TURA, Aug 29: The first Regional Writers’ Workshop of the Achik Literature Society was organised at Mendipathar College, North Garo Hills, in collaboration with the Department of Garo, North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) Tura Campus, and Department of Garo, Mendipathar College, recently. The workshop was held in order to foster creative writing in Garo among young people in which nearly two hundred under graduates and post graduate students participated.
Professor Fameline K Marak, associate professors Jacqueline R Marak and Dokatchi Ch. Marak, Assistant Professors Crystal Cornelious D Marak, Colnat B Marak and Basan R Marak as resource persons gave the participants ideas on composing poetry, writing short stories, novels and research papers.
Hiracliush M Sangma, a well-known poet, and Kroshnil D Sangma, a poet and researcher, also gave practical guidelines to the young aspirants in creative writing.
Prof Caroline R Marak, president of Achik Literature Society and former Head of the Department of Garo, NEHU, in her inaugural address, stressed on the importance of young people learning to write for the growth of their literature and in view of the demand for inclusion of Garo in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
Dr SK Chaudhary, Principal-in-Charge, Mendipathar College, and Dr Jacqueline R Marak, Head, Department of Garo, NEHU Tura Campus, also spoke on the importance of the workshop in promoting creative writing in Garo.
The occasion was also attended by Soroj J Sangma and Sengister R Sangma, president and joint secretary respectively of Assam Garo Sahitya Sabha, who came to join the inauguration of the workshop.
Soroj J Sangma spoke on the efforts of their organisation to promote Garo language, and the challenges they face in Assam in imparting the Garo vernacular in schools for Garo children to learn their mother tongue.
He also spoke on the association of the Boro, Garo group of languages, namely Boro, Garo, Rabha, Dimasa, Tiwa, Deori and other languages who are working with the common agenda.
Prof Caroline R Marak released two books of Kroshnil D Sangma, Pagitchamni Gimaangenggipa Kurang, a valuable collection of oral poetry of the forefathers consisting of folk songs, Chera ringa, epic poetry, song of lamentation for the dead and the sacred poem Doro and the other book Ang Ku•rang Ku•mikte- 1, the poet’s own composition. The books are significant contributions to Garo literature in the sense that the poems are composed in a mixture of four varieties of Garo, viz. Matchi-Dual, Atong and Chisak. Writing in a combination of four varieties is a rare occurrence.
Dr Belvydha S Momin, Head of the Department of Garo, Mendipathar College, and her team organised hosting of the workshop at the College.
Certificates to the participants were distributed at the end of the programme by Dr Crystal Cornelious D Marak, Secretary, Achik Literature College, and Liu Cleana D Shira, vice-principal, Mendipathar College, at the valedictory function.
