TURA, March 24: The regional workshop on traditional musical instruments and performing arts, organised by the A•chik Literature Society (ALS) in collaboration with the Department of Garo, NEHU Tura, and Department of Garo, Don Bosco College, Tura, culminated on March 22 with a valedictory function.
Veteran singer, Iris Watre Thomas, who was the chief guest on the valedictory function, recalled the month-long residential A•chik traditional musical instrument workshop in Tura in 2010 sponsored by IVET, Indira Gandhi Open University (IGNOU), Shillong, NEHU State Resource Centre and Science and Cultural Society of Meghalaya, and observed that a chigring can be improved to be able to play a series of music notes to produce melodies.
Thomas, who also is specialised in A•chik musical instruments, suggested that the sound quality of all the musical instruments should be upgraded, and encouraged all the participants to form a music band.
As an insider who had done research on A•chik music and folk songs and dances, she informed that there are more than 40 drumbeat rhythms for an equal number of dance forms.
She appealed to all to pursue that with passion.
Mikhail Ch. Marak, a special invitee, in his address, expressed the need to standardise the sound of traditional musical instruments. He also spoke about his efforts to include the elements of A•chik music and melodies with his own compositions.
Melkior Ch. Sangma, who played the bamboo gongmina, expressed the need of the A•chik community to preserve and revive their musical instruments, as some of them had gone out of use due to neglect.
He emphasised the importance of both the bamboo and metal gongmina.
Prof Fameline K. Marak, in her speech, stressed the need to teach the skill of playing musical instruments to others, and pass on the art to the upcoming generations.
ALS Secretary, Dr. Crystal Cornelious D. Marak, on the other hand, observed that the workshops on the culture of the tribe have a wider bearing on the demand for recognition and inclusion of Garo language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
ALS vice-president Dr Colnat B. Marak, in his address, urged the participants to go deeper with the culture of the tribe, go for further studies and take up performing arts to enhance their knowledge in that field.
As part of the workshop, participants had played chigring while singing ‘Dimdimdimchong’.
Wangala dance also was performed to the accompaniment of the orchestra percussion instruments, dama, adil, gong and flutes.
Meanwhile, certificates to the participants and instructors were also distributed on the occasion.
