Preserve culture while embracing progress: Arunachal Dy CM Chowna Mein

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Saturday underscored the need for cultural preservation to progress in tandem with modern education, as he inaugurated the Tagin Cultural Society (TCS) secretariat building cum heritage centre at Daporijo in Upper Subansiri district of the state.

The deputy chief minister also attended the first-ever Tagin seminar on 'Traditional System of Tagin: Change and Continuity', an official statement said.

Addressing the occasion, Mein called for greater efforts to document and make traditional knowledge accessible to younger generations.

"Apart from documenting the traditional chanting of the priests, we need to translate it into a simple language for the younger generations to understand, in order to keep our shamanistic traditions alive," he said.

Stressing respect for all faiths, he added that people "We must respect every religion, and without criticising other beliefs, there should be no harm in protecting and practicing our own indigenous cultures and practices."

The deputy chief minister highlighted the importance of intergenerational cultural transmission, emphasising that modernization must not come at the cost of indigenous knowledge.

"Our oral traditions, folklore, and rituals carry centuries of wisdom. It is our collective responsibility to ensure they are not lost in translation but carried forward in spirit and understanding," he noted.

Mein lauded the TCS for its sustained efforts in promoting cultural identity and unity. He praised the society for fostering awareness and education, and for safeguarding traditional values, language, and customs that enrich the state's cultural fabric.

He also appreciated the collaboration between TCS and the Vivekananda Kendra Institute of Culture (VKIC), calling it a meaningful step toward academic engagement and documentation of indigenous knowledge.

"By combining cultural experience with scholarly research, we are creating a bridge between traditional wisdom and contemporary understanding," he remarked.

Touching upon development issues, Mein urged the public to create a conducive atmosphere for hydropower projects, terming them vital for socio-economic growth in the region. At the same time, he cautioned against constructing 'ghost structures' for undue compensation claims.

He assured that the government remains open to dialogue with any opposing groups and committed to providing genuine compensation and rehabilitation as per the state relief and rehabilitation policy.

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