JAGIROAD, Feb 14 � The North East India Tiwa Cultural Festival was organised at �Sograsal,� the venue of the festival, at the Sonaikuchi Hill Forest near Jagiroad, which concluded recently. A total of 1,000 artistes from Karbi Anglong, Nagaon, Morigaon, Kamrup and some from Meghalaya participated in the four-day festival.
The president of the Morigaon Zila Sahitya Sabha, Haren Bora released a collection of traditional Tiwa tales titled Abine Chatra, written by Ratneswar Bordoloi. In his speech, Bora extolled the glorious heritage of the Tiwa tribe in all aspects of its culture and lauded the role played by the organisers of the festival in their bid to preserve and promote the age-old resources of the tribe.
In the book release function, another book, Khum Swadewa, a collection of Tiwa songs composed by Chenimai Bordoloi, was released by Dr Bhaben Chandra Neog, principal, Jagiroad College. In his address, Dr Neog appreciated the pursuit for the preservation of the rich, traditional and cultural properties of the Tiwa tribe by various organisations. Renowned singer and cultural activist Jina Rajkumari attended the function as a special guest. She called upon the new generation of the Tiwa tribe to avail of all the opportunities to learn the traditional art and cultural items so that the rest of the communities of Assam and the North-east can get inspired for learning the same from them.
The organisers felicitated Pinkumoni Konwar for her selection to receive a national scholarship sponsored by the CCRT in Tiwa dance. This is for the first time that anyone from Assam has received such a national scholarship.
A seminar on the role of new generation in the development of Tiwa folk culture was held, which was conducted by Narayan Kumar Rodokakati, former chairman, TAC. Lalsing Madar, president, Tiwa Sahitya Sabha, Tulsi Bordoloi, former president, TSS, Rajat Ganguli, director, Sangeet Natak Akademi, NE Centre, Guwahati, D Uphing Maslai, EM, KAAC, Murulidhar Das, Tiwa folk researcher, and Nadiram Deuri, Tiwa exponent, were the participants. In the same function, Dr Sohail Ahmed, associate professor in English, Jagiroad College, released the festival�s souvenir named Sograsal, edited by Hareswar Bordoloi.
In his speech, Dr Ahmed appreciated the endeavour of the editorial board to bring out a well-researched and multilingual volume. Dr Ahmed lauded the diverse range of the articles spanning every day life, folk songs, dances and rituals of the Tiwas in the souvenir.
A cultural procession was taken out with several groups of ethnic Tiwas in traditional dresses. The open session was presided over by the president of the organising committee, Tulsi Bordoloi. Local MLA Bibekananda Doloi, Dhaniram Lor, chairman, Tiwa Autonomous Council, Dharmendra Bordoloi, CEM, TAC, Narayan Kumar Rodokakati, former chairman, TAC, among others, addressed the session.
The speakers appealed to the organisers to preserve the age-old traditional Tiwa folk cultures like Wanchuwa-Miswa, Yanglee Phusa-Miswa, Barat-Utsav, etc., through this festival to be organised every year.
The four-day programmes also included sports events, felicitation function, exhibition of ethnic dresses, Tiwa folk cultural events, etc.
