SHILLONG,JAN 10: Chywgyn Festival Committee and Kengkam Socio Cultural Youth Club, Siju will organise a two-day “Chywgyn Festival” at Siju, Gangga A·we Playground, South Garo hills on February 12th and 13th. The festival’s aim is to preserve the identity and showcase the rich culture of the Atong community.
The festival is for the youth to showcase their talents and will also act as a platform for them to learn from elders about the folklores, traditional music and songs of the Garos.
“Chywgyn” (Chugan) is an Atong (one among the 12 Garo Tribes) festival that is celebrated a year after the death of a person. Atongs called it “Chugan Manga” after the legend of re-incarnation. It is believed that if this ritual is not performed, the deceased will reborn as a beast and not as a human being. The ritual remains incomplete without rice beer-“Chu”, which symbolizes moment of grief and enjoyment.
During the ceremony, the spirit of the dead comes to take the deceased spirit (the one whose Chugan is being performed) along with them and they engage themselves in enjoying Chu and food (usually rice served with Gourd). This sequence of ritual is called “Mitina”, next to “Dama Do∙chi Goa” – where eggs are thrown on a drum to mark the beginning of Chugan. Young and old participate in this ritual dancing.
The festival will also focus on the revival of indigenous sports that are fast fading in the face of the modern games.
With the aim of reviving the Atong musical instruments and emerging budding talents, various competitions like “Dama Doksusaa” (Drum beating competition), “Bangsi Siksusaa” (Flute blowing competition), will also be held during the festival.
The key organiser of the festival, parliamentary secretary Rophul S. Marak, informed that many dignitaries and senior officials of the state government are expected to attend the mega event.- By Our Reporter
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