A sense of unity and cultural pride filled the air in Mokokchung as over 800 members of the Sangtam Naga community gathered on September 3, 2024, to celebrate the Mungmung Festival. The event, held at the residence of the Sangtam Union Mokokchung Town (SUMT) treasurer, was a vibrant display of camaraderie, tradition, and heritage.
According to Nohochem Sangtam, General Secretary of SUMT, this year’s Mungmung celebration was particularly special, as around 850 members of the community—men, women, and children—gathered to partake in traditional practices, dances, and feasts.
The Mungmung Festival, which marks the end of the agricultural cycle and the beginning of the harvest, holds deep cultural significance for the Sangtam Naga community and is one of its most anticipated events.
Thrikyuse Sangtam, Assistant District Program Manager at the Nagaland State Rural Livelihoods Mission (NSRLM), Department of Rural Development, Tuensang, graced the event as the special guest. In his address, he reminded the gathering of the Sangtams’ rich cultural heritage as a warrior tribe and emphasized the importance of upholding and practicing their cultural values for the welfare of the community. Drawing from his over 20 years of observation within various civil societies, he urged the Sangtam community to rethink and act positively. He concluded with a call to the present generation to demonstrate their rich culture through actions, not just words.
M Sangnyu Sangtam, Pastor of the Sangtam Baptist Church, offered a blessing prayer during the event, which featured various traditional cultural displays and indigenous games.