Greetings on Chavaan Kumhrin
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network

Imphal, October 22 2011: All Manipur Tribal Union has greeted the Anal community in particular and the people of Chandel district in general on the occasion of "Chavaan Kumrhin" , New Year of new crops/harvest which is being celebrated at Maha Union High School, Chandel on October 23 .

The Anal tribe being traditionally dependent and skillful on agriculture, hunting and river fishing prior to this modern era, adored agricultural cultivation as their highest subsistence, as basic livelihood means of economic resource while hunting and fishing were opted as supplementary means, said Tribal Union Manipur in a press release today.

In 1998, having felt the urge of UNESCO that our tradition and culture are our respective stature and identity, I pledged to bring traditional and cultural items in the celebration.

The first ever secular type of a village level festival seasoned with items of tradition and culture was celebrated at my own native village, Thungcheng in the same year, which still does every year.

Here, biblical traditional virtue is being emphasized as the icons of such festivals so that anti-socio-cultural activities are avoided in the pretext of secularism as may be attracted to some", said Romeo Bungdon, General Secretary, All Manipur Tribal Union.

At the festive occasion, some peculiar traditional food items like sticky rice roasted in green bamboo ( champung ru), roast meat of domesticated banteng/mithun, purple sticky rice/bead seed/jawar local brew, river snail, slug curry, brook crabs and steam chicken meat, etc are served, said the release.

Among some 35 ethnic tribes in Manipur, Chandel district alone has 15 various tribes with varied cultures forming mini -cultural mosaic, it said, adding that if this type of festival is entailed with tourism aspects, it is worth for rural tourism circuit like it is done in Japan to boost socio-economy for people of Chandel.

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