Poumai Naga Thounii Festival

Festival

Nii (Festival) is one of the important social activities for human beings since time immemorial. Festival is a time to celebrate together with the loved ones from far and near. There are some important religious festivals of Poumai Naga. All the festivals involve some religious rites and rituals. However in recent year, the Christians celebrate all kinds of festival without any traditional religious rites and ritual. Some of the important festivals of Poumai Naga tribe are Thounii, Laonii, Paonii, Rounii, Loukanii, Khiinii, Taithounii, Donii, Daonii, Duhnii etc. Most of the festivals are celebrated only in some villages except the Thounii, Laonii and Paonii and Donii, which are celebrated in all the Poumai villages or circles.

  ThouniiThounii is one of the most important and biggest festivals of the Poumai Naga tribe. It is celebrate in all the Poumai villages. The word Thounii is probable derived from the word Thouthou that means new paddy. Nii means Feast. It is more appropriate to called as Harvesting festival or Newly harvesting festival. It also can be called as New Year festival since Thou means New and Thounii is celebrated in January. It cannot be called as Seed sowing festival as some of the writers write because seed sowing commence from February or March. The Poumai Masou Me (PMM), the apex body of Poumai community had fixed the 5^th January to celebrate Thounii in all the village, town and places where Poumai Nagas are dwelling.¹⁸ The Poumai Thounii was first celebrated together from 4-7 January 2002. Around 20,000              Pix 4.5 Traditional  Dance Troupe

Poumai Nagas came from different villages             (Thounii Celebration 2002)

 

and towns of Manipur and Nagaland for Thounii celebration. In this Thounii, many cultural dances and folksongs were presented from different villages. Thounii is generally celebrated for five days. The above photos show the traditional dances during the Thounii Festival Celebration in 2002 at Liyai Khullen village. When Thounii is not celebrated coming together all the Poumais in one place, the villagers celebrated in their own villages. They killed buffaloes, cows, pigs, chicken etc and enjoyed with their family members and friends. Breads are also baked and exchanged with their relatives and friends. The young boys and girls go in groups from house to house to taste and collect bread. Lots of rice beers are made on this festival and all the villagers enjoy thoroughly with meat drinks and breads. The villagers made bonfire in the night and they drink, dance, sing, chat, narrated legends and folktale. People with new spirit enjoy the festival with new hope and dream in this festival.

 As they enjoy and celebrate the festival, they also cautiously carry out all the religious rites and rituals during the Thounii festival. It is their belief that if they do not carry out the religious rites with reverend and sincerity in this religious festival, they will become poor in New Year. Thounii is the time to celebrate with joy and excitement also the time of religious rites performance to start the New Year and to have good crops in New Year. When the Thounii Festival is finished, the village chief first tills the soil and sow the seed for the heathens while the Christian Priest/Pastor pray and pronounce that all the villagers can starts tilling the soil and sow the seed. Generally, if the villagers want to have new settlement or village, it is after the Thounii they settle down after performing necessary religious rites and rituals. 

Poumai Naga Paonii Festival

Poumai Naga Paonii Festival

R.B. Thohe Pou

 Paonii is a festival of paddy transplantation. It can be also called as the paddy transplantation festival. It is celebrated every year commencing from first week of May to first week of June according to the different location of the Poumai villages. Each village has different Paonii and it is not celebrated together the entire Poumai community. Different villages start paddy transplantation in different time and each village has different time of Paonii.  Paonii is very popular festival in Lepaona circle villages but it is also celebrated in Paomata and Chiliive villages. The chief of the village first transplants the paddy from the nursery then the villagers follow. Paonii is one of the best festivals to enjoy fully by the youngsters. It is celebrated for three days. On the First day is called Ranaizhou. The villagers prepare for the feast on this day. Some of the villagers also pluck out the rice seedling plants from the nurseries for rice transplantation on this festival. On the Second day is called Thaopaizhou, (means rice seedling plants plucking out day from the nurseries), where the people take out the rice plants from the nurseries to be transplanted the next day. In the morning abundant of animals are butchered for the guests to be arrived on this day. Depending on the number of the households in the village, the animals are killed but on an average one household is ready with 10-12 Kilograms of meats for this festival, which can treat more than 30 guests by one family. 

On this day, many friends and guests come from different villages to assist in rice transplantation. Many young men also come from different villages for traditional wrestling. It is a day of guest or wrestlers arrival and wrestling competition is held in the evening after the dinner. Usually the wrestling competition is held between the host villagers and the wrestlers who come from other villages. Some time, wrestling competition continue till dawn depending on the number of the wrestlers.

Paonii is a festival where you need no to know anybody in the village. Guests can go to any house and have food and drink without any hesitation. Guests can just call or knock the door and the host will always warmly welcome every one who comes in whether the host of the village knows them personally or not. It is a festival to give out freely and treat well the guests who comes    

Pix 4.6: Indigeneous Wrestling

from different villages. There is no any problem to have food anywhere in the host village. The introvert guests who do not know anybody in the host village also will no go hungry since the host villagers will definitely invite them to have food if they have no food or drink.

 

The Third day is Khanaizhou, which is the main day of the festival. On this day all the people are suppose to go to the paddy field for rice transplantation. Many Paonii revelries go to field to assist in rice transplantation. However it is not necessary to help the owner of the field to finish in rice transplantation on that day itself. The revelries can go to another field after a small bunch of rice plants is transplanted for the owner and have food or drink and go to another field to help the other owners. Many pretty girls and handsome guys also usually come from different villages to help their relatives in                 the host village in rice transplantation. The Paonii revelries go on chatting and exchanging message of love songs; romantic conversations and crack lots of jokes while rice transplantation is going on. The Paonii revelries go in groups from one field to another field to see the pretty girls andhandsome boys. The revelries also help in rice transplantation as they go on from one field to another field. The day is very interesting and full of fun, as the host villagers are dressed with multi-colors of their traditional attires. The village’s Loudspeaker also plays on this day near the field and present different love songs to the revelries and those who are busy in rice transplantation. In the evening, some    

Pix 4.7: Revelries helping in transplantation

of the guests/revelries return to their native villages, while the guests who stay back in the village continue to enjoy the night in drinking and eating. Paonii is celebrated in different villages and many Paonii revelries come from different villages and enjoy with abundant of meats and drinks. Any uninvited guests also can come to the host village and have food and drinks as the host villagers are always ready with lots of drinks and food to avoid any embarrassment if found no food or drink in their homes.

 

Besides the above four important festivals, there are many festivals, which is not celebrated in all the Poumai villages. Some of the important festival in Lepaona circle is uncommon in other circles and other important festivals celebrate in Chiliive and Paomata circle is uncommon in Lepaona circle and vice versa. All the Poumai festivals are based on Poumai traditional religion.

 

Today about 98.5 percent of the total populations is Christians. However the people continue to celebrate all kinds of traditional festivals every year. The traditional festivals are celebrated in many villages but the Christians do not involve in traditional religious rites and rituals. Today many young boys and girls go out for their education and only those people are in the village celebrated the traditional festivals.

Poumai Naga Laonii Festival

The Poumai Naga villages are geographically located in Senapati District, Manipur and Phek District in Nagaland. According to Hill House Tax in 2000, the total population of Poumai tribe is 1,67,034. (including the Poumai in Nagaland). About 96.1% of the total population of Poumai inhabits in Senapati District, Manipur. There are four villages in Phek district, Nagaland with a population of about 6500 people.

The percentage of Poumai Naga to the total population of Senapati District is 42.3% in 2001. The Poumai is one of the oldest and major Naga tribe. This tribe is one the important tribe in Manipur and Nagaland since time immemorial. Their Pouli (Pottery) and Poutai (Pou salt) production was well known to the entire tribal areas in Manipur and Nagaland in ancient time. The main occupation of Poumai Naga is agriculture and shifting cultivation is hardly practice now in Poumai villages.

Laonii is one of the important festival celebrates in Poumai villages after the rice transplantation. It is usually celebrated every year in the first week of July. In Lepaona circle, it is celebrated for Nine days and Five days in Paomata circle. As a custom of the Yaosomai (traditional religion believers) or Heathens, not villager is allowed in rice transplantation after the Laonii Festival.

This festival is the time to enjoy with full of joy after successful rice transplantation and to rejuvenate their mind and health after hard work in rice transplantation. In olden days, the young men and women prepared lots of rice beer and enjoy together in groups. The First day of the festival is known as Kikhaiyou. On this day, all the Yaosomai or Heathens take two small branch of Mousii (a kind of small tree) and insert to the side of the wall of the house as a part of their custom.

The Second day of the festival is called Sepoyou and Third day is called as Murasouyou or Ranaiyou. On the third day, the cattle are not taken out for grazing in the open space. Fodders are brought and fed the cattle in the shed.

On the Fourth day is called as Loutouyou. The newly born sons are given birth ceremonial celebration. A cock is a must to kill on this day in honor of him as a sign of a boy. On this day, all the male folk above 10 years old have separate kitchen. They are restricted to partake food with the female folk.

The fire to cook food also do not take from the usual kitchen fire; fire is ignited from a smooth stick after long scouring (rubbing) with a split small bamboo rope and due to friction fire comes out. In olden days, there was not matches stick in the village and all the people ignited fire from a stick with scouring split bamboo rope.

The Fifth day is called Niidu, which means the main day of the feast. Lots of meats are cut on this day and meats are smoked in the kitchen for next four days use.

The Sixth day is called Sepaoyou, which means sending off the visitors/guests. Meats and rice beer also given to all their relatives/guests on their departure day. The women married to other villages, friends and relatives who came from other villages to join the Laonii festival are sent off to their villages on this day.

On this day, it is the customary of the Poumai to give Sousha (some piece of meat) to their younger sisters – who are married to other village. It is a sign and symbol of blessing and remembrance. Sometimes, aunts and nieces are also given Sousha. Giving Sousha reveals the bond of love and remembrance even though they are married to other village. Thus the bond of love and relationship is still kept with the women married to other villages through such kind of festival.

On the Seventh day all the males have separate kitchen like on the Fourth day. A cock is killed on this day and had together all the males in the family. On the Eight Day is called Hahpayou, which mean the cultivators can go to their paddy field to work. The young men and women go to paddy field for weeding in groups on this day.

On the Ninth Day, the last day of the Laonii Festival, as the custom of Poumai Naga tribe, the head of the family takes child beyond the village gate and killed a chicken. The chicken is cut into two pieces and throws one piece to the right and other to the left. It is their belief that through this religious rites and rituals their sins are forgiven and God will protect them from all kinds of diseases.

In olden days, the young men and women who sleep in the Kheloukizii or Reipeiki (Dormitory) celebrated this festival with full of joy and excitement. In this festival, pork is the main meat, which is cut for the people.

The young men and women celebrated the Laonii in their Khekizii (Bachelor dormitory) and Loukizii (Ladies dormitory). The young men usually presented the pork to the females in their dormitory and in return they gave rice beer and other vegetables. A day is fixed and the boys visited the girls’ dormitory to celebrate together the feast.

Folk songs competition between the boys and girls was carried on this special day.Romantic folksongs are also sung and enjoy together. It was a big and important festival for the young boys and girls. By nature all the Poumai boys and girls are frankly and celebrate the festival together.

Today, about 98.6% of the total populations are Christian but Laonii Festival is celebrated every year after the rice transplantation. There is not Kheloukizii in Poumai villages at present but young boys and girls gathered together in groups in one house and still celebrate the festival in Poumai villages.

They go to paddy field in groups for weeding for a day for a friend and the next day for another friend and they keep continue till they helped all their friends in their groups. In such kind of teamwork in helping one another – they do not feel burden of hard work since they enjoy laughing and chatting while working in paddy field.

When they come back from paddy field – they cook meat and continue to celebrate Laonii festival. It is still commonly practiced in most of the Poumai villages. The christians do not practiced any heathen religious rite and ritual but the spirit of the Laonii Festival is still conspicuous with all the youngsters.

Poumai Naga Plantation Festival

Poumai Naga Plantation Festival
By: John Basho Pou

It’s a season of celebration and gaiety for ‘Poumai Naga’, one of the biggest tribes in Senapati District, Manipur with its population totaling 1, 60,534 and Four villages in Phek District in Nagaland with 6500 people…

Agriculture being the sole source of livelihood and backbone of the economy, traditional plantation festival called “ Paoki ” has been celebrated by various Poumai villagers around this time of the year since time immemorial, so as to invoke gods for healthy crops, protection for natural disaster, good monsoon and bountiful harvest.

Another significance of this annual celebration is making friendship with neighboring villagers and deepening the bound friendship between the relatives with exchange of yummy delicacies and best drinks. Usually the date of the festival has been slated differently from village to village usaually starting from the end of April; however, the rituals, customs and mode of celebration remain identical.

Prior to the main day of the fest, there is a sequence of rituals, fast and observations mainly done by the village king and pagans. The genesis of the observation and celebration generally begin in the last week of April (Nakhou) with series of rituals and observations. There will be ‘Dilai’ on the fourth day of the month (i.e. is Khoukhai Adaiki, poumai’s traditional Lunar counting in reverse order) on which the king will fast for his subjects, foretell the future climate performing certain rituals and ask deity for favorable monsoon.

On the ‘Diidilai’ (khoukhai Asiiki), the village pagans and the king will observe and make sacrifice to deity for regular water supply for the crops. On the ‘Murasoulai Day’ (khoukai Ahai ki), they will fast and pray for the avoidance of pests, rodents and other natural destructions.

And there is also a day called ‘Deiranailai’ observed by the village pagans to mark the completion of the last four observations and ask for fertility of the soil. On the day of the first week of May (Dziikhou) village elders will put heads together and pencil in the day of plantation in accordance with the convenience of the villagers and arrival of the monsoon.

Thus most of the Paoki falls in the month of May with ‘Ranai Teithe’, another significant day, is observed as the preparation for Paoki . Healthiest domestic animals are butchered. Delicious items and drinks are made ready out of household stocks for the guests and visitors.

Having tilled, ploughed and kept fields ready for plantation, young paddy sapplings are uprooted from the dry land where they have been sown and grown and placed them in the wet field on the eve of the main day fixed by the elders. The day is called ‘Thaopaiki’ or Guest Arrival day. When the night falls, everyone is fed to their content and charged with joyful spirit, Men folks of the host village will war cry about the village in group and get blessing from the king before wrestling contest kick-starts mostly between the hosts and the guests. The young and old, men and women will gather at the sacred spot to witness the great event usually held in front of the king residence. The winners are greatly awarded and highly honored in a traditional manner. The night of revelry is indeed a great moment for every one. Entertaining guests with singing folksongs, drinking, relishing best food, dancing and chit-chat, sharing great moment especially between young girls and boys are parts of the night.

At the crack of dawn of the ‘Paoki Day’, the main day of the festival, the head of every household would set out to the field and make sacrifice to gods before anyone steps in. The auspicious day begins thereafter with everyone streaming to the fields in festive mood and high spirit. There is much fun and cheers every where; buffalo horns blaring out triumphantly to arise the spirit of the day and add to the sound and colour of the occasion.

With a bunch of young paddy plants in their hand, everyone will be reveling in the field, transplanting them. Herd of enthusiastic volunteers, men and women, old and young would roam about in the field entertaining and helping especially the needy and the guestless hosts. The hosts lavishly dish out fabulous food and best drinks for the guests and the helpers. It’s also a time to find new friends and meet old ones.

Cocktail of folksongs and modern music can be heard belting out melodiously across the fields, green meadows and over the hills lending the festive color to the great day. In order to make the day memorable, everyone would enjoy each moment and pass the day with great jubilation and festive spirit.

Poumai Naga Laonii Festival

The Poumai Naga villages are geographically located in Senapati District, Manipur and Phek District in Nagaland. According to Hill House Tax in 2000, the total population of Poumai tribe is 1,67,034. (including the Poumai in Nagaland). About 96.1% of the total population of Poumai inhabits in Senapati District, Manipur. There are four villages in Phek district, Nagaland with a population of about 6500 people.

The percentage of Poumai Naga to the total population of Senapati District is 42.3% in 2001. The Poumai is one of the oldest and major Naga tribe. This tribe is one the important tribe in Manipur and Nagaland since time immemorial. Their Pouli (Pottery) and Poutai (Pou salt) production was well known to the entire tribal areas in Manipur and Nagaland in ancient time. The main occupation of Poumai Naga is agriculture and shifting cultivation is hardly practice now in Poumai villages.

Laonii is one of the important festival celebrates in Poumai villages after the rice transplantation. It is usually celebrated every year in the first week of July. In Lepaona circle, it is celebrated for Nine days and Five days in Paomata circle. As a custom of the Yaosomai (traditional religion believers) or Heathens, not villager is allowed in rice transplantation after the Laonii Festival.

This festival is the time to enjoy with full of joy after successful rice transplantation and to rejuvenate their mind and health after hard work in rice transplantation. In olden days, the young men and women prepared lots of rice beer and enjoy together in groups. The First day of the festival is known as Kikhaiyou. On this day, all the Yaosomai or Heathens take two small branch of Mousii (a kind of small tree) and insert to the side of the wall of the house as a part of their custom.

The Second day of the festival is called Sepoyou and Third day is called as Murasouyou or Ranaiyou. On the third day, the cattle are not taken out for grazing in the open space. Fodders are brought and fed the cattle in the shed.

On the Fourth day is called as Loutouyou. The newly born sons are given birth ceremonial celebration. A cock is a must to kill on this day in honor of him as a sign of a boy. On this day, all the male folk above 10 years old have separate kitchen. They are restricted to partake food with the female folk.

The fire to cook food also do not take from the usual kitchen fire; fire is ignited from a smooth stick after long scouring (rubbing) with a split small bamboo rope and due to friction fire comes out. In olden days, there was not matches stick in the village and all the people ignited fire from a stick with scouring split bamboo rope.

The Fifth day is called Niidu, which means the main day of the feast. Lots of meats are cut on this day and meats are smoked in the kitchen for next four days use.

The Sixth day is called Sepaoyou, which means sending off the visitors/guests. Meats and rice beer also given to all their relatives/guests on their departure day. The women married to other villages, friends and relatives who came from other villages to join the Laonii festival are sent off to their villages on this day.

On this day, it is the customary of the Poumai to give Sousha (some piece of meat) to their younger sisters – who are married to other village. It is a sign and symbol of blessing and remembrance. Sometimes, aunts and nieces are also given Sousha. Giving Sousha reveals the bond of love and remembrance even though they are married to other village. Thus the bond of love and relationship is still kept with the women married to other villages through such kind of festival.

On the Seventh day all the males have separate kitchen like on the Fourth day. A cock is killed on this day and had together all the males in the family. On the Eight Day is called Hahpayou, which mean the cultivators can go to their paddy field to work. The young men and women go to paddy field for weeding in groups on this day.

On the Ninth Day, the last day of the Laonii Festival, as the custom of Poumai Naga tribe, the head of the family takes child beyond the village gate and killed a chicken. The chicken is cut into two pieces and throws one piece to the right and other to the left. It is their belief that through this religious rites and rituals their sins are forgiven and God will protect them from all kinds of diseases.

In olden days, the young men and women who sleep in the Kheloukizii or Reipeiki (Dormitory) celebrated this festival with full of joy and excitement. In this festival, pork is the main meat, which is cut for the people.

The young men and women celebrated the Laonii in their Khekizii (Bachelor dormitory) and Loukizii (Ladies dormitory). The young men usually presented the pork to the females in their dormitory and in return they gave rice beer and other vegetables. A day is fixed and the boys visited the girls’ dormitory to celebrate together the feast.

Folk songs competition between the boys and girls was carried on this special day.Romantic folksongs are also sung and enjoy together. It was a big and important festival for the young boys and girls. By nature all the Poumai boys and girls are frankly and celebrate the festival together.

Today, about 98.6% of the total populations are Christian but Laonii Festival is celebrated every year after the rice transplantation. There is not Kheloukizii in Poumai villages at present but young boys and girls gathered together in groups in one house and still celebrate the festival in Poumai villages.

They go to paddy field in groups for weeding for a day for a friend and the next day for another friend and they keep continue till they helped all their friends in their groups. In such kind of teamwork in helping one another – they do not feel burden of hard work since they enjoy laughing and chatting while working in paddy field.

When they come back from paddy field – they cook meat and continue to celebrate Laonii festival. It is still commonly practiced in most of the Poumai villages. The christians do not practiced any heathen religious rite and ritual but the spirit of the Laonii Festival is still conspicuous with all the youngsters.