Nagaland: Sekrenyi-cum-Mini Hornbill Festival Ends at Sovima

Sovima, February 26: The two-day Sekrenyi-cum-Mini Hornbill Festival of the Angami community concluded on Wednesday at Sovima Village Council Ground, drawing hundreds of people in traditional attire for the closing programme. The celebration was organised by the Angami Public Organization (APO) with support from the Department of Tourism.

Attending as special guest, Tourism Minister Temjen Imna Along called for greater unity among Naga tribes and stressed the need to protect indigenous culture alongside the Christian faith. He said cultural identity and spiritual belief are not contradictory and can grow together if consciously preserved.

Praising the Angami community for sustaining its traditions, Along said Naga tribes including the Angamis, Aos, Sumis, Lothas, Chakhesangs, Zeliangs and Konyaks must safeguard their customs and way of life to move forward as a people. He credited Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio for promoting Hornbill and Mini Hornbill festivals, noting that these platforms have revived traditional practices and strengthened cultural pride across Nagaland.

The minister also urged Nagas to rise above narrow tribal identities and work collectively for peace and progress. He appealed to community leaders, church leaders and the youth to engage in constructive dialogue, adding that unity remains crucial despite increasing literacy and social change. Along further raised concern over illegal immigration, emphasising that protecting indigenous identity requires public awareness, lawful mechanisms such as the Inner Line Permit system, and cooperation with law-abiding non-Naga residents.

APO president Thejao Vihienuo said Sekrenyi symbolises purification and renewal, adding that although ancestral rituals are no longer practised after the community embraced Christianity, the festival’s core message of sanctification and dedication to God continues to be relevant.

Several dignitaries, including advisor for Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Zhaleo Rio, minister for Women Resource Development and Horticulture Salhoutuonuo Kruse, and advisor to the chief minister and IDAN chairman Abu Metha, were present at the programme.