Mukul highlights importance of tourism to boost economy
TURA: The 39th 100 Drums Wangala festival came to a colourful conclusion at Asanang on Saturday evening with Chief Minister Mukul Sangma highlighting the importance of upholding the traditional values that “form an important part of our culture as we promote our cultural heritage through traditional festivals like the Wangala festival”.
Speaking as the chief guest at the final day of biggest post harvest festival of the Garos, the chief minister lauded the efforts of the 100 Drums Wangala Festival Committee for keeping the age-old tradition alive.
Witnessing the annual rise in the number of visitors to the festival, including tourists both local and foreign, the chief minister suggested shifting the venue to a bigger location to ease the congestion as the current venue is in a limited space and lies besides the main highway.
Pointing to the importance of the tourism sector in boosting the economy of the region, Sangma spoke of his government’s efforts at encouraging eco-tourism in the state which would go a long way in raising the economy of the people.
“We have immense resources for tourism and we should know how to harness them. We need to dream big,” said Sangma.
He also called upon the people to be dedicated and responsible citizens to bring peace and harmony in the region. The chief minister also handed over a cheque of Rs 24 lakh to the Wangala Committee from the Tourism Department.
Some of the highlights of the celebration included a children’s wangala dance troupe from the traditional village of Gondenggre which took part in the 100 drums Wangala dance.
Tourists from Germany, Great Britain and the United States who came to witness the annual post harvest festival were mesmerised by the colourful traditional dances of the Wangala troupes.
However, the visitors and revellers were less in number than the previous years’ primarily because of lack of money due to the devaluation of the Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes which resulted in banks and ATMs running out of hard currency since the last four days.
It may be mentioned that the Hundred Drums Wangala dance is made of 100 male drummers and an equal number of female dancers led by their respective chieftains accompanied by the sound of gongs, horns, flutes, etc.
During Wangala a minimum of 10 drums are used in a village, but as many as 50 drums may be used in the bigger villages. There are at least 37 different kinds of beats performed, however in a Wangala dance, three types of beats are mainly used, that is “Dadia” or the lead played by the first man in the group, the second in line plays the “Rikkenga” and the rest of the group follow with “Ongripa”.
The day’s events began with the enactment of Chachat So’a ceremony or the burning of incense in the Nokma’s house which signify the beginning of the Wangala festival, followed by Wangala dance competition among the ten troupes drawn from various parts of Garo Hills and concluded with the main 100 Drums Wangala dance with many dignitaries and visitors joining along with the dancers.
Winners of the 100 Drums Wangala Festival
Gondenggre Wangala Troupe won the first position of the Wangala competition followed by Sadolbra wangala troupe in second and Dingnabra wangala troupe in third position. Gondenggre had won the last year’s competition too. Prizes were also given to the winners of the indigenous games competition and the winners of the indigenous slow food competition ‘Brenga’ and ‘Wetepa’ .