Ten-day Hornbill Festival 16th edition held under the theme “Culturally Yours” would culminate Thursday as visitors continue to throng Naga Heritage Village, Kisama to witness the colourful and rich festival famously coined as the “Festival of Festivals”.
Day nine of the festival was graced by principal chief commissioner, north east region & principal director general investigation, C.I Denzongpa IRS as the guest of honour at Naga Heritage Village Kisama, Wednesday.
The day was marked by cultural presentations displayed by seventeen tribes in the morning & evening sessions, namely, the Zapami Kuzha Cultural Society from Chakesang titled ‘Runyie Festival’ denoting two words ‘Ru’ meaning Paddy and ‘Nyie’ meaning Festival which marked both ritual purification and celebration. The Thingri Cultural Club C/Khel, Chimonger Village Cultural troupe of Sangtam tribe performed the folk dance ‘Jumu Humdong’ meaning, when the granaries are full, women grind the rice grains into rice flour to make bread which is a sweet treat for everybody on all occasions.
The Lizumi Village Cultural Troupe from the Sumi Community performed ‘Angu Kupusu’ which is an important competitive indigenous games played by men, as spear kicking. A 26 year old tourist Yarrow Benrud from USA also participated in the game.
The other five cultural troupes which also performed were Dimasa Cultural Troupe Dimapur (Kachari) – ‘Bai juboo’, Apoksah village Cultural Troupe (Pochury) presented “Feast on Merit, Kuki Cultural Troupe (Maova) Kuki performed the Lom Lam folk dance, and the Wui village Cultural Troupe (Khiamniungan) performed the enemy capturing dance called “Memelaya Hao”. The Zisunyu village Cultural Troupe (Rengma) also presented a folk song called ‘Action of sowing song’ and Viswema Youth Organization (Angami) echoed a unique folk song titled ‘Kijusa Lu’.
The afternoon session also saw cultural presentations from the Tamlu Buhu Union Dimapur (Phom) – Nukshah Vanpa Tukpu (folk dance), Longchang Cultural Troupe (Mon) Konyak – Lee Seu Mo (Festival of seedling) folk song, Garo Cultural Troupe (Erali Bill) Dimapur – Gogripa or Chagripa (folk dance), Akholongshi Cultural Sporting Club (Ao) – Moujemba (folk drama), Chumshu M.P.S Society (Waoshu Village) (Chang) – treating the sick by the ancestors (Phalangbu), Old Peren Cultural Troupe (Zeliang) – A layman’s wish (folk song), Lotsu Village Cultural Club, (Lotha) – Warrior dance and Pungthu Cultural Troupe Pungro Town (Yimchunger) – Haircutting (Kuwuh khe) folk drama.
Traditional fire making competition & “dare to swallow fire” entertain visitors
Department of Youth Resources and Sports organized a traditional fire making competition amongst the cultural troupes which was sponsored by the Department of Tourism.
In the competition, the Chakhesang Cultural troupe bagged the first position and was awarded Rs. 7000 Chang and Lotha tribes bagged second and third positions winning cash prizes of Rs. 5000 & 3000 respectively. The prizes were given away by the member secretary Nagaland legal services authority, Nino Iralu.
The “Dare to Swallow Fire” demonstrated by Gingto and Wangpai Konyak made quite an interesting sight without any magic and other methods. It was also organized by the department of youth resources and sports, government of Nagaland.
Painting competition : The traditional Visual Art Motifs of Nagaland manifested in the architecture, woodcarving, dress, textile, utensils, weapons etc are a charming identity of the state visual art motifs shared commonly by all the tribes of Nagaland. Besides the prominent common motifs such as a mithun head, hornbill feather etc there are art motifs with varying level of popularity and uses among all the tribes, interpretation of which vary from village to village. The motif used by the artist is a mean for expression which reflects their mental creative and moreover beliefs and creating awareness and appreciation for all the artists and to promote unity as an underlying binding force.
In order to showcase the rich culture, the Department of Art & Culture Nagaland in collaboration with the All Nagaland Fine Art Teacher’s Association organised a painting competition on December 5 at Kisama under the theme ‘visual art motifs of Nagaland for the students from class V-X all over Nagaland. Altogether 60 students turned up for the competition.
Briefing the media, president, All Nagaland Fine Arts Teachers, Hetoi thanked the Department of Art & Culture for taking the initiative and organising the completion and said that the competition will go a long way in nurturing the creative talents and moreover inferring awareness of our cultural value in the field of arts. K. Chella of Mt. Hermon Higher Secondary School and 2nd Runners Ruopfuzhazo Dzuvichu of North Field received a cash prize of Rs. 5000 and Rs. 2500 respectively with certificates.
The consolation prizes were bagged by Adarsh of Mezhur Higher Secondary School, Nikhil Rajbhar of Mezhur Higher Secondary School, Livi Swu of Mt. Hermon Higher Secondary School, Nourheuto Nagi of Baptist Mission School, Jotsoma and Sachen Apom of Baptist Higher Secondary School School (Tseminyu) who all received a cash prize of Rs. 1000 each along with certificates.
The organizers have informed the winners who could not collect their prizes, to contact President, All Nagaland fine Arts Teachers, V. Hetoi (8575724966). The juries for the completion were free lancer artist, Vieneizotuo Z Tase and President All Nagaland fine Arts Teachers, V. Hetoi. The artist corner is one of the main attractions for this year’s hornbill festival 2015 has been drawing a large number of international and national tourists as well as local visitors from Nagaland.