CM calls for preservation of culture, tradition of tribals

Imphal, November 30 : Manipur Chief Minister, O Ibobi Saturday called for a concerted effort in the preservation of old age cultures and traditions of all communities, irrespective large or small, residing in the state since time immemorial.

Speaking as chief guest at the inauguration function of celebration of Hmar Sikpui Rudi-2009, a winter festival of Hmar community of Manipur, here in Imphal (at the auditorium of the Tribal Research Institute), Ibobi said every indigenous tribes settling in the state whether it may small or big should effort to preserve their own cultures and traditions.

The state is home to various tribes since time immemorial.

Larger tribes should not look down upon the smaller tribes in any way.

Only when people live in harmony without differentiating which one is majority or minority, the passage of development will speed up.

MLA, Ngursanglur and director of RIMS, Dr L Fimate also attended the inaugural function of the festival celebration as guest of honour.

Prof Lal Dena presided over the function.

Presentation of cultural and traditional dances of the Hmar tribe marked the occasion.

From time immemorial the Hmars used to celebrate during winter season an annual festival called Sikpui festival or feast.

This festival is held to mark the successful harvest during mid winter.

The festival also is an occasion when the Hmar community experience sense of love and unity amongst them.

On this day, the poor and the rich, the high and the low all share the festival feast in one common ground.

In one of the songs of this Sikpui Festival, there is a vivid reference to some happenings in the unknown distant past, which bear similarity to the experiences of the Israelites at the time of their liberation from the Egyptian bondage under the leadership of Moses and the events that followed after they crossed the Red Sea.