I was brought up from the forefathers’ religion known as animism. Animism is a religion which is performed out of psychological and superstitious belief and is a worship of unknown god or spirit for protection of physical lives and properties. As regards Sekrenyi, it is called a festival of consecration of male folks. The rite of consecration is sprinkling of water on the body and garments by going to a well at dawn and each chicken for each man to be strangled to death to determine the omen of good or bad luck in the year and the sacrificed meat is prepared to eat exclusively for man.
After our conversion into Christianity we believe that we can be cleansed by the shed blood of Jesus Christ only and no animal sacrifice can consecrate us. So for Christians we need no other means of consecrating us and we have nothing to do with Sekrenyi and other animistic festivals of the like. We can have preservation of our right cultures without observing the heathenish festivals. Instead of using the names of the animistic festivals, “Cultural Festival” can be used. Supposing a cultural programme is being held in the name of Durga or Diwali or Id, a Christian will not feel free to participate in it. The animistic festivals are the same.
Many professed Christians do not have Christian sentiment or conscience. They try to bring a revival of animistic festival. In observation of the festivals, performing religious rites are displayed by killing domestic animals. Is it preservation of culture? It is an attempt to revive the heathenish religion. Fortune or blessing is invoked through seasonal festivals but we had forsaken all such beliefs and accepted both Christ and pagan god.
It is a sad thing that once through TV a servant of God was seen praying in a function of Sekrenyi, “O God, in this festival of consecration we need the power of the Holy Spirit.” Instead of guiding the people to the truth, we the servants of God also have the tendency to compromise the truth. So the populace cannot be blamed.
A mixture of Christianity and pagan worshipping festivals is vague and is a grieving of the Holy Spirit. Our people are dancing into liberalism and spiritual lukewarmness in the name of preservation of our cultures. Cultures should be preserved but not at the expense of Christian faith.
Rev. L Suohie Mhasi
