Significance of Naknyulum festival ~ “Naknyulum: Conquest of Darkness by Light”

The Changs believe that the entire human race emerged from Changsang Mongko. This is considered as one of the oldest settlements for the Changs and, interestingly, many primeval stories of Changsang are unique in its essence. Of all the festivals, Changs revere the ‘Naknyulum’ since it is believed that the whole world was engulfed in utter darkness for three days and three nights. The darkness was so intense and was considered as Nakshou-Naknyu or ‘the mother of all darkness’.

The people in Changsang were stranded in the fields, some in the jungle and some were in journey and many were stayed up in homes or people were held up wherever they were at that moment of time. At such a time when the people were striving hard to overcome the darkness, a man named Namo Molo happened to kill a double-tailed Tiger amidst the darkness. At that instance, the entire darkness suddenly burst into daylight. To celebrate the victory of light, the forefathers of Changsang resolved to please the heavenly Gods by celebrating the Naknyu festival symbolizing the conquest of darkness by light.

The ancient Changs believed that there were three heavenly gods Viz. Lijaba, Sansangla and Shampoli, each God having their own powers and blessings. During the festival, people offer prayers to the Gods to invoke their blessings with special rituals so that the darkness doesn’t rule over them again.

Naknyu festival is celebrated every year in the last week of July during moonless night/ month (Daomou in Chang dialect). The Naknyu festival is firstly pronounced by the elderly person of the Oungh clan and is celebrated for three days and nights. Naknyu festival is marked by many rituals and restrictions; for instance, if a guest happens to accidentally visit the home, he / she is required to come the following year for the Naknyu festival so as to avert ill omens. On the first day of the festival, the women folks prepare flour from sticky rice and freshly harvested millet to make steamed biscuits. The selected animals for the feast, particularly Mithun and Pigs are killed. On the remaining hours, the members of the whole village put ‘Ngounam’ Ezhehozea, a scented plant, in the surrounding of the house, at the water well and both inside and outside the house.

The Ngounam was believed towards off the evil spirits. At night, after dinner and before sleep, three pieces of “Wei” i.e. Saponaria, a wild nut which was used to shampoo the hairs in ancient days, is placed at the doorsteps with some hot ashes placed over it and waits till it bursts out because of heat. If the seeds burst and split inside the house, it was believed to be a bad sign and that the family would see famine and destruction but if the seeds burst and split outside the house, the event meant a good and prosperous year ahead. The second day of the festival is filled with indigenous games of competition, sharing and giving. In the morning, the women would offer rice beer to their brothers, cousins and relatives and vice versa.

The youngest in the family would be busy doing errands distributing the millet cakes and the cooked meats for relatives, neighbors and friends. The priest from the Oungh clan initiated the process of the top making and Kongking and the elderly people followed suit by making Yan (Top) and Kongkin (mouth organs made of bamboo), for all. The women folk play Kongkin and the male plays Yan (Top). Biscuit made of millet is hung high on the pole and both young and old compete to reach and bite it with their mouth with hands folded behind.

The competitors are rewarded with hordes of rice cakes and many goodies. It is believed that the Gods during Naknyu come down to earth in order to collect the Yans and the Wie and hence one piece of Wie and Yan is placed at the entrance of the house for the Gods at night.

The third day of the festival determined the fate of the villagers where young men beat log-drums from dawn till morning, denoting the declaration of the people from coming out of darkness and ushering in the dawn of the morning. They wait in attention for the pronouncement by the bird. It was believed that the kind of bird to chirp would define the future. If it is the ‘Aoumishou – a small bird with blue spots’ to chirp first, it is considered a good omen as it signifies that the harvest of the years would be plentiful and an abundant crop was predicted. If the bird to chirp first is black and white spotted one then it confirms that there would be the birth of many warriors in the village. But if the first bird to chirp is the Shoangshou a small bird with mixed red and yellow feathers, then it announces misfortune for the people and village.

After a day break, the villagers clean up their respective wells and ponds where the rest of the day is spent clearing and constructing the roads to the villages and the fields. Six days after the celebration of the Naknyu, a special festival called ‘Monyulum’ is celebrated for the young children.

During the celebration of this festival, sticky biscuits are made and distributed equally among the young children where six for the male and five for female, that signifies the strength of the male and female. Despite the fun and merriment during the Naknyulum, the festival is signified by the rituals and the many ghennas that has to be observed strictly.

Some significant observations and practices of the Naknyulum festival are as follows:

. Changs do not folk dance and sing during this festival, no visitors are allowed or entertained at home.

. If any guest visits homes, then it is expected of him or her to visit the Naknyulum festival again the following year as well.

. All animals booked for this festival are not spared.

. No marriage and physical sharing is observed, even between the husbands and wives during this month of the Naknyulum festival.

. If rain pours during this festival, it is believed that it brings good harvest and fills the granary.

. No house or granary is built during this season.

. People are restricted from even trimming one’s hair.

. It is believed that any mistake in observation of the rituals shall cause famine and pestilence in the village.

. It is assumed that on the last night of the Naknyu festival, the soul of men and women who are destined to die in the coming year leave the person.

. Weaving, handicraft and knitting should not be left incomplete or half done during this season.

. Exchange of uncooked meat during this festival is strictly prohibited and restricted.

. Ahead of the time of this festival, one’s own belongings such as household properties and cultivating tools from the fields or elsewhere are collected and kept at home, failing which a bad omen will befall the family.

. On the 3rd dawn day, a chicken is released by an eldest Oungh clan at the gates of the village to signify the conclusion of the festival. Hence, normal life begins the following day as usual.

Courtesy: Mokokchung Chang Union