Tsükhenye celebrated amid calls for community unity, peace

Chizami Village, April 22 (EMN): The Chizami Range Public Organisation (CRPO) celebrated Tsükhenye festival at the local ground of Chizami village in Phek district. The celebrations were held with the theme ‘progress through unity’ on Saturday. The speaker of the event was KG Kenye, Member of the Rajya Sabha. Addressing the occasion, he said that the Chakhesang people became a tribe not by birth ‘but by choice through the wisdom of our pioneering leaders.’ He urged the community and people gathered at the event to ‘keep up unity’ and preserve ‘the integrity of our tribe.’ Kenye also asked the people to respect, develop and maintain unity of Phek district. Further, KG Kenye said that the five villages comprising Chizami, Sümi, Thetsümi, Enhulumi and Mesulumi together with the people from Chizami town were living together in unity. It is a true symbol of Chakhesang unity, he asserted. ‘Khuzamis, Chokris, Sapus and Sümis live together in peace in the Chizami areas and the people from the area must hold the Chakhesang people together at any cost because breaking ourselves into smaller groups will only make us more insignificant and powerless,’ he maintained. Parliamentary Secretary for Higher & Technical Education, Deo Nukhu, also spoke during the event. In his speech, the politician called upon the people to stay united and to take the society forward. He mentioned that denomination in religion or affiliation in politics should not be barriers to unity. He has urged the people to be one ‘in order to strengthen relations in the community.’ Kewepelo Tsühah, chairman of the village council of Chizami, highlighted to the gathering the significance of Tsükhenye festival. He said that Tsükhenye was considered the most important festival of the Khuzami Chakhesang community. The festival is celebrated during the month of April every year. Further, he said that Tsükhenye was a reminder to the villagers that the time of merry making had come to an end, with the end of spring time for that season. As such, the village folks consider it the last festival before the onset of agricultural activities in full swing. Welhipe Chiero, president of the CRPO said in his welcome address that the organisation had a meeting with unit officials, public leaders and gazette officers on April 21 at Chizami village. Following the meeting, they resolved ‘to maintain peace and tranquility’ and to protect and preserve ‘forest biodiversity’ and to ‘strengthen and develop Chizami headquarters.’ Around 500 people from six villages in the Chizami range converged to participate in various indigenous activities during the celebrations. A grand feast, replete with traditional delicacies was served as part of the Tsükhenyie celebrations.