4th North-East Cultural Festival starts
Source: The Sangai Express
Itanagar, August 08, 2012:
The 4th North-East Cultural Festival 2012 has been kicked off at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Naharlagun here today with Chief Minister of Meghalaya Dr Mukul Sangma and Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Nabam Tuki as chief guest and guest of honour respectively.
Hundreds of delegates and participants from across the seven States of North East India gathered here to showcase and perform their respective cultural assets in the festival.
The festival is being organised by All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU) under the aegis of North East Students' Organisation (NESO) under the theme, 'unity through culture'.
To mark the inaugural function, a cultural procession was taken out this morning from Naharlagun Government Higher Secondary School to the festival venue.
Different communities and ethnic groups from seven States participated in the procession in their respective traditional attires.
Announcing the festival open, Dr Mukul Sangma extended greetings on behalf of his people.
He said that North-East is the storehouse of vibrant cultural identities and nowhere in the world could compete it.
He also emphasised on preservation and performance of traditional values and cultural assets of the North-East States.
"The spirit with which we are here today is to stick to it inherited by our forefathers", he added.
While exhorting the Manipuri martial arts, Sangma also mooted on the initiation of North East Carnival in co-ordination with his other counterparts of the region.
Prior to his speech, mega dance programme entitled Hamara Arunachal depicting all tribes and sub-tribes of Arunachal Pradesh was performed by a cultural troupe of the host State.
Later, breathtaking actions of Manipuri martial arts mesmerised the audience.
Naga folk song was also performed by the delegates from Nagaland.
Speaking at the function NESO Chairman Dr Samujjal Bhattacharjya said that North East is not the grazing grounds of the illegal migrants.
He added that the present imbroglio in Assam is due to this issue.
In Assam, more than 49 tribal villages were invaded by illegal influx, he said.
The indigenous people of Tripura has already become the minority group in such a manner.
Now the same is happening in Manipur and other sister states as well.
Identities of the indigenous people of the North East should be protected, Dr Samujjal added.
The president of All Manipur Students Union Thokchom Suresh, on the sidelines of the occasion, told this reporter that, as a constituent member of NESO, we are participating in this festival.
During the festival we are ready to show traditional games like Mukna (Manipuri traditional wrestling),Yubi Laakpi (Mamipuri rugby) and other indigenous games and cultural items he added.
Protection of indigenous people of North-East and illegal influx is also Mainipur's main concern, he added.
Later in the evening, indigenous games and traditional dance were performed by various cultural troupes from constituent member delegates.
An exhibition match of Sepak-Takrow was played by Manipur teams.
The festival informally began on Tuesday evening at the same venue which was marked by screening of first documentary film of Arunachal Pradesh entitled as Mera Dharam Meri Ma, directed by Padmashree Late Dr Bhupen Hazarika.
The said film is based on socio-economic conditions of NEFA just after it is rename as Arunachal Pradesh.
Introduction session of the NESO members was also held.
The Mega cultural event and other entertainment programmes were scheduled to be held on next day.
The festival will conclude on August 10. It may be mentioned that the constituent members of NESO are All Assam Students Union, AAPSU, All Manipur Students Union, Garo Students Union, Khasi Students Union (both from Meghalaya), Mizo Zillai Pawl, Naga Students Federation and Tripura Students Federation.
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