Khuado Pawi - Havest Festival
The Zomi Community celebrated harvest in the Saxton Oval Pavilion on 23 October 2023.
“While we are practice dancing, singing and making traditional food and preparing tools for dance and talking about that we are making things those kinds of thing are keeping and passing to our new generation and this is the way why Zomi are doing this celebration of Khuado and how important to keep and especially children and young adult are motivated and asking to adult are obviously they are learning and getting something for their life and they have also can plan for the next year or the future, which are the way preserving our cultural traditions and the benefit for our Zomi Community. Nowadays there are technology improved we can keep online and learn back from the experiences.” Theresa Deih Cin ZAM
Photography - Kat Beyle www.wiphala.co.nz
“It is important not only gathering and enjoyable but also preserving Zomi cultural traditions and opportunity for showing or sharing to other people and especially preserving for Zomi as well as for inherit to our new generation to generation.”
“The reasons why Khuado Pawi we, Zomi, who are involving this Khuado Pawi celebrate every year is the most important activity and keeping to pass to new generation to generation are: Khuado Pawi marks the end of the Zomi seasonal cycle of cultivation year and welcome the year to come similar to new year. Khuado Pawi is also harvest time for thanks giving to God which are we harvest the new corp and for sowing the new corp for the next year. Khuado Pawi is a special time call Exorcism and Purification: to drive out devil or unfortunate life which are sickness, death ect; and to welcome the fortunate year for well being as well. Khuado Pawi is also Festival of light that we use pine wood for the light when we were young but now we use electrics or candle when appropiate place that means devil can not come to our village or our city and welcome a new corp and new life to be brighten fortunate life or the blessed life from God for our future. When Khuado time Grand parents or who believe that the Future prediction by beehive at the ancient time, if the hive is healthy and good, it will be come a good year, nowadays we are not doing anymore, we remembered what our progenitors belief and celebrate every year. Mostly we are celebrate in October. Khuado celebration is the biggest get-together as the ethics group or family group even children are going away for study they are coming back home and have celebrate together with their family and we cannot say how many times we celebrate this Khuado Pawi this is depend on each of us age, that is why Khuado Pawi celebration is the most important and not to forgetable for Zomi.The project of Khuado Pawi is we, Zomi are gathering and sharing each other that our experience, when we were young how/what our grand parents taught us as traditional way and any traditional activities and culture. We also passing teaching to our new generation and this is a good time to share showing our Zomi culture and traditional way to our children and for adult as well, we are still learning from each other. We are so happy and enjoyable for this event once in a year. Children are talking in our mother tongue and trying to follow how adult doing and also learning and thinking something the information from each other. Mums cook food and young children were helping, we had practised traditional dance and made some tools that Zomi' life style for dancing. Whenever we do the activities, children asked us and we have more apportunity to tell them on their experiences, This Khuado Pawi is the biggest celebration for Zomi so that not only Mums and children also young boys/girls, young adult are really motivated and helping each other. This is one of the way uplifting children, young adult and adult's models and mindset. While we are enjoyed and celebrated our Khuado we also remembered that who passed away and back to our previous country who are surviving in the war. When we have celebrate this Khuado Pawi, we always sing a traditional song whice is: ( A. Do na lingling do na lingling e, gual in khumkhua do na lingling ee, B. Gual in kum khua do na lingling aa, do han ah nau bang va kap tangh ee_ means event we are enjoyed in this Khuado we remembered who passed away and and crying at the cemetery). We are peaceful and happy and not forgettable for our past life. Big appreciated who are coming and support for our Khuado Pawi you are unforgettable and thankful.”
Theresa Deih Cin ZAM
Attendance: 90
