CORRESPONDENT
Kangpokpi, April 8: With the theme 'my culture my identity,' the Thadou tribes in Manipur on Wednesday celebrated its biggest cultural festival called ‘Hun 2021’ here at the picturesque Brigadier Thomas ground of Kangpokpi district headquarter located about 45 km north of Imphal.
Tribal Affairs and Hills Minister Vungzagin Valte and Kangpokpi MLA Nemcha Kipgen were the chief guest and functional president of the opening session of the festival.Moirang MLA P Sarat also attended the function.
Performances of cultural shows,traditional dances,musical performances marked the opening session of the festival which showcases the rich cultural heritage of the community. The beauty and brain competition among the Thadou youths through Mr and Miss Thadou contest were the main attractions among the day’s gathering.
The Hun 2021 was organised by Thadou Cultural Festival Committee under the aegis of Thadou Inpi-General Headquarters, the apex body of the community.
Speaking on occasion, Tribal Affairs and Hills minister Vungzagin Valte expressed his desire to propose a cultural festival of all the tribes of the state considering the different significant characters. However he did not elaborate on it.On the other hand MLA Nemcha Kipgen said let this Hun festival platform bring peace and unity.
In the day's gathering, the Thadou Inpi-General Headquarters also submitted a memorandum to the state chief minister through Tribal affairs & Hills Minister. The memorandum urges to declare April 7 in every year as the Restricted Holiday of the state on the occasion of Hun festival also known as spring festival.
According to an Advisor of Thadou Inpi general headquarters, Hun signifies time and season and it is celebrated for seven days. Hun is the most important festival of all festivals of Thadou people as a numbers of rites and rituals relating to new things are performed during Hun wherein people celebrates the sprouting of seeds sowed. It is said that Hun was officially celebrated at the state level for the first time from April 7-9 in 2016.
