Williamnagar, Oct 26: Winter festivities in Garo Hills kicked off with the two-day 50 Drums Wangala Festival held at Balchol A’bri near Williamnagar town. The picturesque village overlooking the district headquarters of East Garo Hills hosted the festival, Wangala festival, a rich cultural heritage of the Garos, on October 25 and 26.
Organised by Manda Nokpante A’chik Culture Society, the festival commenced on Friday with a flag hoisting ceremony, followed by traditional Rugala ceremony and indigenous games. Wangala Dance, the key attraction of the final day, was witnessed by hundreds of attendees including assembly speaker Thomas A. Sangma, local MLA and cabinet minister Marcuise N Marak.
Lauding the local MLA for taking the initiative for the festival, Thomas A Sangma encouraged the organisers to extend their efforts beyond the Wangala festival to include programmes related to Garo culture, such as customary rules and laws.
He also highlighted the need for awareness about traditional practices, like the ‘Nok Chame’ (Engagement Day), where people often hire speakers due to a lack of knowledge about the customs.
In his address, Marcuise N Marak emphasised the importance of preserving Garo culture and urged the community to distinguish between religion and culture. Despite the challenging weather conditions, with rain affecting the night, four Wangala troupes
participated in the dance: Rapdikgre Wangala Group, Williamnagar Art and Culture Wangala Group, Williamnagar Government College, and Manda Nokpante A’chik Culture Society.
These troupes captivated the audience and guests with their vibrant performances and were awarded cash prizes by the invited guests. Williamnagar Government College, one of the standout troupes, expressed their gratitude to the
organizers for the opportunity and for their dedication to preserving the Garo culture. W Ch Marak, president of Manda Nokpante A’chik Culture Society, this fourth edition of 50 Drums Wangala festival was an improvement over previous years and assured that the Wangala Festival would continue in the future.
