| Festivals
in Nagaland |
| Hornbill
Festival | Moatsu Festival
| Sekrenyi Festival |
Moatsu Festival
Moatsu Festival is celebrated by the Ao tribe of Nagaland.
Moatsu is celebrated in the first week of May every
year. Various rituals are performed during this period.
The Aos observe Moatsü Mong after the sowing is
done. The Moatsu festival provides the Aos a period
of recreation and entertaiment after the stressful work
of clearing fields, burning jungles and sowing seeds,
cleaning up the Tsubu (Wells) and repairs and construction
of houses by elders of the Putu Menden, stretching over
a week. The Moatsu festival is marked by peppy songs
and dances. The whole festival with full of merry making
and fun is observed only for three days from 1st to
3rd of May.
During this festival one of the symbolic celebrations
is Sangpangtu, where a big fire is lit and men and women
sit around it. Men & women putting on the complete
best attire and the womenfolk serve the wine and meat.
Righteous man who lives by the guidance of the Almighty
forecast whether good or evil days are awaiting the
people and the village by readings of the celebration
of the Moatsü festival.
The Customs & Rituals
The natural customary practice of the forefathers was
competing in making the best rice-beer and rearing the
best possible pigs and cows to be slaughtered during
the festival. The womenfolk weave the best of traditional
garments and adorn themselves with all their fineries.
They join the men folk in dancing, eating and drinking
and composing warrior songs. Singing songs in praise
of the lover and the village as a whole is done and
the older men folk encourages the young people to be
bold and heroic to defend and protect them from enemies
as head-hunting was practiced during the fore-fathers
time.
The Principal Aim of the Festival
The principal aim of this festival is to invoke Almighty
God’s blessings after finishing the diverse activities,
such as :
- Repairs and construction of houses by elders of the
Putu Menden (Village Council)
- Marriages in spring season
- Ploughing of old and new Jhum Kheti
- Cleaning up the Tsubü (Water Wells)
On completion of all these manifold activities celebration
of Moatsü Mong takes place.
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