Tangkhul traditional games to rekindle at Raizan meet
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Pamreiso Shimray
Ningthi (Kamjong), March 24 2012:
In the 16th Raizan student's conference underway at Ningthi village, the Tangkhul traditional games - that have for long been out of practice, will rekindle with hundreds of youth taking part in the competition.
On Sunday, Kamjong SDO Manihar Singh will grace the cultural programme of the Raizan Katamnao Long (RKL), which has been underway from March 20 at Ningthi, 100 kms from Ukhrul town.
Hundreds of youth will vie during the cultural competition which includes traditional games like bamboo pole climbing, archery and tug of war.
Besides, it will also feature folk song and folk dance.
In the 16th Raizan student's conference, which features sports and literary competition, as many as 10 teams are taking part in the events that will conclude on March 27 .
For a very long time, the Tangkhul traditional games namely bamboo pole climbing, archery and tug of war, have slipped away from its continuity among the Tangkhuls in Manipur.
"The introduction of traditional games is to encourage cultural importance among the youths," said RKL president AS Awor.
The Tangkhul traditional games like bamboo pole climbing, archery and tug of war have its own uniqueness.
"The games test the physical and mental acumen of the competitors," stated an octogenarian local Yaruingam Shimray.
He added that it demands "a traditional intelligence for one to climb a bamboo pole which is smeared with oil from pig lards" .
In the cultural events, the traditional games are exclusively for boys while the girls are allowed to take part in folk dance and folk song.