Pf. Daili, SDO (Retd), addresses the gathering at the Mao Chithuni festival celebrations in Kohima on January 7. (Morung Photo)
Kohima : The Mao community residing in Kohima today celebrated its premier festival – Chithuni – under the aegis of Mao Union Kohima at the Mao Baptist Church premises, Midlane. The celebration began with Neli, assistant pastor of Mao Baptist Church, invoking God’s blessing, welcome song by the Mao Catholic Women Kohima, followed by presidential address by N Daili, president of Mao Union Kohima.
Daili in his speech thanked the Nagaland government for officially recognising the Chithuni festival of Mao and declaring January 7 as a restricted holiday for the Mao community. He termed Chithuni festival as a festival of worship, thanksgiving, purification, reconciliation and goodwill, music, dress and feasting and merrymaking after the bounty harvest by people from all walks of life in the Mao community. The festival is also a festival of inviting home one’s sister and in-laws and presenting them with gifts.
Reminding that our forefathers were hardworking, honest, generous, courageous and respectful to elders, he expressed his wish to the people that the Chithuni celebration renew each heart and fill it with peace love, harmony and unity.
Retired SDO (PWD), Pf. Daili, informed the gathering of the importance of the Chithuni festival. According to the lunar calendar followed by the forefathers, the year ends with the months of Ekro (farewell) while the new year begins with Chithuni (new day/year) Khro (month), he said. The year began with Khrokha (first day of the month) when Phehrümane (Gena) was observed, and the entire menfolk would wake up early in the morning and go to the community pond and purify themselves by taking bath, and washing their clothes, tools and weapons.
The month is also important as a ritual was performed to forecast the fate of the year for the community, village and individuals during the Chithuni festival. The festival began with Nisha (announcing the festival) when domestic animals were butchered and prepared for the feast, followed by Nijü (main festival) and Shokope (seeing away guest) and community hunting games (Rahu Kohu) were performed when the entire menfolk would take part in competition by hunting birds and animals. On the sixth day of the festival, Ni-amü, the villagers would climb mountain peaks where various competitions including long jump, high jump, shot-put, wrestling and dancing were held for the youths and later the womenfolk returned with firewood to prepare for the next festival.
The celebration at Kohima was marked by folksongs and folklore and the celebration concluded with Kaisa Asosü pronouncing the benediction, followed by a grand Chithuni feast.
Daili in his speech thanked the Nagaland government for officially recognising the Chithuni festival of Mao and declaring January 7 as a restricted holiday for the Mao community. He termed Chithuni festival as a festival of worship, thanksgiving, purification, reconciliation and goodwill, music, dress and feasting and merrymaking after the bounty harvest by people from all walks of life in the Mao community. The festival is also a festival of inviting home one’s sister and in-laws and presenting them with gifts.
Reminding that our forefathers were hardworking, honest, generous, courageous and respectful to elders, he expressed his wish to the people that the Chithuni celebration renew each heart and fill it with peace love, harmony and unity.
Retired SDO (PWD), Pf. Daili, informed the gathering of the importance of the Chithuni festival. According to the lunar calendar followed by the forefathers, the year ends with the months of Ekro (farewell) while the new year begins with Chithuni (new day/year) Khro (month), he said. The year began with Khrokha (first day of the month) when Phehrümane (Gena) was observed, and the entire menfolk would wake up early in the morning and go to the community pond and purify themselves by taking bath, and washing their clothes, tools and weapons.
The month is also important as a ritual was performed to forecast the fate of the year for the community, village and individuals during the Chithuni festival. The festival began with Nisha (announcing the festival) when domestic animals were butchered and prepared for the feast, followed by Nijü (main festival) and Shokope (seeing away guest) and community hunting games (Rahu Kohu) were performed when the entire menfolk would take part in competition by hunting birds and animals. On the sixth day of the festival, Ni-amü, the villagers would climb mountain peaks where various competitions including long jump, high jump, shot-put, wrestling and dancing were held for the youths and later the womenfolk returned with firewood to prepare for the next festival.
The celebration at Kohima was marked by folksongs and folklore and the celebration concluded with Kaisa Asosü pronouncing the benediction, followed by a grand Chithuni feast.
Pf. Daili, SDO (Retd), addresses the gathering at the Mao Chithuni festival celebrations in Kohima on January 7. (Morung Photo)
Kohima : The Mao community residing in Kohima today celebrated its premier festival – Chithuni – under the aegis of Mao Union Kohima at the Mao Baptist Church premises, Midlane. The celebration began with Neli, assistant pastor of Mao Baptist Church, invoking God’s blessing, welcome song by the Mao Catholic Women Kohima, followed by presidential address by N Daili, president of Mao Union Kohima.
Daili in his speech thanked the Nagaland government for officially recognising the Chithuni festival of Mao and declaring January 7 as a restricted holiday for the Mao community. He termed Chithuni festival as a festival of worship, thanksgiving, purification, reconciliation and goodwill, music, dress and feasting and merrymaking after the bounty harvest by people from all walks of life in the Mao community. The festival is also a festival of inviting home one’s sister and in-laws and presenting them with gifts.
Reminding that our forefathers were hardworking, honest, generous, courageous and respectful to elders, he expressed his wish to the people that the Chithuni celebration renew each heart and fill it with peace love, harmony and unity.
Retired SDO (PWD), Pf. Daili, informed the gathering of the importance of the Chithuni festival. According to the lunar calendar followed by the forefathers, the year ends with the months of Ekro (farewell) while the new year begins with Chithuni (new day/year) Khro (month), he said. The year began with Khrokha (first day of the month) when Phehrümane (Gena) was observed, and the entire menfolk would wake up early in the morning and go to the community pond and purify themselves by taking bath, and washing their clothes, tools and weapons.
The month is also important as a ritual was performed to forecast the fate of the year for the community, village and individuals during the Chithuni festival. The festival began with Nisha (announcing the festival) when domestic animals were butchered and prepared for the feast, followed by Nijü (main festival) and Shokope (seeing away guest) and community hunting games (Rahu Kohu) were performed when the entire menfolk would take part in competition by hunting birds and animals. On the sixth day of the festival, Ni-amü, the villagers would climb mountain peaks where various competitions including long jump, high jump, shot-put, wrestling and dancing were held for the youths and later the womenfolk returned with firewood to prepare for the next festival.
The celebration at Kohima was marked by folksongs and folklore and the celebration concluded with Kaisa Asosü pronouncing the benediction, followed by a grand Chithuni feast.
Daili in his speech thanked the Nagaland government for officially recognising the Chithuni festival of Mao and declaring January 7 as a restricted holiday for the Mao community. He termed Chithuni festival as a festival of worship, thanksgiving, purification, reconciliation and goodwill, music, dress and feasting and merrymaking after the bounty harvest by people from all walks of life in the Mao community. The festival is also a festival of inviting home one’s sister and in-laws and presenting them with gifts.
Reminding that our forefathers were hardworking, honest, generous, courageous and respectful to elders, he expressed his wish to the people that the Chithuni celebration renew each heart and fill it with peace love, harmony and unity.
Retired SDO (PWD), Pf. Daili, informed the gathering of the importance of the Chithuni festival. According to the lunar calendar followed by the forefathers, the year ends with the months of Ekro (farewell) while the new year begins with Chithuni (new day/year) Khro (month), he said. The year began with Khrokha (first day of the month) when Phehrümane (Gena) was observed, and the entire menfolk would wake up early in the morning and go to the community pond and purify themselves by taking bath, and washing their clothes, tools and weapons.
The month is also important as a ritual was performed to forecast the fate of the year for the community, village and individuals during the Chithuni festival. The festival began with Nisha (announcing the festival) when domestic animals were butchered and prepared for the feast, followed by Nijü (main festival) and Shokope (seeing away guest) and community hunting games (Rahu Kohu) were performed when the entire menfolk would take part in competition by hunting birds and animals. On the sixth day of the festival, Ni-amü, the villagers would climb mountain peaks where various competitions including long jump, high jump, shot-put, wrestling and dancing were held for the youths and later the womenfolk returned with firewood to prepare for the next festival.
The celebration at Kohima was marked by folksongs and folklore and the celebration concluded with Kaisa Asosü pronouncing the benediction, followed by a grand Chithuni feast.
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