A CORRESPONDENT
BOKO: Ahead of the Rongali Bihu Festival, Sifung Harimu Affat, Boko has organized a 20-day Bodo folk dance workshop at Bhogdabari LP School Playground in Boko, which started from Monday to April 23. The workshop was sponsored by the Bodo-Kochari Welfare Autonomous Council (BKWAC).
BKWAC Executive Member Dasarath Boro and ABSU South Kamrup President Sanswarang Basumatary took part as chief guest and opened the workshop. More than 100 Boro girls and boys took part in the workshop. BKWAC Executive Member Dasarath Boro said, “Bodo girls and boys from many villages in the South Kamrup area have taken part in the workshop, and more will come in the coming days.” He also added that this is the first time that the Bodo-Kochari Welfare Autonomous Council (BKWAC) has sponsored the Bodo Folk Dance Workshop in the Kamrup district.
“To develop our Bodo culture with our youth, BKWAC has sponsored many workshops in the 22 districts, which are outside of the Bodoland Territorial Region”, added Dasarath Boro. “With this aim, we BKWAC try to develop our Bodo folk dances in the South Kamrup area so that they can perform on the world stage”, added Dasarath Boro.
The workshop is conducted by seven Bodo folk dance masters led by the master Gyanendra Basumatary. ABSU South Kamrup President Sanswarang Basumatary said, “I thank the BKWAC and the Harimu Affat (the Cultural Association) for this initiative towards the bodo youths. These kinds of programmes will revive our folk culture in the future.”
“I request that our boys learn the bodo dance; it is not only for girls, but boys can also perform it.” Even girls should learn how to play ‘sifung’ (flute) and ‘Madol/Kham’ (durm)”, added Sanswarang Basumatary. “Bagurumba, Bardwi Sikhila, Mwsaglanai, Dawsedelai, etc., Bodo traditional folk dances, along with how to play the flute and other bodo traditional musical instruments, will be taught in the 20-day long workshop”, said Hemanta Boro, General Secretary of South Kamrup Harimu Affat.