The Angamis celebrate SEKRENYI in the month of February. It normally falls on the 25th day of the Angami month of “KEZEI”. The ten day festival is also called PHOSANYI by the Angamis. The festival follows a circle of ritual and ceremony, the first being “KIZIE”. A few drops of rice water taken from the top of the jug, called “JUMHO”, are put into leaves and place at the three main post of the house by the lady of the household.

The first day beings with all young men going to the village well to bathe. In the night, two young men will go to the well to clean it. Some of the village youth guard the well in the night as no one is allowed to fetch water after cleaning the well. The womenfolk, especially, are not allowed to touch the well-water. Hence they have to see that water is fetched for the household before the well cleaning.

Early next morning, all the young men of the village rise to wash themselves at the well. The whole process is carried out in a ritualistic manner. The young men will don two new shawls (the white Mhoushü and the black Lohe) and sprinkle water on their breast, knees and on their right arm. This ceremony is called “DZUSEVA” (touching the sleeping water) and it assures them that all their ills and misfortunes have been washed away by the purified well-water.

On their return from the well a cock is sacrificed by throttling it with the bare hands. It is taken as a good omen when the right leg falls over the left leg as the cock falls down. The innards of the fowl are taken out and hung outside the house for the village elders to come and inspect it. Beginning from the fourth day of the festival, a three day session of singing and feasting starts.

The THEKRA HIE is the best part of the festival where the young people of the village sing traditional songs throughout the day. Jugs of rice-beer and plates of meat are placed before the participants. On the seventh day the young men go for hunting. The most important ceremony falls on the eight day when the bridge pulling or gate pulling ceremony is performed or inter village visits are exchanged. Until the close of the festival, no one goes to the fields and all field works cease during the season of feasting and song. The young unmarried girls with closely shaven heads sit down with the bronzed youth and sing tunes of bygone ages, recreating a past where no care touched the human soul.