Festivals bring peace and unity: Rijiju
[ Karda Natam ]
DAPORIJO, Jan 7: Si-Donyi festival was celebrated with traditional fervour and gaiety in Daporijo and various other parts of Upper Subansiri district.
Si-Donyi is the major and most popular festival of the Tagin community, which is celebrated every year in January for the wellbeing and prosperity of humankind.
Union MoS for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, who attended the festival here, urged the members of the community, especially the younger generation, to preserve and promote their age-old culture for identity.
“Festivals are occasions when we can share happiness; and at the same time it brings peace and unity among the people,” he said
He also highlighted the developmental schemes undertaken by the central government, especially for Upper Subansiri district.
Spokesperson of the Arunachal Indigenous Tribe Forum, PG Tago, appealed to the people of the state to show respect for others for peaceful coexistence.
Secretary General of the Tagin Cultural Society, Lardik Kare, submitted a memorandum to the union minister, informing him about the deplorable condition of the road connecting the district headquarters. He informed Rijiju about the present pathetic road condition from Ziro to Daporijo, Potin to Pangin, Limeking-Takshing, Taliha to Tato, etc.
The memorandum pleaded with the union minister to convey the public’s grievances to the appropriate authorities at the Centre and in the state.
A colorful cultural programme and sports competitions were the other highlights of the four-day celebration.
The festival was also celebrated at Nacho, Siyum, and Dumporijo.
DIPRO reports from Aalo: Attending the festival at Gumin Kiin on 6 January, former minister Kento Ete said that celebrating different festivals of various tribes and communities on a common platform “exhibits good essence of all festivals and knits us together.”
“Our age-old culture promotes values and gives us a distinct identity. It is important to preserve and promote it for posterity,” he said.
Chairman of the festival celebration committee, Talo Maying, and other officials dwelt on the significance and the mythological aspects of Si-Donyi festival. They exhorted the youth to take pride in their own culture and shoulder the responsibility to keep its continuity in the days to come.
The prizes to the winners of traditional group dance competition, and various other prizes were distributed by Ete and West Siang Deputy Commissioner Swetika Sachan.
