Harvest Dance by the Khiamnuingan Tribe
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Harvest Dance by the Khiamnuingan Tribe

in Video
Published on: 05 December 2019

Tarini Manchanda

Tarini has made environmental films for WWF-India, the UN, PSBT and several NGOs. Her films have been pitched at Docedge India, and the Union Docs Summer Intensive in New York. She runs a filmmakers workshop called Docu Charcha for independent filmmakers. As a filmmaker and researcher, Tarini likes to take her camera to the mountains and listen to people’s stories.

Harvest Dance by the Khiamnuingan Tribe

Khiamniungan is one of the major Naga tribes, inhabiting the Tuensang and Noklak districts and the adjoining areas of Myanmar. Khiamniungan literally translates to source of great waters. Farming is one of the primary occupations of the people of this region. The Khiamniungan tribals, who traditionally practised jhum cultivation (slash and burn agriculture), celebrate the Miu festival at the time of sowing. Tsokum is another week-long harvest festival of the tribe, celebrated in October. The festival includes dancing, singing, cleaning, repair of the roads, and outdoor cooking and eating. In this festival the people invoke god's blessing for a bountiful harvest. Synchronized dances are performed during the many festivals of the Khiamnuingan tribe.

Video created by Tarini Manchanda, illustrations by Bhavya Kumar, text editing Ketan Kumar, ideation and support Neha Paliwal.