Festivals

The district was originally inhabited by Sumi (Naga), Yimkhiung, Ao & Sangtam tribes. The district is now pre-dominantly inhabited by Sumi Naga tribe and comprises of people from various recognized Naga tribes. It is associated with a variety of festivals throughout the year round. Some of the major festivals are mentioned below:

Tuluni

Tuluni Festival is a significant festival celebrated by the Sumi Naga tribe. Tuluni festival is celebrated to welcome the arrival of the new crop/fruit from the field. Prayers are offered to thank God for the abundant yield in the preceding year. It is also a time to exchange and share among the members which keeps the social bond alive and strong in the community. This festival is celebrated to rejoice in the most abundant and fruitful season of the year in Nagaland. This festival is marked with feasts as the occasion occurs in the bountiful season of the year. Tuluni is also called “ANNI” the word of which denotes the season of plentiful crops. This mid-year (July) festival is the greatest and most fervent moment for the Sumi Community of Nagaland.

Ahuna

Ahuna is a traditional post-harvest festival of the Sumis. It signifies the celebration of the season’s harvest in thanksgiving, while invoking the spirits for good fortune in the New Year. On this occasion, the entire community prepares, and feasts on the first meal of rice drawn from the season’s harvest cooked in bamboo segments. The receptacles for cooking or serving on this occasion, are freshly made, carved or cut, from indigenous available resources prolific and abundant in the countryside.

Meidumnyio

It is one of the most significant, important and solemn festivals of the Yimkhiungrüs. MEI-soul, DüM-ritualistic respect/ honour (wrapping) – NYIO – feast. It is celebrated in the month of August. The main feast falls on 8th August every year.It is celebrated with great enthusiasm in every nook and corner of the Yimkhiung tribe inhabited areas. It falls in the middle of the year, i.e from 6th to 10th August. It is held and observed immediately after the millet harvest: the festival also marks the beginning of the harvesting of new crops of the year. The Yimkhiungrüs have been traditionally celebrating this festival since the time of their great fore-fathers and is being celebrated even today.

Christmas and New Year are other festivals celebrated with much splendour and fun fare throughout the district by almost all sections of the population of the district consequent on the conversion of the majority of the people into Christianity. Prayer, Christmas carol and merry making are evident everywhere.