Day two of the Tokhu Emong Festival of the Lotha community witnessed the revival of indigenous games and sports. Youths participated in various traditional games in a show for strength and respect for the culture of the ancestors.

Competitions on various games such as tug of war, spear throw, grease bamboo climbing, bamboo stilts walk (bamboo horse walk) and kneading and the games were played at Public Ground, Wokha on Friday. The event was monitored by Governor’s Gold Medallist Team Metamorphosis, an NGO from Wokha.

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Speaking on the occasion, MLA Achumbemo Kikon, the Chief Guest, extended warm “Tokhu” greetings to the gathering and reminded all that the Nagaland Government observes 6th and 7th November as ‘Restricted Holidays’ for the Lothas for their premier festival.

He also stated that in the past, the ancestors played games and sports for fun and pleasure but now sports have become a profession. Citing the example of World Champion Neeraj Chopra who is also the first Asian athlete to win Olympic Gold medal in javelin throw, Kikon said that Naga youths can aspire to become champions like Chopra. The MLA elaborated that Nagas have always been associated with spears and its usage is “installed in our genes” and therefore with proper training, there is a big chance that the Naga youths can also compete internationally and bring medals in this discipline of sports.

Further, Kikon emphasised that our indigenous games and sports are getting recognised internationally and encouraged the people not to remain stagnant only at the district level but put extra effort to compete outside as Nagas have a lot of potential.

The program on the second day of Tokhu Emong Festival was chaired by Limhathung Lotha, Joint Secretary while Rev Lijamo Kikon, Pastor, AG Church Wokha, pronounced the invocation prayer. A song was presented by the Wokha Town Mekokla Ekhung.

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