Our Correspondent
Diphu, July 24 (EMN): The 15-day summer camp free training cum workshop on Karbi folk dance and songs for children aged between 6 to 12 years concluded here at Rangsina Sarpo cultural hall Lorulangso on Saturday.
The camp was organised by the Cultural Affairs department, Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) in collaboration with Karbi Traditional Music, Culture & Research Institute (KTMC&RI).
Around 90 children enrolled in the 15-day free training cum workshop to learn the Karbi traditional dance like Rit Nongchingdi – cultivating dance and Lengpum Sokchon – husking paddy and traditional dance like Tu va-e – lullaby and Oso kepadok – songs to soothe the child to sleep.
Protap Engleng, Kaban Rongpharpi, Mirnim Terangpi, Kamsing Tisso, sar-i'm Rongchehon and Kolomsing Bey were the instructors for the training cum workshop.
On a concluding day, a prize cum certificates distribution function, executive member, KAAC, in charge of Art & Culture, Surjya Rongphar, in his address termed the camp as a good initiative as children could learn their own traditional dance and songs from a tender age.
“If children are taught about the various traditional dances and songs from a tender age then they will treasure it in their mind. At a tender age, children can learn anything very quickly and this opportunity has been given to them,” the EM said.
He also said if there is scope the KTMC&RI has to be set up in Nilip, Dokmoka and Donkamukam so that through this institution the Karbi culture can be promoted.
“As an EM in charge Art & Culture I will try my best to work for the promotion and development of tribal culture,” Rongphar said.
MLA Rupsing Teron said Karbi culture is steeped in agrarian life but with the coming of the machines, certain cultures and traditions attached to the agrarian life are slowly vanishing.
“Nowadays as people are not involved in agrarian life and some of the aged traditions and culture attached to it are being forgotten. In villages, the ceremonial carrying of paddy from the paddy field to home by village youths is not done now. Even village people have forgotten some particular beating of Karbi traditional drums during the Hacha kekan – ceremony for the deaths.
To revive and promote such aged traditions and culture, they have to be taken to the cultural institutions like in the KTMC&RI to be taught to the younger generations,” the MLA said.
Tribal Culture Research Officer (TCRO), Dilip Kathar said children have benefited from the summer vacation by learning the Karbi traditional dance and songs. Apart from learning the Karbi traditional dance and songs, children were also taught discipline, punctuality and fun games.
The children also demonstrated what they learned in the 15-day training cum workshop.