BOLENG, 15 Oct: A meeting on ‘Lamdang Mite,’ initiated by Siang district’s art and culture officer in-charge A. Pajing was held at Donyi Polo Gangging in Siang district on Sunday. It was attended by members of IFCSAP and DPYK Siang district unit.
The program is a continuation of last year’s awareness program on the ‘3Ps target’ which means the practice, preservation, and promotion of all indigenous rituals, festivals, costumes, traditional arts and cultures.
Pajing explained in detail the role and importance of ‘Lamdang Mite’ at the grassroots level. “The Lamdang Mite shall be personally in charge of upholding the main motto of the ‘3Ps Target.’ He or she shall ensure that all local festivals, traditional rituals, practices, folk songs, folk dances, local costumes, local handicrafts, and other indigenous affairs in the village are not neglected but encouraged, practiced, preserved, and promoted at the grassroots level,” he added.
He further mentioned that the state government is providing an annual honorarium to registered local priests under the department of indigenous affairs to encourage and utilize their work at the grassroots level. “But their work is mostly confined to Khumnam Joonam (worshipping & praying) and taking care of ailments at the local level, which is just a part of the extensive subject of indigenous affairs and the art & cultural departments,” Pajing said.
He advocated for the engagement of ‘Lamdang Mite’ in every village/Gangging in Siang district and appealed to the concerned authorities to add ‘Lamdang Mite’ as another category of registered priests or as clergy of indigenous affairs at the grassroots level in Arunachal Pradesh. This would involve providing an annual honorarium, similar to the registered local priests.
He mentioned that the eligibility criteria, powers and functions of ‘Lamdang Mite’ have been worked out in consultation with IFCSAP and DPYK Siang district unit and will be made available to the competent authorities. The same model can be adopted in other districts, with appropriate terms in their respective dialects.
He appealed to the directorate and other higher authorities of the DAC & DIA to adopt a ‘field practical working approach’ and invest more of their funds and resources, innovation and initiatives in the policy-programs related to the 3Ps. He emphasized the importance of focusing on these policy-programs rather than giving undue emphasis to ‘infrastructural development works,’ which are the responsibility of engineering departments and not related to the 3Ps target of the art & culture and indigenous affairs department.
The members wholeheartedly supported the engagement of ‘Lamdang Mite’ in every village/Gangging in the district.
The general secretary of IFCSAP Siang district unit Jopir Mize strongly supported the proposal, stating that the proposal to engage Lamdang Mite at the grassroots level by the DIA or DAC would be a revolutionary step that could bring about significant changes in the working of the department of IA & DAC, if adopted.
