Pathso Cultural Troupe: Showcasing Khiamniumgan heritage at 25th Hornbill Festival

The Pathso Cultural Troupe is representing the Khiamniumgan tribe at the 25th Hornbill Festival in Kisama Heritage Village, showcasing their vibrant traditions and rich cultural heritage. The troupe had travelled for 24 hours on challenging, rocky roads from Pathso village in Noklak distric to Kisam in Kohima district enduring exhaustion to make it to the ‘Festival of Festivals’ a testament to resillience and determination in itself.

Celebrating Cultural Identity

The troupe takes immense pride in their traditional attire, each elemente of which carries deep cultural, traditional, and symbolic significance. From the intricately crafted headgear to the foot ornaments, every piece reflects the Khiamniungan people’s connection to their heritage, and the natural world.

Another special highlight of their attire is the tiger tooth necklace,which symbolizes bravery, strength and masculinity. The troupeexplained that traditionally, men earn these necklaces by killing atiger.

Preserving Traditions

The Pathso Cultural Troupe emphasized the importance of passingdown traditional dances, songs, and practices to youngergenerations. They shared that these performances are not merelyfor entertainment but carry profound meanings, often tied tohistorical events, community values, and cultural identity.

The Khiamniungan Morung with Slate Roof

A unique feature of the Khiamniungan culture is the traditionalMorung, or communal house, adorned with slate roof. The troupedescribed the slate roofs as a distinctive element of their architecture, crafted from locally sourced stones that are cut andarranged in overlapping pattern to provide durability andwaterproofing.

The slate roof, they explained, is not just a practical feature but alsoa cultural icon, symbolizing the Khiamniungan people’s ingenuityand their connection to the natural environment. The slate roof addsa touch of natural beauty to Khiamniungan homes, blendingseamlessly into the surrounding landscape. The slates are stillavailable to this day, they explained.

Through their performance at the Hornbill Festival, the PathsoCultural Troupe aims to highlight the beauty and depth ofKhiamniungan traditions, sharing their stories and legacy with abroader audience while preserving their heritage for futuregenerations.

Source: Nagaland Tribune

Autor: Shongmo Shiu and Meribeni T Kikon

Photos: Unknown