GUWAHATI: A team of officials from the Department of Indigenous Faith and Culture, led by the minister, ITFC, Nandita Gorlosa, along with Seema Rekha Bhuyan, ITFC, Pankaj Chakravarty, Director, Directorate of Indigenous and Tribal Faith and Culture, Assam, and others recently visited almost every nook and corner of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi districts to explore the tribal habitations and their customs and traditions, transmitted mostly orally over centuries.
The team travelled extensively, venturing even into the border villages such Shantipur and Dumchara where interactive programmes with the tribal communities of the Barak valley were held. The interactions drew capacity crowd and saw participation of various tribes such as the Barman Dimasas, the Rongmei Nagas, the Choreis, the Hrangkhals, the Khasis, the Reangs, the Hmars, the Tripuras, the Sakachaps et al.
The minister spoke about important schemes of the government to safeguard the rights and privileges of the government and emphasized the need for documentation of the traditional knowledge transmitted orally among tribes over generations. On behalf of the Department, Pankaj Chakravarty, Director, Indigenous and Tribal Faith and Culture, Assam introduced the people to the schemes and objectives of the newly-formed department and brought to the fore the commitment of the government to uplift and promote indigenous faith and culture.
The team of officials, besides interacting with the tribes, also took note of their customs, eating habits, endangered dialects, oral traditions and the challenges that the tribes are facing in the preservation their centuries old faith and customs. After gathering first-hand information during the on-site visit, the department officials promised every possible help to improve the living conditions of the tribes to ensure the protection, promotion and preservation of their indigenous faith and culture.
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