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Moatsu festival, Nagaland

The Moatsu festival is celebrated during the first week of May every year by the Ao Tribe of Nagaland. Several rites and rituals are performed during this period and this festival is observed after the sowing is done. During this time, the tribal people celebrate a period of activity and entertainment after the stressful work they had to undertake which include clearing fields, burning jungles and sowing seeds. Marked by singing songs and dance, the festival is observed for three days. During Sangpangtu which is one of the main celebrations here, a huge fire is lit and men and women adorned with their best attire sit around it. Women then serve the wine and meat to the attendees along with rice-beer. Prior to the beginning of this festival, the village gate is declared to be closed and free entry or exit is restricted. This is done to ensure that people who do not belong to that particular village enter this festival. These festivals also provide opportunities for budding generations for demonstrating their intellectual skill and physical powers as there are various sports like tug of war conducted here.