Thuni festival was celebrated by the Citizens of Zhavame on Wednesday in Dimapur under the theme, “Celebrating culture through peace and prosperity” at Zhavame Community Hall, Sovima Village, Dimapur.
NDPP Phek region president, Mosonyi Domeh said about how the Thuni festival, a festival of the Poumai community residing in Razeba range, was included in the restricted holiday list in the government calendar, stated by the media team Thuni Feast 2022 during a press release.
Additionally Mosonyi Domeh also acknowledged the past leaders of the community for taking forward the initiative to include Thuni festival among the Chakhesang festivals in 2016 and beyond.
While emphasizing on the importance of culture and identity and mother language especially with young children, Domeh asked the community to continue celebrating the Thuni festival while also expanding the celebration in the years to come.
The celebration began with an invocation by pastor Chakhesang Baptist Church Toulazouma, Mosa Nukhu, Parish Priest St Joseph Chumoukedima, Rev Fr Rozii Anthony Dukru blessed the new office bearers for the tenure 2022-24 to be headed by Neilakhotuo Shupao as chairman and former pastor Siba Krocha pronounced the benediction.
The celebration programme included a host of special attractions like greased bamboo pole climbing , special folk tunes by both men and women group, tug of war between married men and youths and also lucky draw which was the centre of attention after the programme.
Thuni festival is celebrated with great zeal and enthusiasm. ‘Thuni’ is a post-harvest festival and a thanksgiving festival for a bountiful harvest and good health. It promotes significant virtues such as equity, friendship, peace, purity and originality.
During this festival ,people offer their gratitude to their supreme God for blessing them with a bountiful harvest and good health all throughout the year and prays for God’s blessings for another bounteous harvest and beseeching a healthy life.
Taking to Twitter , Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio extended his greetings on Thuni Festival,
“I extend my warm greetings to those celebrating Thuni from the Chakhesang community. May it bring blessings of bountiful harvest and well-being in everyone’s life in the year ahead. #Nagaland #LandOfFestivals”
Nagaland Minister of Higher Education & Tribal Affairs, Temjen Imna Along also shared his greetings on Twitter and wrote ,
A wonderful #Thuni Festival greetings to the # Chakhesang Community. May the festivity bring happiness, prosperity and strengthen bonds as the community celebrates with much fanfare and grandeur.
