DIPHU — The Hill People Cultural Forum (HPCF), which represents Karbi Anglong's 26 tribes and communities, celebrated its 8th foundation day on December 15 at the Sarsing Teron (Langkung Habe) Memorial Town Hall, with members of the HPCF carrying out a cultural procession in Diphu town.
Tuliram Ronghang, Chief Executive Member (CEM) of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), who attended the event as the chief guest, stated on the occasion that there is peace in Karbi Anglong because, despite differences in language, culture, caste, and religion, the people there live together peacefully and contribute to national integrity through this unity.
The CEM announced that the KAAC budget provision for holding the HPCF foundation day will be increased from INR 5 lakh to INR 10 lakh and that the KAAC budget provision for organising the annual Karbi Youth Festival (KYF) has been increased from INR 5 lakh to INR 1 crore.
Similarly, the Karbi literary body was allocated INR 5 lakh for holding the annual conference of Karbi Lammet Amei (KLA), which has now been increased to INR 50 lakh.
As part of the celebration, HPCF cultural troupes performed a synchronised peace dance in which dancers from each of the 26 tribes and communities demonstrated their cultural dances one after the other.
The tribes and communities were Karbi, Dimasa, Rengma Naga, Kuki, Tisa, Garo, Man Tai-Speaking, Bodo, Hmar, Khasi, Tai Ahom, Assamesse, Mech Kachari, Thengal Kachari, Mizo, Chakma, Sakachep, Dumra Karbi, Meetei, Gorkha, Adivasi, Bengali, Bhojpuri, Marwari, Sikh, and Odia.