Lou Majaw, the versatile performing artiste was felicitated, on being conferred the HonorisCausa in Literature, by the Shillong Records Collection Centre on the 8th September, during the Centre’s 51st anniversary celebration. Before this, Lou Majaw was conferred an honorary doctorate in Literature by University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya in 2024. Although the felicitation ceremony was organised in a simple and sober Gilbertian style, it was also packed with powerful performances by the young Gwyneth Mawthoh, Amirphor Jyrwa and Andrew Thabah. In addition, Lou Majaw himself made the receptive audience tap their feet and shake to the strumming of his acoustic guitar.
Lou Majaw, the artist
Born at the threshold of India’s independence, life was not an easy ride for Lou Majaw. The song “Ain’t Got Nothing at All,” from the album Songs from the Attic, reflects the life’s experiences and struggles. In the song, he says, “I Ain’t no superstar, Ain’t got no sports car… Ain’t got no radio, Ain’t got no stereo. Ain’t got no flashy suits, Ain’t got no shiny boots. Ain’t got nothing at all…” However, he evolved to become a renowned performing artiste with numerous achievements to his credit. One of which is the conferment of degree Honoris Causa on him.
Lou Majaw is known for performing and organising Bob Dylan’s birthday concert religiously for more than five decades now. In fact, at every Bob Dylan concert, he would also perform his own compositions. He himself once said that celebrating Bob Dylan never meant to worship him, rather to recollect his musical works and influences.Lou Majaw never hesitated to admit that he dropped out of formal education while in school, but he is the most talented performing artiste Shillong has ever produced, with so much depth and philosophy. Nandini Nair wrote for The Hindu in 2006 and said, “But he’s (Lou Majaw) a songwriter in his speech. He speaks of his past struggles in images, ‘I was lost in the highways. I wandered in the alleyways. But I thanked God that I survived today…’ However, his capacity as a performer is evident; the stage is too small for him…” He would exhort his contemporaries and younger generations alike in Khasi vernacular, “Leh ia kaba phi dei bad donkam ban leh, bad leh bha, leh janai ia ka” (You do what you must do and you do it well).
The Felicitation Ceremony:
The responsibility of felicitating (Honorary) Dr. Lou Majaw was entrusted to Rev. Father John Madur, who is well acquainted with the artiste and also a close friend of the late L. Gilbert Shullai, the founder of Shillong Records Collection Centre. Father John Madur’s knowledge of and admiration for Dr. Lou Majaw, along with his intimacy with the founder of SRCC, made the ceremony complete. It also fostered closeness and camaraderie, which are the high points of every gathering,elements that are now often missing and overshadowed by formality, sycophancy and flattery. In his response to Lou Majaw’s principle of life that “one is just a drop in the big ocean”, Father Madur expressed gratitude to SRCC for recognising that “big drop” and in doing so acknowledging his contributions amidst the sea of arts and music.
Father John Madur’s physical expression was telling when he described his first encounter with the artiste. As a student in Shillong from a rural village in Meghalaya, he was peer-pressured to attend an English pop concert. There, he witnessed Lou Majaw’s performance with Blood and Thunder on stage in 1973 for the first time. From then on, he recounted, he and his friends would frequently attend fetes and musical concerts, and the first question they would ask before going was whether Lou Majaw would be performing. Lou Majaw’s achievements are truly remarkable. Today, we celebrate his conferment of an honorary doctorate in the field of literature. However, Father Madur also prophesied that in the near future, students and researchers might earn doctorates by studying Lou Majaw’s life and works. Jovially, he summed up everyone’s perception of Lou Majaw as a man with mismatched
socks and hot pants.
The ceremony was also marked by the notable presence of Rudy Wahlang, who had for a long period of time played alongside Lou Majaw. Rudy Wahlang, Lou Majaw and others were the Great Society and together had published two important and initial western music
albums, Break Through and Dance Your Ass Off.
Most enthralling was the powerful performance of Gwyneth Mawthoh, whose rendition of Aretha Franklin’s “Chain of Fools” left many audiences spellbound. Gwyneth Mawthoh is only thirteen years old and is currently studying in Class Eight at Shillong Public School, Laitumkhrah. One was extremely amazed by her performance during the felicitation of Dr. Lou Majaw; having watched it live, it reminded one of the young Tipriti Kharbangar, who enlivened listeners with the song “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes about three decades ago (more or less). Coincidentally, both Gwyneth and Tipriti belong to Malki, a locality in Shillong known for producing many talented performing artistes.
Adding colour to the event were the duo of Andrew Thabah and Amirphor Jyrwa. To everyone’s surprise, Andrew Thabah performed his Khasi version of “The Old Rugged Cross,” which he translated as “Ka Diengphna ka Bym Shym Rynda.” Moreover, Andrew Thabah has three albums to his credit, which are now available on Spotify: In the Shadow of Your Love (2022), Found My Rock and Roll (2023), and Rock Room Session (2024). Amirphor Jyrwa is a prolific musician known for his acoustic guitar playing and having been part of musical performances, including a notable collaboration with blues singers and other renowned performing artistes in the City. Andrew Thabah’s powerful bluesy voice had a fine balance with Amirphor Jyrwa’s acoustic guitar. At the event documents, pictures and past writings connected with the life and works of Lou Majaw were exhibited and displayed for attendees to browse through.
The Shillong Records Collection Centre:
In his opening speech Allan Lyndem, reminded the works and associations of the Centre thus, “The Shillong Records Collection Centre (SRCC), founded by Late L. Gilbert Shullai in 1974, is an institution established with the definitive idea to preserve old records, materials and objects for the benefit of the Hynǹiewtrep community in particular and the region in general. The SRCC over the course of its life has had many prominent scholars, researchers, artistes, administrators and political leaders visited the Centre. Lou Majaw has, in many ways, been associated with (Late) L. Gilbert Shullai well before the SRCC was established. At SRCC family we fondly remember that December day in 1972 when Bah Lou along with his friends visited our place at Riatsamthiah, where he played and sang “Sweet Caroline” and “Por Ba La Leit Kin Ym Wan Phai”. Dr. Lou Majaw’s frequent visits and long hours of conversations with the founder of SRCC are indelible memories etched in the hearts and minds of the SRCC family…SRCC places on record Dr. Lou Majaw’s contributions and achievements”. For fifty one years (51) the Shillong Records Collection Centre, (sans funding and sponsorship) has been able to sustain and serve the Hynniewtrep community in particular and region/State in general. It will continue to serve and facilitate students, researchers and others who are interested in old records and documentation about the community. Meanwhile, the Shillong Records Collection Centre is committed to maintain its independence and in the words of the founder himself. “In a democracy, the Government belongs to the people, and governments are expected to be guided by informed public opinion. I think it is not proper to receive financial assistance from the Government unless the people approved expressly or otherwise”.
By Kyrsoibor Pyrtuh