DIMAPUR — The Changtongya Senso Telongjem Mokokchung (CSTM) celebrated the Ao premier festival Tsüngremmong at Sangtemla Hall, Mokokchung, on August 3.
The celebration featured a display of cultural heritage and traditions, aimed at reviving and preserving the community’s rich cultural identity.
Alemtozung, tatar of Kosasanger Putu Menden Changtongya, spoke on the occasion about the significance of the festival and highlighted that Tsüngremmong, once celebrated with great interest and purity, faced a decline with the advent of Christianity, which led to a shift away from traditional beliefs and attire.
He noted, however, a positive change with the present generation’s efforts to revive this cultural heritage, recognising it as a crucial aspect of their identity and roots.
C Longkok, Anükapang, exhorted the gathering by recounting the Morung system, where different age groups of boys and girls would partake in these traditions. He urged the community to view this revival not as a one-time event but as a continuous effort to celebrate their festivals with the same enthusiasm as their forefathers.
DAST: The Delhi Ao Senso Telongjem (DAST) also celebrated Tsüngremmong on August 3 with the aim of showcasing the ancestral tradition of the festival and imparting its essence to the younger generations.
The event involved all age groups and featured cultural and traditional performances, a tug of war, group dance and folk songs, according to a press release.
A special arrangement included a clinical and hands-on session designed to impart traditional practices and cultural values to children. All Ao children and children of Ao in-laws benefited from this initiative, it said.
The festival was celebrated at the Nagaland Armed Police Camp in Wazirabad, Delhi.
