JKFC to preserve & promote Khasi music

Noted Khasi singer Rana Kharkongor
Noted Khasi singer Rana Kharkongor

SHILLONG, JULY 4: Noted Khasi singer Rana Kharkongor, who recently formed the Jingkieng Ksiar Fan Club (JKFC), said music is part of the Khasi culture and it needs to be valued and safeguarded even as the process of pursuing, preserving and enriching the Khasi language continues.

Kharkongor told reporters during a news conference on Friday, “Through music of our own, we can reach every Khasi and underscore the need to understand the values of our land, natural resources, culture that our  ancestors had hold dear and bestow on us from time immemorial to posterity.”

Pointing out that the Khasis’ express their situations through music, Kharkongor said, “They also communicate through music about the impending dangers surrounding their minuscule population in the face of onslaught of numbers (influx) arising of economic backwardness and other drawbacks inherent in the Khasi society.”

According to Kharkongor, one of the basic forms of Khasi music is the Phawar which rhymes very well and often composed on the spot to suit the situation.

Stating that the loss of culture is loss of identity, Kharkongor however pointed out that Khasi music has undergone a tremendous change from traditional to modern musical instruments but the value of both renders pleasant and harmonious accompaniment to vocals.

Kharkongor also expressed concern over the teaching on how to play the traditional instruments by few institutions while pointing that scholars from across the world rued the fact that there seems to be little information regarding the treasures of the state whereas volumes of data is available about rock and metal bands.

Keeping in mind all these concerns, Kharkongor said the JFKC was formed to promote and preserved music composed in the Khasi language as well as promoting talents and their contributions in this field.

Earlier, the Jingkieng Ksiar was a musical production house that produce audio, albums, video albums, compact discs to films which has also pave the way for a number of upcoming Khasi contemporary music talents to produce their own audio musical albums. Since 1982 when the first audio album was release by Jingkieng Ksiar, around 28 albums have so far been produced.

“The series of such production is in the style and name of Jingkieng Ksiar or “Golden Ladder” which is consonant with history as far as mythology surrounding the Khasi world is concerned – explaining the creation, origin and purpose of the world and their tribe,” Kharkongor said.

According to Kharkongor, the concept of the different compositions of Khasi musical albums by Jingkieng Ksiar is to reach to all age-groups in the community and create interest and respect of the Khasi songs besides keeping alive the legend surrounding the land.

Kharkongor said the JKFC is seeking to establish itself primarily in promoting and safeguarding the materials of Jingkieng Ksiar by using media and other platform.

“It also desires to enroll members especially those who are interested in promotion the production of music in the Khasi language, by way of participation in their expertise or in their desired capability, in musical albums and future productions,” Kharkongor said.

Meanwhile, Kharkongor also informed that playing or broadcasting of songs or musical albums of any part or whole thereof of Jingkieng Ksiar in hotels, restaurants, private broadcasting agencies, FM Radio (excluding All India Radio) is subject to royalty to the club after obtaining due permission from the club.

Kharkongor also appealed to the public to desist from piracy of original works of local artists.- By Our Reporter

 

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