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Our Correspondent
Kohima, July 16 (EMN): The much anticipated Jakhama Annual Chünyi Traditional Shooting Competition 2022, organised by Jakhama Youth Organisation (JYO), was held at Yiedi Zhokhatsüzou at Jakhama village on Saturday.
To commemorate 'Chünyi' festival', the shooting competition is organised annually for men as per the tradition wherein competitors arrive at the venue with muzzleloaders and 12 bore guns.
Avizo Richa, an executive member of JYO, informed that the event is being organised as part of the festival of "Chünyi" which is "millet" for English.
He said that the shooting contest is being held during the harvesting season of millet in the summer.
During the competition, Kekhüsezo Zao and Mezizoto Tetso emerged as the winners and walked home with INR 5000 each. Among the 130 participants, the duo was the only two shooters, who were able to hit the target at 100 metres.
Chairman of Jakhama Village Council, Zhopo Richa, while interacting with Eastern Mirror, informed that ‘since the elders introduced the shooting competition many years ago, it has been held as an annual event since’.
He further informed that even in the olden days, the shooting competition attracted scores of youth who would gather to partake in the event, adding that young men eagerly awaited such occasions.
While the event drew a huge number of participants, Richa highlighted that the contest was conducted to foster unity, cooperation, understanding, peaceful coexistence and brotherhood among the men folk of the village.
He informed that the event marks the end of the three to four-day Chünyi festival, while apprising the need to promote the sport even in other southern Angami areas.
Village gaonbura Vito Tetso, who invoked elderly traditional blessings during the competition, also informed that there is a traditional practice where other crops like maize or Naga Chive are not harvested before Chünyi festival gets over.
While the need of conserving the forest has been emphasised lately, Richa informed how the cereal is no more cultivated like in the olden days though it served as a staple food of the villagers.
It may be noted that millet is grown in shifting cultivation. Villagers in Jakhama now chiefly grow rice and potato through terrace cultivation.
Meanwhile, Alaku Khieya, another executive member of JYO, informed that while hunting has been banned in the village for various reasons, the shooting competition gave a platform for youngsters to test their skills and ability to shoot accurately.
Besides the shooting competition, she informed that food stalls were set up, while funfairs were organised as part of the festival. Elders including former independent candidate, Seyievilie Peter Zashümo from southern Angami region attended the event.