The memorandum, signed by Henjangam Haolai, president of Kuki Inpi Assam maintained that Chavang Kut festival has been celebrated by the Kukis since time immemorial with pomp and gaiety after months of toiling and sweating. It is a celebration of success through hard work, it added.
It may be mentioned here that Chavang Kut Day is one of the first cultural events to be declared as a ‘local holiday’ in the district. Over the last 25 years, the Chavang Kut festival has become one of the most anticipated cultural events of the district, taking the shape of a ‘get-together’ event for the various communities, ushering in communal peace and harmony.
The memorandum added that apart from the increasing prominence of Chavang Kut festival, the Kukis of the State in general and of this district in particular, have always played a positive role in nation-building, notwithstanding many problems and hardships, and Chavang Kut is a symbol of hope and identity as a community moving forward towards progress and development. The sacrifices made by the Kukis against the Britishers for their ancestral land is well-known especially ‘The Kuki War of Independence 1917-1919’. During the course of their struggle against the might of the British Empire, 11 Kuki chiefs were exiled.
The supreme sacrifices made by the forefathers have been a constant source of inspiration for the Kukis in their endeavour to build a strong and prosperous society and in the fulfilment of their obligations as responsible citizens, the memorandum stated and added that it is the genuine wish and humble desire of all and sundry that those 11 brave Kuki chiefs get their due honour and recognition from the government. To this effect, the Kuki Inpi had already submitted a memorandum to Prithivi Majhi, Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management, Labour and Employment, Tea Tribes Welfare.
The Kuki Inpi memorandum also highlighted the urgent need for a community hall at Songpijang village in Haflong. An auditorium with basic amenities will go a long way in providing a platform for collective decision making for the community as well as a recreational and a learning centre for the youths and to prevent them from being lured away by antisocial elements, the memorandum added.