Zeme Naga - Games and Sports

Games and Sports

The Zeme boys and girls play several kinds of games known since time immemorial. Many of their games are endowed with specific social and religious values. Major activity of youths in a dormitory is centered on the different games that are played in the morning and evening every day. Many of the athletic games like long jump, wrestling, etc. apparently seem to be of Western origin, but these as purely traditional sporting activities. Long jump has got a profound significance in the Zeme socio-religious life. This is considered to be a sign of vigor, prosperity, and youthfulness. Whenever a new village is constructed, the long jump site is made as an integral part of it. A new village begins its life only after performing a ritual at the long jump sites. Many games are played in connection with their annual community celebrations. Such games are played with the hope of bringing prosperity and youthfulness to the village community life.

Among the games played by the Zemes, the following may be mentioned :

A. Hejo/ Hezua or long jump: The long jump site called “Hejo” is constructed invariably alongside the village dormitory. A big mound of loose earth called “Hejondang” measuring about 4 feet in width and 30 feet in length is kept secluded for this purpose. A slab of stone called “Hejo-dekung” is laid at one end of the mound. The athlete runs towards it from some distance, pauses for an instant on the stone for balancing the body and take the jump. The distance covered by a jumper is usually measured by the marks made by the feet where the jumper lands on the mound.

B. Teri: It is a race run along the slope of a hill outside the village.

C. Hetung: The two (or two groups) contestants held the opposite ends of a pole measuring about 5 foot facing each other, and each try to push the opponent backward until he fall down on the ground. The contestant who pushed the other one on ground is declared the victor.

D. Hepua or wrestling: In this game two persons competes in which one tries to lift the other by the waist and throw him to the ground. The successful person is the victor.

E. Mapei Kaube: In this game a pig’s skull is hung on a pole of about 8 feet high. The pole is well greased with fat or oil. The competitors are to try to climb up the pole and take away the pig’s head. Whoever is first to do so is declared as the winner.

D. Ngsuhiabe: This is a spear throwing game. At some distance a target is fixed and the contestants are supposed to hit the same to earn points.