After two years of yearning for COVID-19 to subside, the Delhi Ao Senso Telongjem (DAST) celebrated Tsüngremmung on 6th August 2022 at Nagaland House, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Road, New Delhi. The event witnessed an astounding gathering of more than six hundred people from different walks of life including civil servants, defence personnel, policy makers, scholars, professors, corporates, social workers et al.
The celebration was made educative and the gathering was edified by the presence of the two Guests of Honour who are natives of NE- Smt. Imkongla Jamir IAS, Resident Commissioner, Govt. of Karnataka, New Delhi, and Shri Hibu Tamang IPS, Joint Commissioner of Police/SPUNER (The Special Police Unit for North East Region) and Nodal Officer for Northeast People.
Smt. Imkongla Jamir, re-visited her experience as a young student where exposure and idea about Northeast (NE) were not common. However, with time, things have changed and the outside world is more aware of the region, people, and culture. She urged that the NE people should open their minds, and be willing to explore and learn about the environment and situation they live in. The kind of knowledge that does not give space for learning, unlearning, and re-learning are impediments to the strides towards a progressive society. The same holds for all our cultural and customary practices. Adaptability should be an essence of our culture and we should be able to imbibe all relevant and necessary changes to deal with the challenges and opportunities of our times. She was appreciative of the present younger generation self-starting and venturing out to newer avenues for livelihood, and not just engrossed in the conventional idea of settling with government jobs.
Shri Hibu Tamang, speaking on the occasion, commended the conduct of the festival that marks the significance and values of our ancestors. Highlighting the importance of protecting intellectual and traditional knowledge, Shri Tamang said, “every symbolic activity displayed during the occasion is essential and is significant to acknowledge our ancestral practices and observations.” Further, he invited the attention of the gathering that SPUNER being the helping arm for people from Northeast in Delhi, is the only institution in India that has a dedicated team with a 24/7 helpline. The team is always available to resolve problems faced by NE people living in Delhi.
The celebration was attended by numerous senior central and state government officials including Shri. Abu Metha, Adviser to Hon’ble CM, Nagaland, Shri. Ravi Lokhnade, AAG Supreme Court, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh, Shri Komjum Riba, PS to Hon’ble Minister of Law and Justice, GoI, Shri. Wennyei Konyak NCS, JRC, Nagaland House, Dr. Hentok Phom, Deputy Director, Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of Nagaland, Shri. Koulie Mere, Deputy Director IPR, Govt. of Nagaland, Brig. Balbir Singh, Wg. Cdr. Nokdenpong Jamir, Dr. Aashish Bhave, Director CNES, New Delhi, Shri. Nungsanglemba IIS, ADG, PIB, GoI, Dr. Lanuwapang, Senior CMO Hospital Empanelment Cell and CPIO, CGHS, Prof. Raman Mittal, Joint Dean Legal Affairs, DU, Shri. Thomas Thalu, OSD Planning, Smt. Lisapila, Sr. PRO, Tourism, Govt.of Nagaland, Smt. Temsutula Imsong, Sakaar Sewa Samiti, Smt. Linda Newmai, social worker, Shri. Zev Sigulim, Director MegaVoice Global, Israel, and many others. The celebration also witnessed a special guest speaker Er. Imkongchiba Pongen (Retd.), who narrated the significance of Tsüngremmung.
Elders and various groups presented folk songs, dances, and games and sports like men spinning tops, women playing with snuff box sea bean, bamboo stilt walking etc., as a mark of observing the ancestral celebration.
According to President DAST, Er. N. Ajungba Jamir, “This year we have organized the Tsüngremmung festival after a long wait of two years due to the pandemic. Therefore, the Ao community decided to celebrate with éclat to conserve the tradition of our forefathers. It is heartening to see the overwhelming support and response.”
The event concluded with Tsüngremong Feast consisting various dishes of Nagaland!
Submitted by Dr. Imkongmeren, General Secretary, DAST
