IMPHAL: Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio will come to Ukhrul in Manipur on February 15 morning to grace Nagas’ seed sowing festival Lui-Ngai-Ni.
This year’s theme for Lui-Ngai-Ni is ”Cultural Renaissance”.
Every year, the Nagas’ seed sowing festival is celebrated under the aegis of the United Naga Council (UNC). This year’s two-day gala event will be hosted by the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL). As usual, speeches, blowing trumpets, cultural dances, folk songs and other forms of entertainment will be the main features of the two-day event.
Losii Dikho, deputy chief minister of Manipur, will be the guest of honour while Dinganlung Gangmei, chairman of HAC and MLA from Nungba assembly constituency will be the ‘main celebrant’, and Awangbow Newmai, the MLA from Tamei assembly constituency will be the ‘principal celebrant’ of the festival.
Dr. Puneet Kumar Goel, Chief Secretary, Government of Manipur, and Janghemlung Panmei, MLA from Tamenglong, will give their greetings in the inaugural function. In the valedictory programme, Dr. SS Olish, MLA from Chandel and Leishiyo Keishing, MLA from Phungyar, will give their greetings. Khashim Vashum, MLA from Chingai assembly constituency, will be the Lui-Ngai-Ni host.
Meanwhile, a note in this year’s Lui-Ngai-Ni programme said that, a people has a culture, a way of life and world view with which they lead their social life. The unique identity of each people is derived from their culture, it also said. The phenomenal cultural unity in diversity of the Nagas lend colour to their collective identity. In all, there are approximately 66-67 Naga ethnic tribes spread across India and Myanmar, the note in the programme mentioned.
These tribes are primarily located in Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in India and in Myanmar’s Sagaing Region and Kachin state, said the note. Out of these, there are 20 tribes and one associate unit in the present state of Manipur, it further said. They are Anal, Aimol, Chothe, Chiru, Inpui, Kharam, Khoibu, Lamkang, Liangmai, Mao, Maram, Maring, Moyon, Monsang, Poumai, Rongmei, Tarao, Tangkhul, Thangal, Zeme and KNUM, the note further mentioned.
The note then said the Nagas celebrate every important event of their lives with festivals. Out of the many festivals that are celebrated, there are those which are uncommon in significance, manner and season but the seed sowing festival is celebrated by all the Naga tribes almost simultaneously during the onset of spring to signify the propitious time for the ‘sowing of seeds’. “During the festival, the gods are invoked for blessing of the seeds of crops so that they yield a bountiful harvest that would ensure the well- being of the people”, said the note.
The blessing of the Almighty is beseeched with the expression of dances, songs and rituals. Like many Indigenous Peoples of the world, the Nagas have no written records of their history, customs, belief systems, traditions, values and moral codes and these cultural heritages were transmitted through oral and visual tradition in the form of songs, dances, storytelling, rites and rituals, wood carvings, feast of merit and festivals, megalithic culture etc.
However, with the advent of Christianity and modernisation, cultural values have been relegated to the background, the program stated. It is in response to this imminent threat that the UNC initiated a consultation with all the Naga tribe leaders in Southern Nagalim and the nomenclature Lui-Ngai-Ni was christened in 1986 and a collective Naga seed sowing festival was organised on the February 15,1987 and every year since then, The day is officially recognized and declared a state holiday by the Government of Manipur in 1988, and the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India listed Lui-Ngai-Ni as one of the tourist festivals of India in 1997.
According to the note of the Lui-Ngai-Ni programme, the phrase ”Cultural Renaissance” refers to a revival or rebirth of cultural heritage, where traditional values, art, and knowledge are rediscovered and reinterpreted for the modern era. The original Renaissance, sparked in the 14th century in Italy, revived classical Greek and Roman influences, fueling a surge in art, literature, and humanism, it also said.
This return to roots was not just about nostalgia but it ignited innovation, shaping western culture and beyond. Italy’s rich history fuelled cultural pride, and the ideas spread across Europe. Fast-forward today, a Cultural Renaissance means blending tradition with modernity-whether it is art, music, technology or fashion, like how Naga music meets contemporary genres, roots inspire innovation, the note added. “By revisiting heritage, we spark fresh creativity and bridge generations.
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It is a dynamic interplay between preserving cultural roots and fostering contemporary creativity where ancient wisdom meets modern vibes”, the note also said. The theme Cultural Renaissance for Lui-Ngai-Ni 2026 is a celebration of the Naga people’s efforts to reclaim and celebrate our past history, customs, Identity, moral values and their rich cultural heritage, the note also said.
This movement is about preserving traditions, promoting indigenous literature, music, arts and crafts and their emotional bonding and connection to their ancestral land which holds a spiritual and cultural significance. Culture is dynamic and not static, therefore, Naga culture’s evolution shows its dynamism, adapting to changing times while retaining core values.
Head hunting of the days of yore is now a part of history while their famed hospitality, sense of belonging, generosity and strong moral codes are preserved, it also said. In this backdrop, this year’s edition is aptly themed to revive, inculcate and to retain the abstract and practical value system of our culture that will determine our destiny as a nation, the Lui-Ngai-Ni programme note added.