In an unprecedented development, the Nyokum festival celebration in Naraba, Papu Valley, in East Kameng district has been called off, in order to pay tribute to a member of the Nyokum Yullo Celebration Committee who passed away on Wednesday.
The decision to call off the festival came after the central executive members of the 3rd United 11th Seppa West Constituency Nyokum Yullo Celebration Committee conducted an emergency meeting on 21 February, following the death of one of its executive members in a road mishap.
Celebration committee chairman Nigla Tayem informed mediapersons that “the house unanimously opined that, as per Nyishi customs and tradition, after unnatural death of any person, unless all ritualistic purifications activities are carried out during the period of mourning, the celebration activities in the vicinity of that particular village is not advisable.”
“So, maintaining the tradition, the house resolved to suspend the celebration as a mark of respect to all departed souls, and expresses solidarity with the bereaved family members during this time of grief,” Tayem said.
Celebration committee secretary Kasung Cheda informed that, “within a short of span of time, from 10 January to 21 February, 2024, five important persons from Lumdung village have expired.
The deceased are (engineer) Suren Natung (founder chairman of the 11th West Constituency United Nyokum Yullo Celebration Committee); Pradeep Natung, Fepi Chiri Natung, (engineer) Kapil Natung (resource mobilisation committee chairman), and Moyu Natung (assistant stall in-charge, who died in the road accident on Wednesday evening).
The committee added that, since the celebration has been called off, the audit report will be made public after 2 March.
