Aoleang Monyu

By A.Yanang Konyak Foreword There are many villages, areas and ranges in Konyak land. The ceremonies and observations of Aoleang monyu may differ slightly from one area to another. One may feel omitted or included of certain observations and practices which its village or area may have or may not have. It is arranged only in such a manner so as to make it systematic and uniform observation throughout Konyak areas. Konyak union has approved and declared Aoleang monyu to be observed for six days. But we are sometimes confused to answer to the outsiders who enquire to know the details of our six day celebration. The writers took pain in consulting with the Aoleang experts of our people and accordingly sum up the materials in writings for better knowledge of our great Aoleang monyu. Your constructive ideas and suggestions are always welcome.   Introduction Aoleang Monyu is the festival of Konyak Naga. This may also be called as festival of spring. It is the greatest of all the festivals that Konyak Naga observes. This Aoleang festival is as old as the people of Konyak are. It has been observing since the time immemorial. Konyak Aoleang is observed from 1st-6th April every year In fact, Aoleang festival is supposed to be observed on lunar day, i.e. on full moon day after March 25, but people of different areas used to celebrate the festival on different days according to their suitability and reading of the moon from their own conveniences. Some ranges observed it in the month of May and some in April and so on. Seeing this inconvenience that caused the people, especially the students and employers in observing the festival on different days, Konyak students’ union had fixed the festival days from 1st-6th April in early 50s as the uniform days of Konyak Aoleang and accordingly Govt. of Nagaland had also recognised April first week as Konyak Aoleang days. Significance of Aoleang: The celebration of Aoleang festival is for two reasons; to welcome a new season and to invoke divine blessing. It is observed right after completion of sowing of seeds in the field. This celebration marks the end of the old year (the cold winter season) and the beginning of new year (the warm and pleasant season). Those days, people that lived on high mountainous regions with scanty clothing thought and considered winter as too cold and hostile to human and turning of warm season means lots of fun and gaiety, cheerfulness and lively. Therefore, celebration of Aoleang is to bid a farewell to the hostile and hard life of winter, the cold season, and welcome the cheerful and bright life of spring, the warm season. The festival is also celebrated to invoke divine blessing upon men and their crops so that there would be healthy lives and a prosperous new year. In order to focus their attention of worship towards the cult of fertility , people have to erect a decorated bamboo pole, called , in front of the village Morung. Every household has to partake in this ritual ceremony of sooth saying. For this purpose, the village priest is invited. He would perform certain rituals by sacrificing the chicken (preferably a black one) at the foot of (bamboo pole). The intestine of a chicken is taken out and the priest would read on the particular line of intestine. He interprets the version of its reading and the villagers have to cultivate the crops according to the advice of the priest. The villagers have to abide by this prediction for the whole year (season).   The highlight of Aoleang celebration may include items such as-Family feast, Community feast, Folk/Cultural dance, Games & Sports and other ritual ceremonies. In its celebration the friends, in-laws, relatives and the loved ones are cordially invited to join the family feast. Community feast is also arranged where other Morung and clan members enjoy together in merry making with the host Morung in common. There will be folk dance competitions among own Morung members, peer groups (ei-mon) and inter-Morung groups. Games and Sports of both indigenous and modern are displayed during this occasion. The festival is also celebrated to remind the people of its own rich cultures, customs, traditions and other related practices so that the upcoming generations may keep on learning them in the context of modern civilization. It is during these celebration young boys and girls of the community have come to the closer knowledge of knowing one another better. It is also an opportunity for match-making among themselves for their own future. During this occasion, ceremony of marking tattoos on the body such as leg, abdomen, chest, face etc are done. Recruitment of new entrants (shela ompu) to the membership of Morung as peer group is normally done during the time of harvest festival (Lao an ong mo) which falls in around October, however it can also be done during the occasion of such Aoleang festival. In short Aoleang festival is multi-purpose celebration. The festival of Aoleang is observed for six days long every year. Each day of the celebration has its own characteristic observation details of which are explained separately here below:- :  It is known as Moseng Nyih Or Hoiyah-Laiphen Nyih. ON this day it has to complete the task of collecting fire wood, green leaves, bamboo vessels, and other necessary requirements. It is also to construct the a raised platform, in front of every (Morung). This serves as dancing platform. The decoration of Morungs and other important venues must be completed on this day one. :  Day two is known as MOTϋM NYIH OR Bongpho-Sϋjet Nyih : On this day the tamed and domestic animals like-buffaloes, mithuns, cows, pigs etc have to be caught and tethered to the posts or kept binding to be killed the next day. These animals are kept without any feeding, so it is called ’’, meaning empty stomach. On this day no any major work is engaged. The villagers take rest. The last stock of previously preserved meats and fishes are to be finished (eaten up all) that day because there would be new meat next day. A bamboo pole call has to be erected in front of every l of before darkness. After this, in the later part of the day one would hear the rhythmic beating sound of log drum, egoistic oxelophonic waves of Gong, blowing of mithun and buffalo’s horns, and busting of crackers and firing of guns etc. The evening meal of day-2 would be more taster than the usual ones, because all the remaining stock of previously preserved meats and other best food stuff would be cooked for this evening meal a head of the new feast that would start from the next morning, This last supper is called as or super meal. :  This 3rd day of the celebration is called Monyu Nyih Or Bonglang Nyih. It is the greatest feast day among the six days of celebration. On this day the animals are slaughtered. Someone may be very rich enough to have their own arrangement of feast , the others may be too poor and could not effort to have their own even, yet, on this auspicious day they all join together with Morung people or clan men and feast together in union in a same status manner. Some areas as a customary obligation, give sinewy portion of the hip of animal call to their village Ahng from this feast but some do not do so because they do not have such obligation. In the early part of the day all the clan leaders or their representatives would gather together in front of each decorated at their respective Morung. Then; the village priest, who would be called on for this purpose, would read the intestine of the chicken strangulated here. He would then predict the fortune of the running year accordingly. The congregation present here would invoke their prayer to “” (cult of fertility) to bless upon the people as well as on the crops. This would be followed by rhythmic beating of Log drum that lay just at the porch of Morung. Then turning towards the vertical side of ” (Spirit of curse) the members would murmur, and with big bang of bursting and firing of guns, they ward off the spirit of curse. Then the gathering would slowly dismiss and go back to their own respective clan or group to continue their day’s feast. :  4th day of celebration is called Molok Nyih Or Lϋngnyu Nyih. The day would be the happiest and joyous one among the celebrations. The best costumes of traditional wear are displayed on that day. Young and old wear their best on that day. As the saying goes, the status of a person is counted by the dress he/she wears on that occasion. Old and young, male and female, all together form their own peer groups and join their hands in singing and dancing all along the village which may last even till midnight or early dawn. Invitation for feast among friends, in-laws, relatives and loved ones are climaxed on that day. Exchange of meats and other gifts between the in-laws are so competitive that some family even offer a live mithun to their in-laws. By such kind of acts and gestures the bond of family relation become so strong and respectful. :  The 5th day is known as Molai Nyih or Lϋngha Nyih. The day may also be called as ‘dancing day’. The focus of the day is organizing the dance groups among peer groups and lovers’ groups. The day is also to be marked as the day for . It is on that day the dead of the family are fondly recalled. Family cleans the grave yards and their surroundings. They bring the share of feast call ‘ ’ to the graves of their loved ones and place his/her share on them and talk to him/her as if one hears and partakes with the living. :  The day 6 or the last day is known as Moyan Nyih Or Lϋngshan Nyih. After continuous celebration of feast for 5(five) days people feel exhausted and therefore they retreat and take rest on that day. All the erected symbols of and other decorated bamboos and trees are to be dismantled and removed to the out skirt of the village. All the dirts of the feast have to be cleaned up that day. In the later part of the day the villagers go to the nearby or jungle for cleaning and wash up themselves. There, they collect fresh vegetables, catch crabs, shrimp, prawn, small fishes and other such insects from nearby streams, go back home, prepare evening meal and enjoy the taste with new items with fresh mind and body. This is how the Aoleang monyu festival comes to an end.