Festival of Nyokum
Yugang –
Main prayer structure of the Nyishi is made of bamboo, known as Yugang where sacrifice is tethered. Often one finds small chickens hung in Yugang. In Nyokum, priests specify a number or kind of animals for sacrificial activities. Nyubh are priests of Nyishi with no idol in this form of worship. Beside animal offering, millet beer and rice paste are utilised.
Attire and customs during Nyokum –
Men wear traditional clothes at this festive time. Eri robe, a cotton fabric is worn around the shoulders with beads of semi precious stones. Decorated woven cap of bamboo with feathers, furs of wild animals & beak of hornbill is worn as ornament. On this festival, Par Ej is worn with earrings & beads by all the women folks included on these Nyishi festival of Nyokum.
There is singing and dancing before the head priest with all of his attendants perform the main ritual. Rice paste powder or beer of millet are given. Usually, women and men hold hands in a circular form and sing while dancing with a common line “Nyokum bo tapa debe.”, and sometimes even mock fights with dao (short sword) and shield made of animal hide is used.