|
Si-Doni -Tagin Festival
It is the most significant festival of the Tagins and is
celebrated in January.
Si signifies the earth and Doni is the sun. They believe that, the sun, the moon, the earth and the natural elements around them play a
vital part in their day to day functions. It is with these factors in back ground that their important
festivals are
performed. During the festival 'Etting', rice powder mixed with Apeng
(rice-beer) is made to a paste and everyone liberally
applied with it. Everybody contributes
in kind and cash. Si-Doni festival being conducted on a large scale cannot
be performed individually due to huge expenditure involved. Hence it is celebrated
collectively. The local youths work day and night for about a month in preparation
of the festival. The elderly person who form the members of the Si-Doni committee
direct the operations and the selected Nibu (priest) guides and performs the
Si-Doni festival like 1) Sune-Rabo, 2) Takar, 3) Gene Koni Bakar and Hoye
Penam. It is understood that by celebrating the Si-Doni festival the
creators Si and Doni would not only be satisfied but also bless the people with
good crops and prevent diseases. In fact Si-Doni festival is the festival
for prosperity, plenty and success. During this festival boys and girls in colourful dresses and split bamboo head gears
(Donger) sing and dance.
Boori Boot - Hill Miris Festival
The Boori Boot festival is exclusively performed by the
Hill-Miris. The
festival usually falls in February. Boori Boot means to get together irrespective
of age, sex, caste to hail the spring and successful harvest. The festival also
invokes the spirit of Boori Boot to bless them with prosperity and free from diseases of any kind. The festival is performed collectively. The young members
do all the work under the elders guidance. The Nibu (priest) performs Puja as
well as conduct sacrifice. 'Etting' is profusely applied on one and all. The
festival is of three days duration.
Nyokum- Nishi Festival
The month of August every year is the time for celebrating
Nyokum or the worship of goddess of crops (Lakshmi)
and other Gods and Goddess. On the first day, before an altar of images and
symbols of the gods and goddess, the priest starts the Puja by chanting prayer
and girls dance and sing to propitiate the unseen god and goddess. They sing
about abundant crops and good will, health and unity among all the people, joy
and mutual co-operation and peace and plenty every year. On the second and
concluding day, the villagers of the neighbouring villages perform their Puja in
their villages and come in long procession. The sacrificial animals like dogs,
pigs and chicken are either carried or hung in long bamboo poles. On the arrival
at the place of worship the people go round the altar chanting and the
atmosphere seems to be sur-charged with a feeling of devotion and godliness. The
animals are sacrificed and after invocation of the blessings, the Puja comes to
a conclusion.
Yulo - Nishi Festival
The Nishis perform a number of religious ceremonies of which
one called 'yulo' is important. Yulo is performed for the welfare of the
society. The ceremony is marked by a sacrifice of 'mithuns' in which the priest
collects the blood of animals in a bamboo tube and hangs it in front of his
house as a mark of distinction.
|
