13 January
Sports competition to commemorate 2019 Naga traditional New Year was held at Sagaing Region, Naga Self-Administered Region, Leshi town Ahmuhtan Ward, Naga traditional culture ground yesterday morning.
Nine types of sports/games consisting of volleyball (male/female), Sepak Takraw (male), tug-of-war (male/female), marathon (male), pillow-fight (male), shot-put (male/female), traditional wood chopping (male), traditional wrestling (male) and greasy-pole climbing (male) were competed by locals as well as visitors. Winners of the competitions were presented with prizes by officials according to Sagaing Region sports competition organizing committee chairman U Aung Naing Swe.
In addition to this exhibition on blacksmith, pottery, hand-loom, handicraft, traditional medicine, precognition, Naga tradition, Department of Agriculture, Education, Health and Sports ministry, Progress of Border Areas and National Races Department were also exhibited. Releasing of traditional hot-air balloons and tribal traditional dance performances were also conducted in towns like Leshi, Lahe, Nanyun of Naga Self-Administered Region celebrating 2019 Naga traditional New Year.
2019 Naga traditional New Year festival will be held in Leshi town from 14 to 16 January it is learnt. Local and foreign visitors can base in Leshi town to visit traditional house museum, step-irrigation, shifting hill agriculture and nearby mountains like Mt. Sarameti. Local and foreign visitors coming to 2019 Naga traditional New Year festival come by air and land from cities and town like Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon, Mandalay and Monywa to Homalin, night stop there and then by land through Homalin Township to Pinma Village, cross by a landing craft to Htamanthi village and then by car to Leshi town 42 miles away. Some visitors come in a group riding motorcycles and more than 10,000 visitors are expected to visit according to Leshi town 2019 Naga traditional New Year festival organizing committee chairman U Aung Htut.—Htut Ko Ko (Yinmabin) (Translated by Zaw Min)
