Indigenous Sümi music takes centre stage at Hiyo Café
Morung Express News
Dimapur | June 21
On World Music Day, a café in Dimapur played to a different tune.
With indigenous music taking centre stage, Hiyo Café in Dimapur was scene to a close knit lively crowd singing along to popular Sümi numbers - nostalgic songs of love and freedom.
With western music always on the lips and playlists of music aficionados, it is a rare occasion that music patrons provide platform to promote indigenous music which forms the core of one’s identity.
Betoka Swu, proprietor of the café, described it as an exclusive event to showcase and reignite interest in indigenous music with “songs from our own hometown, from our villages.”
He said the whole idea was to celebrate music “in our own narrative, share stories with songs of old, of love and freedom, songs that share issues and struggles.”
Performers belting out a mixed bag of well known Sümi songs at the event included Amu Jubito, Ashemu, Vito, Abel Assumi, Gelly Zhimo, Gideon and others.
The event was powered by Satakhami Kichimi Khamino, literally translated - “some elders from Satakha.”
