[ Prem Chetry ]
THRIZINO, 11 Nov: The weeklong 52nd central Nyethrii-Dow celebration of the Aka tribe began with festive fervour here in West Kameng district on Monday.
“Our festivals remind us of who we are and where we come from. Our age-old culture and traditions forge our identity, and we are proud of them,” said Kalaktang MLA Tseten Chombay while greeting the Aka community and guests.
“No matter where you have earned your degrees – be it in America, Europe, Delhi or Mumbai – we must not compromise our identity. We must pass on to the next generation what we have inherited from our great ancestors,” he said, adding that modernity has had a severe impact on languages, customs, traditions, and food habits.
Meanwhile, West Kameng ZPC Karma Dorjee Thongdok said that the sun, the moon, the rivers, the mountains, the forests, and the streams have been highly revered by ancestors. “It is where our roots lie, and we should uphold this cultural heritage,” he added.
Earlier, local MLA and chief patron of the festival,Tenzin Nyima Glow, highlighted the significance of the celebration, saying that such festivals bind people together. “We have guests from diverse communities and tribes, and mingling in such festivals brings us closer and helps us understand one another,” he said.
Celebration committee chairman Gimru Sakrinsow and secretary Tangrow Sidisow also spoke on the significance of the harvest festival, noting that, apart from being a celebration, it is also a time to appease guardian deities and the natural elements – including rivers and mountains – to seek blessings and avert natural calamities.
The festival, which will culminate on 15 November, will feature a series of competitions in traditional games and indigenous sports, cultural performances, rituals, and food stalls offering local cuisines.
