Shillong, August 10: A two day commemoration of the World Indigenous Day and Year of International Languages 2019 organised by GRASSROOT in collaboration with the International Indigenous Women’s Forum came to a close on August 9, 2019 at Pastoral Centre, Shillong.
Speaking as the Chief Guest on the occasion, CEM, KHADC, Bah Teinwell Dkhar said, “It is the language that internalises us as an ethnic group. As humans we either live by the word or die by the word”. He also stressed on the importance of the language that our ancestors speak which would go on to define us as we grow to maturity.
However, he said that we should also be wary of putting too much stress on cultural practices, in this case cultural fads which may prove to be an obstruction against our inevitable march towards modernity and the changing times.
The Programme titled as ‘la lawei ka ktien baiar u hynñiewtrep hynñiewskum serves as the continuation of the activities on day 1 where young participants and attendees are asked to brainstorm on the various issues of the khasi language pointed out by the experts in the panel discus held on the previous day.
The young participants presented on many issues pertaining to the challenges faced by the khasi language in exerting it’s importance in the modern times.
As a measure of strengthening the theme of the programme, the day ended with remarkable performances by Meghalaya’s own, Da Thymmei and Pynter Oŕchestra, two of the most critically acclaimed acts in the traditional music scene in the state.
