Moatsu Festival

The North-eastern state of Nagaland is a vibrant hilly locale that is sheltered by Myanmar in the East; Assam in the West; Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in the North with Manipur in the south. The state is a home for many tribal communities. Nagaland is rich in traditions and cultural heritage.

One of the tribal communities Ao tribe celebrates Moatsu Festival in the first week of May every year. Various rituals are performed during this period. Moatsü Mong is observed after the sowing is done. It gives an opportunity for recreation and entertainment to flex the muscles after the weeklong stressful work of harvesting, ploughing and sowing seeds, cleaning up the Tsubu (Wells) and repairs and construction of houses by elders of the Putu Menden. The environment becomes vibrant and lively during Moatsu festival by peppy songs and dances on the pulsating music by the tribal men and women.

The joy and fun of festival continues for full three days. The ritual called Sangpangtu in which camp fire is lit and the well-dressed folks sit around it are served wine and meat forms an intricate part of the festival. A virtuous man who claims to have directed by the Almighty forecast about good and bad days of natives and village.

Best rice-beer is prepared and the best breed of pigs and cows are slaughtered for the feast during the festival. The womenfolk and men folk enjoy the festivity by participation in eating, dancing, drinking and singing songs in praise of fighters and love with gusto.