Puon Kaap is a traditional game which entertains people from all age groups. This is significant as this represents the challenging nature of both the boys and girls of Kuki tribe. This festival includes the participation of the chief and all the senior members of the tribe as it is with their permission that the formal announcement of the festival is declared. Whenever the Lawm chiefs decide to organise the Puon Kaap competition, they approach the Chief with a jar of Zu which represents the formal application seeking the competition of the Chief in organising the competition. The competition which begins with the consent of the chief, the priest and the council of ministers takes a turn when the most able shooter too misses his target and fails to hit. This has been explained with a superstition that since the Lungi covers the privacy of a Kuki girl that has been snatched away and ridiculed by the shooters, this makes him loose his concentration which is a curse on him. As this competition sometimes takes a wild form this needs the participation of the elders of the society which controls the competition. Puon Kaap competition requires a paddy field, jar of Zu and pig which is organised by the boys and girls. While the girls are busy in preparing the pots of Zu that shall be offered to all the viewers, the boys involve themselves in fetching a pig and slaughter him for the feast which is to take place during the competition. The cost of Zu and other items is shared by the boys and the girls of the community. Overall the game begins with the regular working in the paddy field of the selected man while the boys and girls get engaged with the preparation of the competition. At the midday the chief, priest, council of ministers and all the Tuccha and Becha relatives of the man whose land is selected shall, be treated with the feast and the jars of Zu that has been prepared by the girls. Overall the festival of Puon Kaap is a programme of fun and merry making which is celebrated with a lot of fun. Thus Puon Kaap is amongst those festivals which represent the culture of the land. It is one of the unique games which exhibits the tussle between the boys and girls of Kuki tribe. |