Music was taken to a different level at a hum fest organized by ICCR, says Ibankyntiew Mawrie
MUSIC HAS no language. It travels from the ears to the heart. Just like a sudden gush of wind passing through bamboo grooves can produce a flute-like tune, there are certain languages or hums prevalent in the Northeast that is musical in nature and lies undiscovered.
Many parts of the Northeast are still untouched by modernization. Nonetheless, the language of music runs and is widely understood here. The region is soaked in various colours of music, which if understood and witnessed, will give an individual a brief idea about the different colours of the country.
To unearth this undiscovered tradition of the region, Indian Council for Cultural Research (ICCR) has embarked on a journey shouldering the responsibility to preserve and bring it out to the world the rhythmic and fading traditional practices.
It was a convergence of age-old tradition and art, as enchanting traditional hums of the Northeast echoed far across the winding valley of Wahkhen, with various artists of the region humming traditional tunes against a lush green, serene milieu.
The two-day festival named Melodious Hums of Tribal Folk Music of North East India organised by ICCR in collaboration with Sangeet Natak Academi, North East Centre-Guwahati at Seing Riti Institute Complex at Wahkhen village recently, was participated by traditional folk artists from across the region. They gathered with an aim to rejuvenate the fading traditional music of the region.
Hums may be part and parcel of our day to day life, but the peculiar hums and their relevance in some of the villages of Meghalaya is known to the world beyond. In few villages under Pynursla in East Khasi Hills district where each person has a tune or hum assigned as a name, communication has attained the form of art.
The practice of using hums for names was prevalent in Kongthong village under East Khasi Hills district, and is still widely understood by the villagers following this pattern of communicating since time immemorial.
The hums which otherwise are without any music, were synchronised with the traditional musical instruments. The ‘Eeeeoow, aaaaaaa…’ were blended with traditional beats and the amalgamation of both created music soothing to the ears. Likewise, the sound produced was in touch with nature – from wooden and bamboo crafted musical instruments to clattering horns of animals like bison.
Two monks from Sikkim who attended the two-day hum event, produced a natural tune without music through a simple hum, where one was the soprano (high note) and the other alto (low note). It was unlike any other traditional festivals. From the deep valley, the hums resonated across the hills covered in green and the venue complemented the event.
It was not just a festival for the people of Wahkhen but an epic moment in the history of music for it was on this day that the humming of locals was recognised as an art form. “From mere hum, we have considered it as a new art and the ICCR is embarking on initiatives to take this art form to a new level by exposing the artists to the international arena,” ICCR director Munish Singh said.
Singh added that this age-old practice confined within the domain of the practitioners will find its way outside as an art form besides encouraging the artists to showcase their tradition to the rest of the country.
He also felt hum as a traditional art form can withstand the pressure of modernization. “This is very unique and the enthusiasm of the villagers only confirms that it faces no threat of extinction,” he said.
Meanwhile, sordar of Raid Wahkhen, Skhembor Khongjirem who is also the head musician of Hima Khyrim, gave an insight into the practice of humming in the villages within the vicinity of Pynursla and stated that this practice will live on for many more generations.
“Each member from every household in this village is assigned a particular tune making it easier for the other members of the family to understand who is called. This practice was passed on by our forefathers who practiced it to communicate with their family members when out in the field or jungle, far from their home,” Khongjirem said.
Clad in their colourful attire and equipped with nature-crafted musical instruments, the participants brought the various cultures of the Northeast to one stage at Wahkhen. Folk artistes from Assam, Mizoram, Manipur, Sikkim and Tripura participated in bringing out their tradition.