After enchanting with its brand of fusion music, Dimapur-based Abiogenesis is making waves with films, says Rajib Roy
LICHABA’S DAUGHTER, a musical from Nagaland was screened at the 3rd International Film Festival Days of Ethnographic Cinema in Moscow recently. The other two Indian films selected and screened on the Indian Day of that weeklong festival were Vastu Maratra (Sculptors Speak) directed by Bala Kailashan from Tamil Nadu and Aachuloy – Victory To You (a documentary on the Lepchas of Sikkim) by Kolkata-based Freebird Production.
“The Indian Day was introduced this year,” said Moa Subong who plays guitar, bamhum (bamboo instrument) and harmonica for his rock band Abiogenesis.
Moa and his wife Arenla M Subong are the pillars of Dimapur-based fusion band Abiogenesis. Having enthralled audiences across the globe with their brand of Howey music – fusion of Naga and other Indian folk music — and their wind instrument invention bamhum, the group diversified to film production.
Lichaba’s Daughter is a new form of film called Howey musical where songs in English are sung to Naga folk tunes. The film is written and directed by Arenla, who has been into drama. She has won accolades in acting and directing. These include the best actress award in the North East Hill University one-act play competition held in Shillong for her performance in ‘Maharani of Arakan’ while representing Fazl Ali College, Mokokchung.
Lichaba’s Daughter is based on an Ao Naga folklore modified and modernized by Arenla for a more dramatic appeal. Her other works includes HIV/AIDS awareness film titled Big Time Buddies made for Nagaland State AIDS Control Society and staging of Howey musical dramas in collaboration with North East Zone Cultural Centre. The dramas were Lichaba’s Daughter and Sojourn of the Ahom Prince in Naga Hills.
The film has sought to clear misconceptions that Nags were once cannibals. It underscores how Tsungrola, the film’s leading character who came from the heavens, was banished from a Naga village after she was caught eating human flesh.
Sharing the experience of the screening of the film, Arenla said, “In between each screening, discussions were held where the audience put up questions on the films to the Indian delegates.” Abiogenesis Production was represented by Arenla and producer Moa while Freebird Production was represented by its director Ladly Mukhopadhyay. After the screenings, a seminar was held for a select audience where clippings from Freebird Production and Satyajit Ray’s documentary on Sikkim were shown.
The Indian delegates also interacted with the students and faculties of the Center of The Study of Religion, The Russian State University of The Humanities, Moscow, who were also made to speak on the religion of their respective states. The delegates could also experience the interior of Russia as they were taken to Chublovo village.
The festival is a concept of the Russian Institute of Cultural Research, Likhachev Russian Research Institute of the Cultural and Natural Heritage, SA Gerasimov All-Russian State University of Cinematography and National Association of Audiovisual Archives with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, the Italian Institute of Culture in Moscow, Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Moscow, Polish Cultural Center in Moscow, Goethe German Cultural Center in Moscow, the Royal Danish Embassy in Moscow, Russian State University for the Humanities, National Center for Contemporary Arts, Moscow State Central Cinema Museum and the Polytechnic Museum.
Abiogeneis has many musical albums. Their album Aeon Spell was released through Saregama in June 2007 and was listed for nominations in the 50th Grammy Awards in two categories. Another album Rustic Relish released through their indie label APH Records was listed for nominations in the 51st Grammy Awards in four categories.
Arenla is preparing for another Howey musical film titled World Beneath the Rainbow for which she has already written the script and the background music is produced by Abiogenesis. The film will be released internationally next year.