Nagaland government committed to promoting ethnic culture: Mmhonlumo

November 22, 2022 33 Views No Comment

Garos of Nagaland celebrate Wangala-cum-Mini Hornbill Festival

Morung Express News
Dimapur | November 22

Irrespective of numbers or size, every community is equal in the eyes of the government, said Mmhonlumo Kikon, MLA and Advisor for IT, Science & Technology, speaking at the Wangala-cum-Mini Hornbill festival of the Garos in Dimapur on November 21.

Kikon, who was the special guest at the festival, said that the Garos are very much in the development radar and as committed by the state government, has been given equal treatment like any other community in the state. “Garos are peace loving people. We understand that the Garos are an integral part of Nagaland. We believe in development. We believe in taking onboard everyone in the development journey,” he said.

As far as promoting the different ethnic cultures of Nagaland was concerned, he claimed that government has given equal support to the cultural festivals of all communities in Nagaland keeping in mind the impetus on tourism. According to him, the “ecosystem” that the government is trying to build is reflected and being justified by the policies of the government.

He added, “The Nagaland government has decided to support every community in equal measure. Since the latter part of 2021 we have seen that tourism has come back to Nagaland with a bang. Today Nagaland is more than ready to welcome visitors.”

A post harvest festival, Wangala is regarded as the most significant traditional celebration of the Garos. A time of thanksgiving, marked by merry-making and elaborate rituals, the festival is celebrated usually in between October to December. The Garos of Nagaland celebrate it on November 21, every year, said Budin G Momin, former General Secretary, Nagaland Garo Tribal Council. “In the old days, it was celebrated for upto a week but today we celebrate for two days,” he said.

According to him, every tribe or community has customary practices unique to the community and it is these customs that identify as people. “I request all to preserve one’s customs and culture, at the same time respect others culture too,” he added.

The celebration today also had Azheto Zhimomi, MLA from 3 Dimapur-III Assembly Constituency, as the guest of honour, besides another important guest from Meghalaya— Ronald Rikman Sangma, Chairman of the Garo Heritage Village & 100 Drums Festival Meghalaya.

Source: https://morungexpress.com/nagaland-government-committed-to-promoting-ethnic-culture-mmhonlumo