Five-day food festival begins in East Siang

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITAGAR, June 26: A five day-long ‘Ethnic Tribal Food and Cultural Festival-2016’ organized by the Indigenous Tribal Art and Cultural Enlighten Society, a local NGO, began at Ruksin Solung-Mopin ground in East Siang district on Saturday.

Highlighting the objective behind holding the festival, organizing Chairman Tajing Padung said that their efforts were aimed at showcasing the food habits and cultures of the indigenous tribal people and to educate their youngsters about their tradition and culture.

Attending the iugural session of the five-day festival, retired Director of Secondary Education, Tapang Taloh emphasized on documentation of ‘Mirii Ponung’. He further said that it is the collective responsibility of the NGOs and other social organizations to preserve the age-old cultures, an official communiqué informed here today.

He also suggested popularizing indigenous sports like; archery, tug of war, kusti, Peri apkii and bamboo-still walk and make efforts to get such sports recognized in the tiol and intertiol platforms.

Presentation of a Kathak dance by Karpung Karduk Music Academy was the main attraction of the day.

Among others, Ruksin ZPM Tonggeng Panyang, Forest Officer Opang Jamoh, singer Delong Padung, public leaders, GBs and members of woman SHG were also present on the occasion, the communiqué added.