"MONGMONG" (The Festival of Sangtam Tribe) The Sangtams have about 12 festivals spreading over the calendar year including some special functions. Except certain ghenna, all the festivals concerned with food productions, blessings and prosperity. MONGMONG is one of the most important festivals of the Sangtams. The predominant theme of the festival is the worship of the God of the house and the three cooking stones in the fireplace. The festival is observed in the first week of September every year. After toiling for several months during the year and when the crops are ripened for harvest, the green signal to start of the celebration of Amongmong festival is given by the village priest called "BEBURU" with due prayers and rites. At dead of the night the priest will announce/proclaim that " ZANGNYUO MONGMONG NUNG EH-LEHE". The next morning another priest will repeat the proclamation. Then the villagers will begin preparation for the festival by accumulating foodstuffs, firewood and special wine like Rohi and Madhu etc. The announcement made in the morning is the correct information. The proxy announcement made at dead of the night denotes separation of the spirit of the dead from the living during Mongmong festival. Also nobody would like to inherit the sins of the dead and any kind of sinful deeds. Thus through Mongmong festival a line is drawn between the dead and the living. The word “Mongmong” meaning "Togetherness Forever", is celebrated for 6 days from 1st—6th of September every year. Each of these six days holds special significance for the Sangtam community. The pre-dominant theme of the Mongmong is to hark on the harvest season and invoke upon “LIJABA” the Supreme Being for a bountiful harvest, prosperity and longevity. The festival commences after the second announcement/ proclamation by the “Bebürü” (a priest from the Anar clan). The first announcement denotes the separation of the spirit of the death from the living and the rituals continue throughout the festival. With the advent of Christianity, these ancestral beliefs are no longer in practice. As time passes all these traditions are forgotten and slowly fading away. It is only during the Mongmong festival, that the beliefs of these traditions and customs are rekindled to the present generation through folklores. Day-I: Jangsika, on this day villagers kill Pigs, Mithuns etc..., and prepare stocks like firewood, water and other vegetables etc… for the whole festival. Day-II: Singkithsa, on this day it is forbidden for the villagers to fetch water until the eldest woman in the village would take the first scoop of water. Day-III: Müsüyangtüp, a very special pig would be killed, and the eldest woman in the family will perform the ritual of feeding the 3 fire place stones with rice and meat before distribution of meat to the family members as a gesture of mass participation in ritual activities. Day-IV: Kikhalangpi, Clearing of the foot-path leading to the village pond/ water-well where villagers normally fetch water. A wealthy person of the village would lead the youths for social work. There will be sumptuous feast in one of the elder’s house after the social work. This was also a day for sharing and drinking rice beer and eating special cooked food among the villagers. On this day folk songs, dances and traditional games are performed. Day-V: Achangka Singkithsa, the villagers plant tree branches tied with specific items like cotton, chilli etc …along the village junctions, which they believed would ward-off sickness and diseases. This also symbolizes the end of Mongmong festival. Day-VI: A certain leaf known as “Throngba” (Nettle/a stinging weed) was placed on the walls and roofs of the houses with the belief that it would sting away the evil and diseases. Happy Amongmong!
Posted on: Wed, 04 Sep 2013 04:31:20 +0000