[ Dr Tahan Mize ]
As Solung dogin longa or inaugural festivities unfold, the evening comes alive with Luhong Yuma – a joyous night of celebration and fun, where laughter and music fill the air.
The enchanting rhythms of Togung-Yogam Lurik Ponung resonate through the village community hall, Dere, where the captivating folk dance-song is performed, warmly welcoming and greeting the revered Solung deity.
In traditional Solung celebrations, two types of Solung Ponung – a vibrant folk dance-song – come alive. In some villages, the Togung-Yogam Lurik Ponung takes centre stage, performed in the community hall, Dere, as a warm welcome to the Agung-Agam – the emissaries of revered deities Kine-Nane and Doying Bote, who are believed to visit the village during Solung.
Another form folk dance, Solung Aabang Ponung, features a team of 20 to 30 ponung Mimum or lady performers, specially assembled for Solung. If a local team is not available, one is often hired from a neighboring village. Led by a knowledgeable priest, who may also be sourced from another village, the team brings this vibrant tradition to life.
The Solung Miri, a revered traditional singer or priest, narrates the enchanting tales of Solung in a rhapsodized folksong, accompanied by the Solung Ponung folk dance, which features a troupe of 20 to 30 Ponung mimum, or girls, who bring the stories to life through their rhythmic movements.
The Solung narrative is beautifully structured into three parts. Each section weaves together the rich cultural heritage and storytelling traditions of the Solung celebration.
Limir-Libom Aabang (Part1): In the Limir Libom Aabang, the first part of the Solung Aabang folksong, the Miri poetically narrates the tales of creation passed down through generations, exploring the origins of animals, mithun, and the earth itself. Here, the Miri vividly recounts the ancient tale of Limir Sobo, a mythical behemoth of a bull that fiercely obstructed the vital communication link between Doying Bote, the ruler of the earth’s surface, and Kine Nane, the Mother Earth governing the world beneath, plunging the universe into chaos. The Miri’s narrative further unfolds the dramatic tale of Limir Sobo’s demise, where the mighty bull’s body was chopped into pieces and scattered across different realms, its scrotum miraculously transforming into a sprawling gourd creeper that bore a fruit, within which a worm lay hidden, and from this humble form, the precious Mithun/Ého emerged, a prized treasure that humans proudly possess today.
Binnat Aabang (Part 2): This part of the Aabang narration thrillingly unfolds the story of how crop seeds like paddy, maize, millet, foxtail millet, and Job’s Tears were acquired and introduced into cultivation, marking a pivotal moment that ushered in a new era of economic prosperity for the people. The Miri’s narration brings to life the hardships and miseries of human existence in the past, painting a vivid picture of the struggles faced by the people a desperate state that sparked the quest for staple foods and crops, marking a pivotal moment in their journey towards sustenance and survival.
The Miri’s narrative reverently recounts the legendary tale of the ‘Engo-Takar’, the mystical ancestors believed to possess extraordinary spiritual powers, whose enduring legacy is said to have been passed down to the present generation of humans. The Miri’s narrative richly details the legendary tale of the mythical dog’s daring quest to acquire precious crop seeds from the benevolent Goddess Kine Nane, as well as the transformative story of Dende Sobo, the mystical bull whose body parts miraculously gave rise to diverse plants and crops, bestowing upon humanity a bounty of sustenance and riches.
Ekop-Koptak-Taktor (Part3): In Ekop-Koptak-Taktor, referred to as Taktor, the Miri’s narrative portrays the arduous struggles of men in their quest for survival and existence, highlighting their hardships and resilience. Human existence on this earth is a complex tapestry woven with threads of problems. Diseases and sicknesses beset us, poverty gnaws at our doorsteps, anxiety and anger simmer beneath the surface, fights and wars erupt, aggressions unfold, and unforeseen happenings strike without warning, rendering life a delicate balance of struggles and survival.
In this section, the Miri masterfully weaves the epic tale of Tani, the mythical progenitor of humanity, chronicling his miraculous birth, remarkable growth, and triumphant achievements that establish his supremacy over all earthly beings. This legendary narrative is a powerful testament to the enduring themes of resistance and struggle against the forces of evil.
Here, in this riveting narrative, the Miri recounts the eternal struggle between Tani, the benevolent ancestor of humanity, embodying the forces of good, and Taro, the embodiment of malevolent forces, believed to have vanished into the shadows as an invisible evil. The tale unfolds as a timeless battle between light and darkness, with Tani emerging triumphant, his victory paving the way for the survival and prosperity of the human lineage. (Dr Tahan Mize is a senior medical officer)
