Aluna Kabuini
- An awardee of Manipur State Kala Akademi Award for Tribal Kabui Dance -

By Donny Meisnam Luwang *

Gangmei Aluna Kabuini was born in the year 1946 at Keishamthong Kabui Khun and she is the second daughter of late Gaithorung Kabui and Gangmei Athoi Kabuini. Her late father was a famous Kabui Drama artist during his lifetime. Kabuini started learning Kabui traditional dance song and other modern songs when she was about 8 years of age from Keishamthong Kabui Naga Dance and Drama Centre.

Aluna Kabuini

Though, Aluna Kabuini love to dance in different styles and depict the rich heritage of Kabui Dance she had to first do her formal education from a high school, which was located very close to her residence. Later she did her post graduate diploma course on dance from Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy (JNMDA), which is the preferred institute as it is the most outstanding institute in the field of dance. Apart from post graduate diploma in dance she also did another 3 year diploma/certification with scholarship from the same Academy. And thus she became the first post graduate holder among the tribal from J.N. Manipur Dance Academy, Imphal.

Aluna Kabuini felt at the feet of many eminent gurus of Kabui Dance and started training in Kabui Naga Dance, Kabui traditional song and modern song from many of these well known gurus.

She had her Kabui traditional and modern song from Gangmei Makungangpu Kabui of Keishamthong Kabui Khul, Imphal, Kabui Dance from Lemmei Abungbam Kabul, awardee of Manipur State Kala Academy, Imphal (1975), Kabui Song from Kamei Guigangpou Kabui, traditional funeral march and Love song from Gangmei Sanaru Kabuini and Manipuri Dance from various gurus like late Guru Maisnam Amubi Singh, Ex-Supervisor JNMDA, Imphal and awardee of Sangeet Natak Academy, New Delhi, Late Guru Haobam Tomba Singh, Late Guru Thoyam Tarun Kumar Singh, Late Guru Lourembam Amuyaima Singh, Late Guru Khaidem Lokeshor Singh. And she had her Maibi and Lai Haraoba training from Guru Hidangmayum Thmbal Sharma and Manipuri Dance from Guru Laimayum Thmabalngoubi Devi.

Apart from her dancing profession Aluna Kabuini also acted as a main (leading) actress in more than 10 short plays at All India Radio Imphal which were produced by Keishamthong Kabui Naga Dance and Drama Centre, Imphal. She served the people of Manipur as a Ras and Kabui Dance leading artist for 30 long years and performed in various places of the state. She is one of the prominent artists with expertise in two dance forms (Ras & Kabui), indeed a rare combination - which is confined to only few artists.

She currently acts as the main role in a Kabui Naga Dance and Drama Centre’s drama show - “Yathang” produced by JNMDA production unit’s Shree Chaotombi Singh, and it is a highly acclaimed by the audience.

Aluna Kabuini

Being a popular Tribal Kabui Dance,r Aluna Kabuini has received various scholarship and rewards from several rich institutes of the state of Manipur as well as the country. She got scholarship for young worker in different cultural field for a period of 2 years from Department of Culture, Government of India, New Delhi and she was appointed regularly as a selection committee member for the new selection of trainee candidates for every new session as well as she is also appointed selection committee member of Manipur State Kala Academy, Imphal. She received the Manipur State Kala Akademi Award for Tribal Kabui Dance in 2001-2002.

Aluna Kabuini also wrote and published a book titled as “Kabui Theory and Songs” , which is used by the JNMDA, Imphal as a text book.

Kabuini participated in many major festival and programme under the Arts and Culture of India Government within the country and abroad and some of the countries where she hadperformed are Washington D.C., Canada, Mexico, Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, Ottowa, London, France, East and West Germany. And the states of India where she had performed are Silchar (Assam), Delhi Asia Mela, Chandigarh, Kolkota, Shillong, Tamil Nadu and many more.

Aluna Kabuini is now the retired Guruhan of Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy, Imphal. Kabuini has dedicated her life to her dance art and she has been a guiding light to many newcomers in the field of Kabui Dance form and will always display her influence over this dance form.