SHILLONG: The Khasi Heritage Village at Mawphlang was abuzz with activity for the second consecutive day and in action were youngsters from different city schools who took part in a number of workshops organised specially to facilitate them to get a feel of the traditional skills.
The school children took part in workshops on pottery, archery, poetry etc., under the guidance of experts from the field. Several schools participated in this knowledge disseminating initiative of the Monolith Festival 2016.
Kids were seen busy trying to give shape to pottery etc. and even learning a traditional song sung by aboriginal tribes from Australia to “protect themselves in the wild”.
Playing with mud and water and dirtying oneself out in the open has always been any child’s fantasy and it only got better when playing became synonymous with learning new skills and art. While the visit to the Khasi Heritage Village was a learning experience in itself for the children, getting to attend workshops added to the fervor.
“It has been a great learning experience for the children who have come here,” said Sacred Heart Boys LP School teacher Edelbet Warbah as one of his students brought a “cute little” pottery which, despite being shapeless, was nevertheless made with all the right intent and joy.
The teacher went on to say that children who have come here, are not only getting to attend the workshops but experiencing things intricacies related to Khasi culture and heritage which would not have been possible if not for the Monolith Festival.
Anita Passah, teacher St Edmund’s School, echoed similar thoughts and said with a smile that her students learnt some aboriginal songs from Australia taught to them by members of Nuragunya who are here to attend the Monolith Festival.
The Nuragunya members, meanwhile, also enthralled the visitors with a playful dance which got the crowd involved.
Elsewhere, the cultural performances carried on in the amphitheater as people relished the traditional zeal of the event.
As evening descended, the lighted dongmusa set against the heavy sky created a remarkable contrast rendering serenity to the Khasi Heritage Village. It was under such beautiful ambiance that the dramatic interpretation of U Soso Tham’s ‘Ki Sngi Barim U Hynniewtrep’, considered the greatest work in Khasi literature, was staged.
It was indeed a celebration of culture all the way at the Khasi Heritage Village at Mawphlang on Friday. Come Saturday, the village will be ready to celebrate the last day of the event and the organizers promise that none would go dissatisfied from the venue.
