The Rising Sun Water Fest-2022 recently kicked off its opening ceremony at Umiam Lake (a man-made reservoir) in Meghalaya. Lending cultural significance to the event, the local Garo tribal community performed the Wangala dance. This article delves into the intricate details of this traditional dance form and offers an understanding of the Garo community.
Understanding the Wangala Dance
The Wangala dance, also known as the Festival of Hundred Drums, is a captivating spectacle characterized by different forms of dances performed to folk songs played on drums and primitive flutes made of buffalo horns. The festival venerates the Sun God and marks the culmination of the long harvest season.
The Wangala celebration indicates the conclusion of a labor-intensive period in the field for the Garo tribe, ushering in the onset of winters. For the Garo Tribe in Meghalaya, observing this festival means more than just tradition. It serves as a medium to preserve, promote, and demonstrate their cultural identity.
Wangala Dance and Its Cultural Importance to Garo Tribe
In a bid to keep their customs alive, the people of Garo tribe incorporate several elements of their heritage into the Wangala Dance. The ritual of this colorful celebration is deeply rooted in the culture of Garo, strengthening the community’s ties to their historical background.
Garo Community: An Overview
Identifying themselves as A’chiks, the Garos are the second-largest tribe in Meghalaya, following the Khasi People and the Jaintia tribes. Their traditions trace back to Tibet, fostering a sense of unity among various dialects and cultural groups within their community. Each group has laid down roots in specific areas across the Garo Hills and adjoining plains.
However, the contemporary culture of the Garo community reflects a strong influence of Christianity. In a tribute to their past, they uphold the tradition of Nokpantes, ensuring that all children receive equal care, rights, and significance from modern parents.
Marriage Customs in Garo Community
Two fundamental laws govern Garo marriages: Exogamy and A’Kim, prohibiting marriages within the same clan. According to the law of A·Kim, a person, once married, cannot remarry someone from another clan even post the death of their spouse.
Garo Society: A Matrilineal Setup
The Garo community boasts of having one of the few residual matrilineal societies worldwide. Here, individuals inherit their clan titles from their mothers. Traditionally, the youngest daughter receives property from her mother.
At puberty, sons depart from their parents’ house to be trained in the village bachelor dormitory (Nokpante), returning only after marriage, to live in their wife’s house. Despite being matrilineal, the society does not classify as matriarchal.
The Rising Sun Water Fest-2022 provides an engaging platform for understanding the rich cultural heritage of the Garo community, their distinctive dance forms, and societal norms. Unfolding amid the serene surroundings of Umiam Lake, the festival forms an integral part of Meghalaya’s vibrant tribal culture.