Garo drums fest gets off to thunderous start

The 100 Drums Wangala Festival – the harvest festival of Garos – entered its second day on Friday in this sleepy hamlet 17 km north of Tura in Meghalaya’s West Garo Hills district.
Catapulted to prominence following its performance at the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, the thanksgiving harvest dance, was converted into a community event 32 harvests ago under the patronage of then chief minister Capt Williamson A Sangma.
The festival which has grown exponentially in size and popularity is organized in a competitive format to integrate the scattered ethnic group across state and national borders while preserving and promoting indigenous A’chik culture globally.
Each year 10 contingents drawn from as many a’king or community- owned clan holdings converge on the community development block of Rongram where they wow domestic and overseas audiences with their percussive skills.
Initially restricted to the drum- dance competition, the 100 drums festival is increasing in popularity as audiences continue to be enraptured by the mesmeric staccato of the 2- 2- 1 beat of the dama – the A’chik long- drum, and the saber- rattling war- cry of the “ nokma.” Tailored to meet the requirements of a spectator “ sport,” the competition increases in intensity by the second day with teams vying to out- drum and out- dance their rivals.

What makes this year’s festival special is the extension of its duration by one day in which the organizing committee has managed to squeeze in an exposition of Garo art, culture, handloom and handicraft, indigenous herbal medicine, a gesture that has not been wasted on domestic and foreign tourists who are flocking to buy the arte- facts and memorabilia being sold at the “ 100 Drums Souvenir Shoppe” - a move by the organizers to provide visitors with souvenirs and keepsakes for themselves and friends back home.
According to the Organizing Committee Chairman and A’chik elder L K Marak, the organizing committee had been presented with a “ brand identity” by the Shillongbased corporate consultancy, Cognet Solutions.
Eminent litterateur and poet- musician, Llewlyn R Marak, a key personality in the organizing committee, expressed happiness that the festival was finally getting its due prominence in the outside world, which was long overdue.
Welcoming the introduction of a brand identity for the Festival, parliamentary secretary in- charge industries, Ismail R Marak said this would put a “ face” on the annual event and help market it to tourists in India and overseas. He said the 100 Drums Festival was suitably poised to become the flagship festival of the state.

State Medicinal Plants Board chairman Tony TC Marak, who is steering an ambitious state venture to promote its rich non- timber forest resources, said publicity and packaging played a vital role in the promotion of tourism, art and culture. His organization is showcasing herbal “ wonder” remedies that promise painless and permanent “ organic cures” for a host of diseases and afflictions. He said herbal oil massages by indigenous “ ojas” - barefoot doctors – would provide tourists the opportunity of experiencing the legendary curative powers of A’chik medicine.
Meanwhile, the festival is to conclude on Saturday with the grand 100- drums tattoo in the presence of Chief Minister Dr Mukul M Sangma and other prominent members of government and civil society.