Chiechama village revives heritage with rice sowing event

Dimapur: Lida Peli, one of the oldest surviving peer groups from Chiechama village in Nagaland's Kohima district, organised a traditional rice sowing programme at Chiethu on Saturday, celebrating the vibrant culture, community spirit, and agricultural heritage of the region.

The event brought together villagers, young and old, who participated in traditional rice sowing, sang cultural songs, and enjoyed communal feasting. The programme aimed to pass on traditional knowledge and values to the younger generation while emphasising cultural preservation, reports Bhadra Gogoi.

A greenfield airport, currently under construction at Chiethu, 25km north of Kohima, provided a modern backdrop for this age-old event. Keduo Rupreo, an elder of the village, shared insights into traditional farming practices, saying, "In our practice, trees and shrubs in the fields are cleared in Dec, the land is burnt in Feb, and seeds are sown in March and April."

Chiechama villagers cultivate a variety of crops, including Job's Tear, rice, sorghum, maize, chili, cucumber, white pumpkin, yam, tomato, beans, and sweet potato. Approximately 250 individuals and families are engaged in farming along the Chiethu stretch of Kohima district.

Officials from the agriculture department attended the event, which served to highlight the importance of sustainable farming and cultural preservation. The Lida Peli group has announced plans to continue this initiative during the harvest season later this year.