Our Correspondent
Imphal, May 12 (EMN): The two day annual state level tribal cultural festival held under the theme “Tribal Culture for Peace and Unity” concluded on May 12 Saturday. The festival which was organised by the Tribal Research Institute (TRI), under the sponsorship of Ministry of Tribal Affairs, government of India, showcased different cultural dances, songs and other forms of cultural performances of different tribes and sub-tribes in the state.
Deputy Chief Minister Yumnam Joykumar and Phungyar MLA K Leishiyo and many other tribal leaders attended the closing function of the festival held at the auditorium of TRI near in Imphal.
Stating that commonness in cultures belonging to different communities in the state should be the base to unite ourselves, he said, culture has the strength to unite us and therefore we should try to understand each other’s culture. He said, although we have a number of different communities in the state, all have been following their cultural and traditional believe. Culture expresses the philosophy of a community which means the relationship between man and women and also the relationship of human being with nature.
The Deputy chief minister further said that most of the cultures have almost the same characteristic which emphasizes the way of life. Therefore, the importance of culture in our life has to be acknowledged so that we can come to know each other.
Emphasizing the need to unite all, Joykumar Singh said, 'our prosperity and strength lies in the unity that we have developed. Despite having differences among ourselves, we should try to know each other by developing a cordial atmosphere. He said, such festivals will be a platform for us to know the beauty of our culture and it will also help us to exchange the commonness of cultures as well.'
Maintaining that differences and issues can only be solved through dialogues, he urged all the stakeholders to come for talks. It is in this direction that the new government has been working and many issues have been solved and peace has come. Government is committed to ensure a peaceful environment which is the basis of development in the state, he added.
In his speech, MLA K Leishiyo, said, culture is an indispensible component in our life. He said, culture and traditions shows the identity of a community and therefore it has to be followed in all aspect of life.
All communities should know each other’s culture and traditions so that we can come to know and respect each other. If we know each other, we can maintain peace. He lauded the efforts made by TRI for giving a platform to all the tribes and sub-tribes in the state to showcase their rich cultural values. Cultural troupes representing different tribal communities from across the state participated in the annual tribal cultural festival which began on May 11.
