IMPHAL, February 26: `Culture is our way of life. People generally take culture as just song and dance, which is a misconception. Culture encompasses every aspects of our life`.
The statement was made by Ranjit Adhikarimayum, Principal, Government Dance College Imphal. He was speaking as the guest of honour on the 2nd Foundation Day of Chakpa Andro Panam Ningthou Meihoubirol Cultural Association held on Wednesday at Pureiromba Mandop, Andro Bazar.
Continuing his speech, Ranjit pointed out that there is a vital need for preserving and promoting the indigenous culture. The need for revitalising our culture has been necessitated by the onslaught of `modernism`™ and so called development which threatens to trample our traditional values, he said.
Ranjit at the same time also maintained that a culture cannot remain static, but there is need for retaining some of the essences which have been passed down from our ancestors through the cultural current. He expressed his concern on some of the indigenous games of the State getting extinct. `The present generation do not play Kak-Yen anymore, an indigenous game which develops physical endurance of growing children`, he said.
Puthem ongbi Ch Memcha, an executive of CAPNMCA in her key note address earlier during the function said that the primary task of the association is to preserve the threatened culture of the Andro community. `It is our duty to hand over the cultural values to the future generations which have been handed to us by our forefathers since time immemorial`, she said.
Memcha added `Andro is near yet so far to so many people especially in Imphal`. We feel hurt when people ask `where is Andro or which tribe is Andro`™, She lamented.
Kapur, social worker, speaking on the occasion as one of the dais members said that Andro is one of the finest examples of those indigenous villages which still preserve their tradition and values. He said the uniqueness of a culture is most beautifully manifested in mutual co-existence of all ethnic groups, wherein the minority and the majority share equal respect for each other.
Mayanglambam Manganagsana, director of Lai Hui, who also spoke as one of the invitees highlighted that in order to show case the rich cultural heritage of Andro to the outside world the rigidity in some of the cultural practices has to be reformed. This can be achieved after thorough consultations among the authorities like the Ningthou, Khullakpa and other stake holders, Mangangsana stated before adding that Chakpa Andro Panam Ningthou Meihoubirol Cultural Association, CAPNMCA should play a leading role in this regard.