Ao Lokgeet Singers

Ao Lokgeet Singers: Tradition, Rituals & Music of Ao Naga Folk Songs

Ao Lokgeet refers to the traditional folk singing tradition of the Ao Naga community of Nagaland, India, richly interwoven with rituals, seasonal festivals, and oral heritage. Ao songs are commonly performed during Moatsu Mong and Tsungremong festivals, where villagers gather in traditional attire—men in sleeveless Lo coats with silver ornaments and women in Mhoushu garments adorned with beads—to sing, dance, and invoke blessings for prosperity and harvest.

The lyric patterns of Ao Lokgeet are deeply poetic, passed down orally in the Ao language (Tenyidie and Mongsen dialects), blending repetitive refrains, call‑and‑response phrasing and themes of nature, love, bravery, and community life. These songs often accompany ritual dances and communal feasts that strengthen cultural identity and intergenerational bonds.

Popular Ao song performers include Nungshitula Pongener, who features in folk renditions like O Kü Mezüng Meimla and Akümli Tepiyong; Merenyangla, Rümen, and Mum in family renditions; and local cultural groups who perform at events such as the Hornbill Festival.

Iconic Ao Lokgeet songs celebrated today include Moatsümong (festival anthem), Tenungsang ken 23, and Sangni Sangni, each preserving ancestral voice and community spirit for future generations.