Sekrenyi Festival of the Angami tribe
The festival of Sekrenyi is celebrated in the month of February. Celebrated by the Angamis of Nagaland, this festival falls on the 25th day of the Angami month of Kezei. The festival lasts for ten days and is also called Phousnyi by the Angamis.The Festival follows a series of ritual and ceremony in which the first of ritual is Kizie. As part of this ritual, few drops of rice water are taken from the top of the jug called Zumho and is put into leaves. The lady of the household places them at the three main posts of the house.
All young and old men go to the village well to bathe on the first day of the festival and subsequent cleaning of the well is done by two young men during night hours. After the cleaning is performed, youth guard the well into the night to avoid anyone from fetching water. The womenfolk are strictly not allowed to touch the well water and are only allowed to see that water is fetched for the household before the cleaning of the well.
sekrenyi festival nagaland angami tribe
The next morning (during early hours) all the young men of the village wake up early to take a bath at the well. Young men don two new shawls, the white Mhoushü and the black Lohe and sprinkle water on their breast, knees and on their right arm. This ceremony is called Dzuseva and is done to wash all the ills and misfortunes. After returning from the well, a cock is sacrificed with bare hands. The intestines of the fowl are taken out and are hung outside the house in the village. The elders then come and inspect it. From the fourth day onwards, a three-day session of singing and feasting begins. During Thekra Hie, which is considered as the best part of the festival, young people of the village sit together and sing traditional songs throughout the day. Rice beer filled with jugs and meats is served to the participants. The young men go for hunting on the seventh day of the festival. The most important ceremony falls on the eighth day. On this day, bridge-pulling or gate-pulling is performed. Inter-village visits are also exchanged. No one goes or is allowed in the field and all field works stop during this season of feasting and song.
The festival of Sekrenyi is celebrated in the month of February. Celebrated by the Angamis of Nagaland, this festival falls on the 25th day of the Angami month of Kezei. The festival lasts for ten days and is also called Phousnyi by the Angamis.The Festival follows a series of ritual and ceremony in which the first of ritual is Kizie. As part of this ritual, few drops of rice water are taken from the top of the jug called Zumho and is put into leaves. The lady of the household places them at the three main posts of the house.
All young and old men go to the village well to bathe on the first day of the festival and subsequent cleaning of the well is done by two young men during night hours. After the cleaning is performed, youth guard the well into the night to avoid anyone from fetching water. The womenfolk are strictly not allowed to touch the well water and are only allowed to see that water is fetched for the household before the cleaning of the well.
sekrenyi festival nagaland angami tribe
The next morning (during early hours) all the young men of the village wake up early to take a bath at the well. Young men don two new shawls, the white Mhoushü and the black Lohe and sprinkle water on their breast, knees and on their right arm. This ceremony is called Dzuseva and is done to wash all the ills and misfortunes. After returning from the well, a cock is sacrificed with bare hands. The intestines of the fowl are taken out and are hung outside the house in the village. The elders then come and inspect it. From the fourth day onwards, a three-day session of singing and feasting begins. During Thekra Hie, which is considered as the best part of the festival, young people of the village sit together and sing traditional songs throughout the day. Rice beer filled with jugs and meats is served to the participants. The young men go for hunting on the seventh day of the festival. The most important ceremony falls on the eighth day. On this day, bridge-pulling or gate-pulling is performed. Inter-village visits are also exchanged. No one goes or is allowed in the field and all field works stop during this season of feasting and song.
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