The Adi Baane Kebang secretary general, Okom Yosung laid emphasis on celebrating Solung festival on notified date while shunning away the common practices of taking gifts from invited guests.
Hr said this while taking part as guest of honour at Geku Solung festival at Upper Siang district on Wednesday.
The Solung festival (Lune Giidii) which is one of the most important festivals of Adi community of Arunachal Pradesh.
It is widely and joyously celebrated in all Adi inhabited villages and towns including far flung areas in cities and town across the state and the country.
Usually, the Solung festival is celebrated in the first week of September (some regions/villages also celebrates it in the month of August).
It is celebrated after the sowing of seeds, to seek prosperity and a good harvest.
The main celebration of the festivals are in three main parts – Sopi-Yekpi (the first part and the sacrificial day), Binnayat (the second part, the ritual offering to goddess of crops, Kine Nane) and Ekop also called Taktor; the ritual made for protection against harms by evil spirits.
The first part known as ‘Sopi-Yekpi’ or ‘Ardo-Bado’ is the main inaugural day during which mithuns and pigs are sacrificed and offered to Dadi Bote, the god of domestic animals.
The second part of the festival is ‘Binyat’ during which the goddess of crops and food, Kine Nane, is worshiped.
During the last phase of the festival, ‘Ekop’ or ‘Taktor’, Miri, the singer leader, narrates the story of Nibo or Abotani who was the forefather of the Adis or Tanis.
Apart from all these, people offer rituals for the protection against the evil spirits and pray to Doying Bote and Gumin-Soyin to shower their blessings, the main highlight of the festival is Ponung dance performance which is done by the ladies of all age group.
While attending as guest of honour at Geku central Solung festival, ABK secretary general, Okom Yosung appealed all the Adi communities across the State to follow the celebration of Solung on notified day.
Yosung also appealed the people, especially the Solung festival committees to give away the common process of receiving and accepting gifts from invited guest which is against the spirit of Solung Giidii.
Yosung also informed that, the Solung festival of Adi communities of Arunachal Pradesh will be jointly celebrated Adi-Mising communities of both Arunachal Pradesh and Assam at Jia Bharali in Sonitpur district of Assam on September 14 and 15 next.
It will be attended by ministers, MLAs and individuals from Adis and Misings.
“This is the 5th Solung festival celebration in Assam by Adi Mising Baane Kebang and the good tie of Adis and Misings will be always there in the years to come,” added Yosung who is also the secretary general of AMBK.
