First ever Tangkhul-Meetei Ngashan Festival in December
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, November 18 2022:
Tangkhul Naga Wungnao Long (TNWL) in association with CSOs based in valley areas will organise the first ever Tangkhul-Meetei Ngashan Festival in Ukhrul town on December 2 and 3 with the objective to strengthen the relationship between the two indigenous communities.
Announcing this during a press meet at Manipur Press Club here on Friday, co-convenor of the festival organising committee and HERICOUN president Longjam Ratankumar said that the festival will be jointly organised by TNWL, UNACSU, LIPUL, HERICOUN, UPF, IPSA and KKL.
The festival is to be organised as per the decision arrived at during a joint meeting of Tangkhul and valley based CSOs held in Khamlang village of Ukhrul district some years back.
The meeting also resolved to join hands in the fight against non-local influx, drug menace, poppy cultivation, and to strengthen the relationship among the indigenous communities for a better future, he said.
The festival is to be organised only for Tangkhul and Meetei communities this time due to time constraint in communicating with other indigenous communities.
However, it will be expanded to cover more indigenous communities of the state in the coming years, he assured, while urging people of other indigenous communities not to think otherwise for not involving them.
Chief Minister N Biren will inaugurate the festival, which will have presentation of cultural and traditional events of Tangkhul and valley based communities.
Joining the media briefing, Khongbal Tangkhul Hongmahn village headman and organising committee member Akhui Zimik said that the culture and identity of the indigenous communities of the state are experiencing downfall ever since Manipur became part of the Indian Union.
The future of the indigenous communities will be lost if initiatives were not taken up to conserve and promote the indigenous culture, tradition and identity, he said and added that the festival is being planned keeping this in mind.
Describing the festival as a step to safeguard the state and informing that other indigenous communities will be covered in future editions of the festival, he appealed to the people of every community to support the initiative.