brotherhood through culture,” one of the organisers told this correspondent.

The only leader who addressed the gathering was the president of United Naga Council, Samson Remei. Delivering the welcome address, he said, “This year we are celebrating Lui-Ngai-Ni at Katomei under the theme, Our resources, our future, with a zeal to strengthen the bond of common aspiration of oneness, to preserve the cultural practices and to march on together to prosperity.”

In an attempt to foster the bond of brotherhood and unity, the organizers invited cultural troupes from Kuki and Meitei communities, for the first time in the Lui-Ngai-Ni history, which began in 1987. In another first, the organizers invited a woman — 70-year-old “queen” Apei Hinga, the chief of Maram village of Senapati — as the chief celebrant of the function.

A play by youths from Tahamjam East of Senapati, depicting the conflict between animals, men and spirits since the beginning of life on earth, was the main attraction of today’s function.

Villagers from various parts of Manipur exchanged seeds and wished one another a bumper harvest.