METUMNIU :

The Yimchungers celebrate METUMNIU festival from 4-8 of August every year after the harvest of millet. This festival is connected with the prayers for the soul of the departed souls. It is a sentimental ceremony for those dear ones who left for their heavenly abode during the year. An elder known as “KHEANPURU”, after due prayers, inaugurates the festival. The festival is spread over 5 days and has separate for the days. Viz.. SHITO, ZHIHTO, ZUMTO, KHEHRESUK and SHERESUK.

On the first day, the village is cleaned by community efforts, the damage roads and homes by heavy rains are repaired . on the second day, the path leading to the field is put in right shape, landslide which are very common during heavy rains are cleaned, unwieldy growth are also cut. On the third day. Inter – village roads are taken up. On the forth day, water point and springs are cleaned giving a new look to the village and its surroundings. The villager enjoy their millet. Friends are invited, gifts are exchanged. They dance in their finest and go round the village to charm young and old.

The festival has a strong agricultural base, agricultural implements are sharpened and they worship the three important things such as spade, Dao and hoe. During METUMNIU festival, the young boys and girls get engaged and those already betrothed exchange present for new born babies. Special prayers are held and offerings are made. If the child happened to be male, the parent offer 6 piece of meat to the priest and if the child happens to be female, parent offer 5 piece of meat. This signify that the male has 6 souls and female 5.

TSUNGKAMNIU :

The TSUNGKAMNIU, another important festival of the Yimchungrüs falls in the month of January, from 14-16 every year. This festival is observed to signify the year long life and harvest achieved during the year long hard works in the field. During this festival the young men and women of the village gather together and go round dancing to every house of the village in merriment. In turn every household provides meat, wine and rice cooked and keep ready for them. This procession would go round the entire village and complete within stipulated time. The first day of the morning is spent for cleaning the village and thereafter eating, drinking and dancing starts.