KHONSA, OCT 5:
The 3rd Central Ronghuan Kuhwa Festival, the traditional millet harvesting festival of the Nocte and Tutsa communities, was celebrated at Nehru Stadium here on Monday with traditional rituals, cultural performances and community participation.
The celebration began with the traditional Rangtam and Chharom rituals performed by priest Katgang Lamthak, followed by customary observances at Paang and Rangsoam Sey. Women of Khonsa village also showcased the traditional rice-pounding ritual. Celebrated after the completion of the millet harvest, Ronghuan Kuhwa is marked as an expression of gratitude and prayers for prosperity, abundance and collective well-being.
Welcoming the gathering, President of the 3rd Ronghuan Celebration Committee Tediap Hallang said the festival had grown from a village tradition into a platform bringing the Nocte and Tutsa communities together. He also recalled that the previous edition was held at Charju Ground during the construction of Nehru Stadium.
Namsai MLA and Advisor to the Home Minister for Rural Works Department and Sports & Youth Affairs Chow Zingnu Namchoom stressed the need to preserve indigenous traditions and knowledge systems. Expressing concern over the younger generation’s growing disconnect from their roots, he urged youth to learn traditional songs, dances and customs from elders.
Namchoom also called upon the tribes of Tirap to pursue Geographical Indication (GI) tagging for their traditional motifs and textiles. He informed that an audio recording studio had recently been established in Namsai and encouraged Nocte and Tutsa youth to use the facility free of cost to document traditional folk songs and oral histories. He also suggested adopting Roman scripts for local dialects in the education sector to help preserve indigenous languages and culture.
Chief Patron of the festival and Minister for Environment & Forest, Geology, Mining & Minerals and DoTCL Wangki Lowang extended festive greetings and commended the organising committee led by Hallang and Secretary Hangrang Bangsia. Highlighting Tirap’s rich cultural heritage, he noted that the district celebrates several indigenous festivals, including Worang Juku, Pongtu Kuh, Chalo Loku, Hoju Kuhwa and Ronghuan Kuhwa.
Lowang proposed bringing these festivals together under a common platform, ‘TIRAP FEST’, to promote tourism and showcase the district’s cultural heritage.
Secretary, Indigenous Faith and Cultural Society of Arunachal Pradesh (IFCSAP), Maya Murtem, commended the communities for preserving their traditions through songs, dances and rituals. She highlighted the role of IFCSAP in safeguarding Arunachal Pradesh’s cultural heritage.
Earlier, Pangnye Khoisia narrated the mythology associated with Ronghuan, providing insights into the festival’s historical and cultural significance.
The celebration featured traditional dances by cultural troupes from New Kheti, Bunting and Lamlo, a mega dance by women of Kheti and Thinsa villages, and cultural presentations by Kheti, Turet, Thinsa and Lapnan villages, reflecting the shared heritage of the Nocte and Tutsa communities.
The event was attended by Tirap Zilla Parishad Chairperson Adv John KK Matey, Tirap Deputy Commissioner Badonlum Tawsik, Superintendent of Police Aditya, Namsai ZPC Chow Sujana Namchoom, ZPMs, village chiefs, Gaon Burahs, PRIs, BJP functionaries and members of the public.
