[ Prem Chetry ]
DIRANG, 7 Jul: The Monpa Artist Forum (MAF) has resolved to encourage artists from the Monpa region by providing platforms to showcase their talents, organising folk festivals and musical/film awards, and carrying out documentation and archiving of Monpa folksongs, folklores, and dramas.
The decision was arrived at during a meeting of the members of the MAF from Tawang and West Kameng districts held here in West Kameng district on Sunday.
Earlier, MAF member Pema Wange said, “Traditional arts, including performing arts and art forms, are a vibrant reflection of a community’s culture, history, and identity.
“However, in an age dominated by globalisation and digital entertainment, these traditional forms of expression are facing threat of extinction.
“The traditional arts encompass a wide range of activities, including dance, music, theatre, storytelling and many more, each with its own unique style and significance. These arts carry deep historical and cultural meanings, passing down through generations. However, they are increasingly at stake due to several factors such as urbanisation, modernisation, lack of funding support and cultural homogenization,” he added.
Lumla ADC and prominent novelist, songwriter and singer Lobsang Wangchu, MAF president Tsangpa Norbu, a noted Monpa singer and filmmaker, and its general secretary, veteran artist Lungten Khochilu, also spoke.
It was also decided that, apart from performing arts, the forum will work for preservation and promotion of other forms of art, like traditional painting, sculpture, and local architecture.
