Deputy CM of Manipur arrives at the Annual State Level Tribal Cultural Festival at TRI, Imphal on May 12. (NNN Photo)
Newmai News Network
Imphal | May 12
The Annual State Level Tribal Cultural Festival under the theme ‘Tribal Culture for Peace and Unity’ culminated today at TRI Complex here.
The two-day festival which was organized by Tribal Research Institute (TRI), under the sponsorship of Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, showcased different cultural dances, songs and other forms of cultural performances of different tribes and sub-tribes in Manipur.
Speaking at the closing ceremony held at the auditorium of TRI, Deputy Chief Minister Yumnam Joykumar said, commonness in cultures belonging to different communities in the state should be the base to unite ourselves.
"Culture has the strength to unite us and therefore we should try to understand each other’s culture," Joykumar said. "Although we have a number of different communities in the state, all have been following their cultural and traditional believe."
According to him, culture expresses the philosophy of a community which means the relationship between men and women and also the relationship of human being with nature. The Deputy Chief Minister further said that most of the cultures have almost the same characteristic which emphasizes the way of life. Therefore, the importance of culture in our life has to be acknowledged so that we can come to know each other, he added.
Emphasizing the need to unite all, Singh said, our prosperity and strength lies in the unity that the people have developed. "Despite having differences among ourselves we should try to know each other by developing a cordial atmosphere," he stated.
Such festivals, he opined, will be “a platform for us to know the beauty of our culture and it will also help us to exchange the commonness of cultures as well.” Maintaining that differences and issues can only be solved through dialogues, he urged all the stakeholders to come for talks. It is in this direction that the new government has been working and many issues have been solved and peace has come. Government is committed to ensure a peaceful environment which is the basis of development in the state, he added.
K. Leishiyo, MLA said that culture is an indispensible component in our life. The culture and traditions show the identity of a community and therefore it has to be followed in all aspect of life, he maintained. "All communities should know each other’s culture and traditions so that we can come to know and respect each other. If we know each other, we can maintain peace." He then lauded the efforts made by TRI for giving a platform to all the tribes and sub-tribes in the State to showcase their rich cultural values.
