Staff REPORTER
ITANAGAR, Feb 26: Nyokum Yullo, one of the most important festivals of the Nyishi community, was today celebrated across the State with traditional fervour.
The annual agro-based festival is celebrated for a better productivity, prosperity and happiness of all human beings.
The Nyokum goddess, the goddess of prosperity is invoked for her blessings so that there may be more and more production of foodgrains in the next harvesting season, the visit of famine may be warded off, and drought or flood may not hamper cultivation, nor should any insect or animal destroy plants and crops. The goddess is invoked so that the human race may be strengthened and regenerated. All should be free from unnatural death due to accident, war and epidemics.
Clad in their traditional costumes, the Nyishi men and women – young and old alike – thronged the Nyokum centers across the State to celebrate their festival with enthusiasm.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu attending the Nyokum Yullo celebration at Yazali in Lower Subansiri district congratulated the Nyishi community for preserving & maintaining their age-old traditional culture.
“Attended #Nyokum Yullo celebration at Yazali. The festival filled with positive energies, passion & devotion is dedicated to Goddess of prosperity for good harvest, prosperity & well being. Thank you Nyishi community for preserving & maintaining our age-old traditions & culture!,” Khandu tweeted.
Stressing on preservation of age-old tradition and culture, the Chief Minister ‘assured’ to place funds provision in the coming Budget 2021-22 for the protection of indigenous people’s culture and languages.
While observing that erosion of tradition and language begins due to one’s negligence and adoption of a second language, he said it is necessary for today’s generation to go outside for higher education, but at the same time it is also necessary that they speak in their native language at home.
“World is moving fast…the young generation must take along the practices of tradition and culture that were preserved by the ancestors since time immemorial,” he told the youths.
In his welcome speech, Education Minister Taba Tedir said that Nyokum Yullo is not only a celebration for invoking God's blessing for bountiful harvest but also a festival of paying curtsy to Nyokum deity for peace, harmony and fertility in the society.
Nyishi Elite Society (NES) president Bengia Tolum, in his keynote address, urged upon the CM to make a special provision for protection of the indigenous people practicing the Donyi-Poloism.
"We need religious minority recognition with job reservation and if the same is passed in the Assembly then it would be beneficial for the Nyishi community who maintain indigenous faith and culture," he said.
Ritual part important
for celebration: Rebia
Attending the Nyokum celebrations at Rono Ground in Doimukh, Rajya Sabha MP Nabam Rebia called upon the community members to preserve and promote their age-old culture and traditions for posterity.
While noting that a lot of changes are taking place in Nyokum celebrations with the changing times, the MP said, we should not forget the ritual part which is most important for the Nyokum Yullo. “Our priest and their chants are endangered; we have to protect and preserve them,” he said.
He added that the ritual chanting performed during the Nyokum Yullo celebrations is for the well-being of all the living beings and good harvest. So, people from other communities should not hesitate to join us in Nyokum celebrations.
Requesting everyone to protect their own traditional culture and dialects, Rebia said these are our identity.
In his speech, State’s Chief Information Commissioner Dr Joram Begi said change must be welcomed in this modern age but core values of the festival should not be changed. “We can modify outer parts but inner parts of our festival should not be altered or damaged.”
“Nyokum is the identity of the Nyishi community and that we should feel proud of it and we should protect it,” he added.
Doimukh Nyokum Yullo Celebration Committee chairman Tagu Tana Tara also said, “We are losing our identity slowly as our children are not willing to use our traditional items, traditional dresses and not speaking their own dialect. They are adopting the alien culture, which is an alarming trend, and in due course of time we may lose our identity and culture.
Gracing the Nyokum Yullo celebrations at Kimin, Arunachal East MP Tapir Gao exhorted that the Nyishi being the major tribe of the State should play the big brother’s role to lead all the communities to maintain peace and harmony. He also called for preserving one’s mother tongue, and traditions and customs as well.
State Council for IT and E-Governance Chairman Doni Nich, AP State Council for Science & Technology Chairman Bamang Mangha, BJP State secretary Taring Tiri and its Capital district unit president Tarh Soping also attended the festival celebrations.
At Longding, Nyokum Yullo was celebrated with a difference! The celebrations started off with a tree plantation drive in the District Hospital premises followed by distribution of fruits amongst the patients in the hospital by the Nyishi community people living in the district.
Attending the celebration as the chief guest, Deputy Commissioner Bani Lego said that in order to protect our identity we have to protect our tradition and culture. He appreciated the Nyishi community for preserving, promoting and showcasing their culture richness in a beautiful manner.
The Nyokum celebration committee chairman Langkung Radhe (STO) talked about the importance of preserving the indigenous traditions and culture, while CO Gyamar Amte briefed the gathering about the origin and importance of the Nyokum celebration. The programme ended with a brief cultural event and a feast.
At the Itanagar Nyokum Lapang, TRIHMS Director Dr Moji Jini and CPWD Executive Engineer Rohit Meena attended the celebrations as the chief guest and guest of honour respectively.