Metemneo Festival is a famous festival in Nagaland which is related to the agriculture. This auspicious festival is of the Yimchunger Nagas of Nagaland. The Yimchungers celebrate the Metemneo festival after the millet crop is harvested. But the festival is also connected with praying the souls of the departed. People believe that the Metemneo Festival brings the opportunity to forgive each other’s reconciliation of past differences. This Metemneo Festival is considered to be very auspicious for marriages and engagements and thus the tribal people execute the wedding during the festive season. With its strong agricultural base, it’s not surprising that agricultural implements are worshipped.

Celebration of Metemneo Festival
Metemneo Festival is celebrated in the Month of August after the harvest of millet crop. The Metemneo festival lasts for 5 days. Throughout the duration of the festival more than 30 cultural troupes, dressed in their traditional attire, perform traditional dances and sing folk songs that showcase their cultural heritage. People drink, dance and rejoice together as a community.

All five days of the festival have certain specific names.

The first day of Metemneo is known as ‘Shito’. On this day people gather in groups and partake in the cleaning of their homes and environment. They start with the cleaning of streets and roads.

On the second day, known as ‘Zhihto’, people are engaged in repairing their homes and broken roads.

On the third day the restoration of roads of the village and inter villages is brought under attention.

The fourth day is known as ‘Zhumto’ by the Yimchunger people. They clean ponds, lakes, rivers and other water bodies.

The fifth day is known as ‘Kheresuk’. On this day people finally take a break from all the hard work and invest their day’s time in merrymaking and feasting.

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