JONAI, Feb 5 - The 36th general conference of the Mising Baane Kebang (the apex body of the Misings), which started at Jonekorong (Abotani Lotta) at Jonai in Dhemaji district on February 1 concluded on Sunday evening.
The conference was inaugurated by the vice-president of the Adi Baane Kebang (Arunachal) Tony Pertin, who recalled age-old Adi-Mising relationship and said that Adi and Mising tribes living in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam were descendants of same forefather i.e., Abotani. He appealed to the community people to maintain the ancestral relations in the days to come.
Pertin, who is also a senior advocate, exhorted the Mising youths to shoulder responsibility to preserve the cultural identity for their future generations.
The four-day programme included cultural presentation by different ethnic groups, food mela, seminar, book-release, fashion show besides exhibition of tradition food and attires. There was a seminar on �Importance of documenting oral narratives for writing a comprehensive history of Tani families: Issues and concerns� on the third day of the conference wherein renowned literateurs and researchers including Dr Anil Pegu, Nahendra Padun and others discussed the folk beliefs and evolution of Adi and Mising civilisations. The speakers in laid stress on proper documentation of the oral histories of the tribal communities and preserve it in a written form.
The concluding day�s programme began with display of ancient Mising cultural practices including folk dance, which is regenerated by the cultural researchers of the community. The programme was followed by an open meeting presided over by Mising Baane Kebang president cum Mising Autonomous Council (MAC) chairman Parmananda Chayengiya. The meeting discussed various issues pertaining to socio-economic and educational development of Mising tribes by the invited guests.
Leaders of Mising Autonomous Council, East Arunachal MP Ninong Ering, student union leaders and chief functionaries of various tribal organisations from Assam and Arunachasl Pradesh took active part in the four-day conference.
