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About Sekrenyi

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About Sekrenyi

Sekrenyi is the main festival of the Angami Nagas of Nagaland. It begins on 25 February every year and goes on for about ten days. The Angamis also call it Phousanyi. It is a festival of purification and renewal before the new farming year.

On the first day, the village well is cleaned and guarded. Early the next morning, young men go to the well to bathe and wash, which stands for making body and soul clean. They put on fresh shawls and new clothes for the days ahead.

The days that follow are full of feasts, folk songs and gatherings. Rice beer and meat are shared, and young people sing together late into the night. Some villages hold the gate-pulling and other old customs, and elders tell the stories of the village.

How people celebrate Sekrenyi

  • Cleaning the village well
  • Bathing at dawn for purification
  • New shawls and traditional dress
  • Feasts and shared meals
  • Folk songs late into the night
  • Stories from the elders

How to wish well

  • Wish Angami friends from 25 February, and at any time in the festival days.
  • Renewal, a clean start, good health and a good year of farming are the right themes.
  • Simple English wishes are welcome, and a warm "Happy Sekrenyi" is enough.

Questions about Sekrenyi

When is Sekrenyi?

It begins on 25 February every year and lasts about ten days.

Who celebrates Sekrenyi?

The Angami Nagas of Nagaland, in Kohima and the Angami villages.

What is the meaning of Sekrenyi?

It is a festival of purification and renewal. The Angamis also call it Phousanyi.

What happens on the first days of Sekrenyi?

The village well is cleaned, and early the next morning young men bathe there to make body and soul clean, then wear new shawls.

Is Sekrenyi a holiday?

It is a holiday in the Angami areas of Nagaland, such as Kohima district.

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