Garo Hills gets first ever ‘Am’beng Magazine’

TURA: A first-of-its-kind ‘Am’beng Magazine’, written entirely in the Am’beng dialect was released recently by Dipul R Marak, GHADC CEM during a function at the Garobadha Higher Secondary School premises, South West Garo Hills. The programme was also attended by Silkigre MDC, Augustine R Marak as the guest of honour.
The magazine is the outcome of the efforts of a group in Facebook called ‘Am’beng Ku’tok’ which was created by a few Am’beng elite friends to share their views and comments in their dialect to ensure its preservation and to encourage the Am’beng youths to speak their mother tongue.
The motto of the magazine is ‘Ma·bitchrini Ku·rang Biambini Katta’ which means ‘the voice from the seed of a mother and the words of the creator’. The main objective of producing the magazine is to preserve Am’beng dialect in its written form, so that the younger generation, especially teenagers, can learn the language, its vocabulary, its sweetness of tone and accent, and its richness and lexicology.
Speaking on the occasion, GHADC CEM, Dipul R Marak, who also belongs to the Am’beng community spoke in his native dialect and extolled the leaders of Am’beng Kutok for their dedication in bringing out the Am·beng Magazine. Marak urged the people belonging to the community to learn and understand their mother tongue prior to learning other languages.
The guest of honour, Silkigre MDC, Augustine R Marak spoke at length on how to value and love the mother tongue. Marak cautioned that Am’beng youths should not neglect their mother tongue or hesitate to speak it at home and in social gatherings.
Editor of Am’beng Magazine, Rel Gokarek Rema spoke about the various problems that his editorial staff and he had to face in bringing out the magazine. He said that the release of the magazine is a proud moment for all Am·beng speaking people, who never before had the chance to read written Am·beng dialect other than speaking the same at home.