Mao tribe celebrates Saleni
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Pfosemia (Manipur), July 29 2011:
Mao tribe today celebrated the festival of Saleni in Pfosemai and Viswema villages of Nagaland with zeal.
The festival is celebrated in commemoration of the peace treaty first signed two centuries ago which is widely held as an instrument of peace and harmony.
The event today reaffirmed the commitment of 2001 peace treaty signed between Pfosemai and Viswema villages.
Pfosemia village first signed Peace Treaty with Khonoma village of Nagaland in 1800 AD with the commitment to honor and respect each other, to leave the past behind and look forward to the future with great expectation.
The last of such treaty was signed in 2001 with Viswema and Kezoma, with similar treaties signed with 32 other villages from Nagaland and Manipur in between.
Located some 35 km from Kohima near Nagaland border, Pfosemai is a model village among Mao tribe for its commitment to development and wellbeing.
To officially open the event, the tradition king of Mao Pf.
Kaikho offered supplication to the god and sought blessings for the two villages and the revelers of the festival.
Members of several civil society organizations from Nagaland and Manipur were invited to witness the strengthening of the bond between the two villages.
Representatives of village councils, student unions, youth organizations from both the villages came forward with open arms of peace even as tens of thousand of revelers participated in the festival.
While speaking on the occasion veteran politician from Nagaland K.V Pusa said not only did that the import of western political system and Christianity separated Nagas into different political boundaries but it has also resurrected Naga identity.
The new awakening that has rendered Naga identity as something worth pursuing and fighting led to Naga national movement; he said and added that the present lot of leaders must work hard to realize the vision set by early Naga leaders of peaceful coexistence.
Pusa gave a clarion call to cultivate Naga identity and fight for it at the face of several international and national exigencies that have been slowly invading into the cultural identity of the Nagas and said that subsistence economic order is a way of securing Naga future.