BY THE EDITOR
Every community, irrespective of caste or creed, is proud of the traditional values which they have inherited from their forefathers. The people of Meghalaya too cherish their cultural practices and manifest them with pride. The Khasis have their Shad Suk Mynsiem (Thanksgiving Dance), the Jaintias their Laho Dance and the Garos their Wangala Dance, which are generally held once a year and participated by both sexes according to customary guidelines. Such festivals are held in spring season after harvesting time to express joy and gratitude to the Creator for his abundant blessings. The dancers’ movements are in tune with the beating of the drums accompanied by music of the flute. These are comparable to the African dances which respond to the rhythmic body movement of the different tribes. The word “dance” is derived from the old High German word “danson” which literally means “to stretch out”. In the Dutch language it is “dans”, in Italian it is “danza” and in French it is “danse”. Every state in the Northeastern region has its own cultural dance- the Bamboo Dance of the Mizos, the Warrior Dance of the Nagas, the Classical Manipuri Dance of the Meiteis of Manipur, the Bihu Dance of the Assamese, etc. Among the Spartans of Greece, the best dancers were also the best warriors and hence started learning the art from early childhood.
Under the Union Ministry of Culture, which was set up in 2006, there are three national akademies- Sahitya Akademi, Sangeet Natak Akademi and Lalit Kala Akademi- which are engaged in promoting literary standards, performing arts and visual arts respectively. Besides these, there is the National School of Drama which represents the influence of the three arts. Since India is a vast country inhabited by people belonging to different racial and cultural background, different zones have been set up to look after their specified jurisdiction, for instance, the North East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC), created in 1987, with its headquarters at Dimapur, Nagaland. Seminars, workshops and symposia were organised at various locations of each state to preserve and promote the distinct culture of each tribe. The Union Ministry of Culture is quite active in the organisation of Indian Festivals abroad to highlight the multi-cultural aspect of the subcontinent. It also interacts with the The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and entered into bilateral cultural agreements as well as cultural exchange programmes with many countries of the world. The ministry extends stipends and financial assistance to the deserving people.
The Shillong Chamber Choir has uplifted the honour and prestige of our state by their superb performances not only in India but also in various parts of the globe including the European countries and the United States. Due to Covid-19, movement was restricted during these last two years. Hopefully, the challenges ahead will be overcome.