Eden Academy, Mokokchung, observed its Senior Cultural Day 2026-cum-Pre-Tsüngremmung on July 31.
The event brought together students, teachers, and parents in a celebration of Ao traditions ahead of the Tsüngremmung festival.
The programme began with the traditional Arr Yimdong Sü (Vine Pulling Procession) from Jubilee Memorial College, Aongza, to the Eden Academy campus at Kumlong. Students, accompanied by the Guest of Honour, academy administrators and teachers, took part in the procession.
District Cultural Officer, Mokokchung, Moses Newmai, graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour. Members of the Mokokchung District Art and Culture Council (MDACC) and parents of the Grade 10 students also attended the programme.
Addressing the gathering, Newmai said cultural observances remain relevant because they keep people connected to their roots and identity. Referring to the Arr Yimdong Sü procession, he said it reflects community unity, collective responsibility and shared purpose, while historically serving as a traditional practice to drive away evil spirits and illness and prepare the community to receive the blessings of the festival.
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He reminded the students that culture forms the foundation of a people, saying that, like a tree with strong roots, a community can stand firm only when it remains anchored in its traditions and history. He urged them to uphold the values of hard work, unity, honesty and community spirit in the modern world.
Encouraging the senior students, Newmai said many of them would soon pursue higher education outside the district and the state, where they would serve as ambassadors of the Ao community and the Nagas. He urged them to represent their people with dignity and preserve their language, songs, traditional attire and cultural values wherever they go.
He also commended the management and faculty of Eden Academy for organising the programme, stating that such initiatives help nurture pride in cultural heritage alongside academic learning.
The formal programme featured a series of cultural presentations by students. Grade 8 presented Tsüngsang Ka, Grade 9 performed Aluruba Tepelamung, Grade 7 presented Tsüngremmung Tepela, Grade 6 performed Tsüngremmung Tsüngsangtepro, while Grade 10 presented Ochi Ken Tasen. Students of Grades 4 and 5 also performed Longtitsongba Ken Aser Kin Meimer Ola.
The vote of thanks was proposed by Atula, followed by cultural celebration.
