Lui-Ngai-Ni fest from Feb 14
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network

Senapati, February 10 2020: The Nagas' seed sowing festival, Lui-Ngai-Ni, will begin from February 14 evening and will culminate on February 15 evening at TNL ground, Ukhrul.

The festival is being organised by State Level Organising Committee (SLOC) under the aegis of the United Naga Council (UNC) .

This year's festival will be hosted by Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL).

The theme of Lui- Ngai- Ni 2020 is "Oneness through culture" .

In its celebratory message, the State Level Organising Committee of Lui-Ngai-Ni 2020 said, "A people has a culture, a way of life and world view with which they lead their social life" .

It further said that the unique identity of each people is derived from their culture.

According to the Committee, the phenomenal cultural diversity of the Nagas lend colour to their collective identity" .

In all, there are many tribes that constitute the Naga society and out of these, 20 (twenty) are in the State of Manipur.

They are Anal, Aimol, Chothe, Chiru, Inpui, Kharam, Khoibu, Lamkang, Liangmai, Mao, Maring, Rongmai, Maram, Moyon, Monsang, Poumai, Tarao, Tangkhul, Thangal and Zeme," said the organizing committee.

It said that the Nagas celebrate every important event of their life with festivals.

Out of the many festivals that are celebrated, there are those which are uncommon in significance, manner and season.

"But the seed sowing festival is celebrated by all Naga tribes almost simultaneously during the onset of spring to signify the propitious time for the sowing of seeds.

"During this festival, the Gods are invoked for blessing of the seeds of crops so that they yield bounteous harvest that would ensure the general well-being of the people.

The blessing of the Almighty is beseeched with expression of dances, songs and rituals," the Committee added.

Having consolidated the concept of the Naga seed sowing festival after a great deal of studies and consultations and christened "Lui-Ngai-Ni" in the year 1986, its celebration was given a collective shape in the year 1987, said the organizing committee.

It added, "Nagas have since been celebrating it on February 15 every year in one of the Naga districts by rotation, under the aegis of the United Naga Council (UNC) .

It further stated that in recognition of the Naga identity and culture, the festival was declared a State holiday in 1988 and the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India has also listed "Lui-Ngai-Ni" in 1997 as one of the tourist festivals of India.

It said that like many other indigenous people of the world, the Nagas have no written records of their history, customs, traditions, legends, beliefs and values and these were passed on through oral and visual tradition in the forms of songs, dances, story-telling, rites and rituals, wood carvings, festivals, megaliths etc.

"The written history and narration available today therefore do not adequately reflect the pristine wisdom of their ancestors," it pointed out.

To rekindle their glorious traditions and values of the past for posterity and to preserve their unique identity, the celebration of "Lui-Ngai-Ni" through their dances, songs and rituals in today's context is of great social significance, the organizing committee said, adding, "The act of sowing of seed is central to the culture of the Naga people and it continues to be the fundamental element in the intra and inter community relationships and also of their world view".

This year's edition is aptly themed as "Oneness through culture" to encourage the people to embrace the spirit of oneness, said the organizing committee of Lui-Ngai-Ni.

According to the committee, this festival aims to address the question of cultural identity and cultural policies.

It also said that the "mission" of Lui-Ngai-Ni is to safeguard and sustain cultural practices and also to foster ecological citizenship for social engineering.

It added that the festival expresses the oneness of Naga as people, invoking God's blessing and the spirit of brotherhood, love, peace and prosperity.

"In this backdrop, the organizing committee reflects the wisdom of our forefathers and extend our hearty welcome to every soul irrespective of race, class, creed or gender to come and experience the colours of unity in diversity, as Nagas come together," the organizing committee said.

It then added a message, "May the blessing of this festival usher prosperity, cultural revival and peaceful co-existence in our land.

May Lui Ngai-Ni 2020 be a threshold of hope that brings forth a stronger relationship among all the communities" .

Comment