Nagaland Governor PB Acharya on Thursday called upon the people to empower and improve the lives of villagers.
Inaugurating the fourth three-day Thuwuni- the ultimate outdoor festival, at Pughoboto local ground as chief guest, Acharya said that though the festival was celebrated to thank God, it also showed how the people could be united to keep alive their identity and stay connected to their roots.
Besides the need to change the education system, he also stressed on giving importance to cherish and preserve one’s own mother tongue. Acharya urged the people not to be self-centred and remarked that, unless everyone woke up and changed mindset, India would never be strong. He also encouraged the people of Pughoboto to establish a private college.
Mentioning that each village was unique, he congratulated the organizers, local MLA Y Vikheho Swu and the entire team, including Swachh Bharat brand ambassador and convener of the festival, Alobo Naga, for organising such a wonderful concept for the people.
Speaking about Thuwuni festival, Vikheho Swu said Thuwuni meant “to grow or to progress”. He explained that the idea behind organising it was to involve young Ahuyemis. He said this year a separate date was chosen for Thuwuni as many villages wanted to celebrate ‘Ahuna’, a post-harvest festival of the Sumis.
Swu said among other activities, music was a major event that will draw huge crowd, and credited Alobo Naga for bringing in artistes from different parts of the country to perform at the festival. He said this year too Alobo managed to bring an international artiste to Pughoboto, thereby making Thuwuni an international event. He sought the cooperation of the people of Pughoboto to ensure that the festival was a huge success.
Swu explained the main objective of the festival was to promote economic growth of the region, for which organisers decided to extensively use products that were locally generated or produced. He said agriculture produce and other local products could be brought to the festival for selling and developing long-term business relationship with buyers.
He said efforts were also being made to encourage farmers to create collection centres in their villages and at strategic locations in Pughoboto sub-division with assistance and support of the village councils so that agriculture produces could be sold or passed on to markets throughout the year.
Stating that Thuwuni in so many ways belonged to SDPDB, Swu, who is also the Pughoboto SDPDB chairman, stated that the board’s role and contribution in ensuring success of the festival since its inception had been tremendous. He also thanked the power department’s engineers for installing new 63-KV transformer at the new stadium on a war footing.
He mentioned that in January 2019 Thuwuni tours would be conducted with two groups– the first group from the village awarded for being the cleanest would visit Asia’s cleanest village Mawlynong in Meghalaya, while the second group of entrepreneurs involved in meat production and sale would visit meat processing centre in Guwahati.
As Thuwuni becomes popular, Swu said there was a need to genuinely plan a future course of action for the benefit of all Aphuyemis. This year, he said the major task of organising the festival was given to MUSIK-A, which was organised by Alobo Naga and his team.
He appealed to all sections of Pughoboto people to rise up to the occasion, even as he narrated the experience and achievements of Thuwuni thus far.
Meanwhile, a Swachh Bharat marathon was organised on the occasion, which was flagged off by the Vikheho Swu. The marathon winners and Cleanest Village Award 2018, which was bagged by Kitami village, were later awarded by the governor.
Tree plantation awards were also given away on the occasion and Shesulimi, Natsumi and Chisololimi bagged the first, second and third positions respectively.
Qhetubo Kimilipu (greased pole clamping) competition was also held on the occasion, in which people from Mishilimi, Pughoboto, Natsumi, Awohumi, Shesulumi, Mukalimi, Iqhanumi, Kilomi and Tukuliqa participated.
Traditional Sumi female sports, bamboo stilt race and Sumi kick-fight competitions were also held on the first day.
Earlier during the day, Acharya lit the traditional ritual Itsa (fire making).