New Delhi, 7 May (MTNews): Unlike previous years’ celebrations, the Ao community in Delhi celebrated the 2023 Moatsü festival entirely based on the ancestral village practice of celebration with an objective to impart the younger generation the authentic practices of tradition on 6 May at Vasundra Vatika Lawns, Delhi Cantonment.
The festival was organized by the Delhi Ao Senso Telongjem (DAST) with a framework to conserve traditions and customs of the Ao Naga culture. Thus, the whole event was hands-on and involved all age groups of the community including the in-laws and well-wishers.
The celebration started with the demonstration of traditional methods of fire-making followed by traditional folk songs and dances. The event also witnessed special cultural dance by the Ao youth of Kishangarh; folk song by the Ao Nagaland Armed Police, Delhi; folk song and dance by Delhi Ao women; and special song by Ao Naga Choir.
A clinical and hands-on session to transmit cultural and heritage values to young children was arranged where all Ao children including in-laws’ children were benefited. Besides the traditional sessions, volleyball league matches were played between various elder groups.
Imsenchuba Pongen, President, DAST in his welcome address concisely narrated the rationale of the festival and stated that “we celebrate Maotsü festival post Christianity to seek the blessings of the Almighty God.”
The event concluded with a traditional Ao Naga feast of about 500 people.
