Correspondent
TEZPUR, Sep 17: Like in previous years, the Adi Mising Baane Kebang (AMBK) – a joint committee comprising Adis of Arunachal Pradesh and Misings of Assam – celebrated the 5th central Solung festival at Baligaon Mising village near here in Assam’s Sonitpur district on 14 and 15 September.
Attending the final day of the celebration, Arunachal Health Minister Alo Libang said the “Adi and Mising communities belong to the same Indo-Chinese family and are of Mongoloid origin.”
The tribes, who earlier lived together in present Arunachal, were divided into two different groups after the bifurcation of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in 1972, he said.
Libang, who represents Yingkiong assembly constituency in Upper Siang district, assured the AMBK that the next central Ali A:ye Ligang festival of the Misings would be hosted by his district.
Tezpur MP Pallav Lochan Das, who also attended the celebration, called for preservation and promotion of the cultural heritage of the ethnic groups. He appealed to the people of both the states to maintain peace and harmony.
Arunachal East MP Tapir Gao, MLA Ojing Tasing from Arunachal, Assam MLAs Padma Hazarika and Ranoj Pegu, and several other dignitaries and community leaders spoke in favour of Adi-Mising unity through cultural exchanges.
Solung, the main agricultural festival of the Adi tribe, is celebrated within the first week of September. But the special event is celebrated by the community to showcase their rich traditional culture before other ethnic communities.
Presentation of traditional dances by cultural troupes from both the communities, exhibition of traditional attires, and a traditional food mela were some of the highlights of the two-day celebration.
The AMBK, in association with community organizations, has been jointly celebrating Solung in Assam and Ali Aye Ligang festival in Arunachal to strengthen their relations as both the communities have similar traditional practices.
The AMBK had earlier hosted the festival in Jonai and Sisiborgaon in Dhemaji district.
Earlier, Bolin Pao highlighted the Solung mythology and the evolution of Adi-Mising civilization. He said the myths and traditional ethos pertaining to agriculture-based festivals like Solung is common among the tribals belonging to the Tani group of people.
Several community members recalled their genealogical relationships, and discussed how long they have been together.
