Overview

Ngada is a post harvest festival of Rengma Naga Tribe to celebrate the harvest. It is considered the mother of all festivals of Rengma Naga Tribe. It is one of the biggest festival and is celebrated with great splendour and merry making. Everyone, young and old are dressed with their colourful traditional attires and the newly harvested crops are served along with meats and rice beers.

Besides heralding the Rengma New Year, Ngada marked the end of the harvest season. It is also a time to remember the dead by offering local brew on the graves. Thus, it was believed, helped those who die in the year ahead find their way to heaven.

The festival enthuse all able bodied men dressed in their war and ceremonial costumes, to visit the Morungs in the village. The woman, also in their fineries, followed closely behind carrying baskets filled with meat and the potent Nkhezü (Rice beer), apparently to keep the men’s spirits high. The choicest food, however, would be saved for visitors, who could not get away without eating to their heart’s content.