Langkhon Phuja Mishawa Dance

The Tiwa, or Lalung, or Lalungs, or Laru-Laruwa is an ethnic group which resides in the Indian states of Assam and Meghalaya. They're common in parts of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Nagaland as well. 1'Tiwa' means 'Enlightened People'. They were originally known as the Lalung and were the original inhabitants of the western side of the Nagaon district of Assam. Others say their ancestors are natives of Tibet who made their way down the Brahmaputra River in the 17th century to escape the abuses of the Dimasa king of the Kachari kingdom and settled in the plains of northeastern India. Language The Tiwas are the descendants of Water God ('Ti' (water) + 'Pha' (father) + 'wa' (land)) and worship the Water GOD as their Creator. Another interpretation means Ti – water – and Huba (hooba) -high land; thus, meaningful title; people living above the water or in area rich or well supplied by a readily available bamboo and water. Tiwa society is organized around traditional slash-and-burn agriculture. They are engaged in both the Jhum or shifting cultivation on the hills and wet rice cultivation in the plains. Their principal crops are rice, sesame, mustard, pulses, and vegetables, and they also grow maize. Religion the Tiwas celebrate few religions which almost all of their festivals start from the first Wednesday of the month. The other important festivals are Beusakh Bihu, Magh Bihu, Three Pisu (Bihu), Borot utsav, Sogra phuja, Wanchuwa, Jonbeel Mela, Kabla, Yangli Phuja, Langkhon Puja, Borot Kham and Kalika Puja. For the community, it all seems so distant, so separate from the city. Language The Tiwas speak the highly structure Tiwa language which is part of Celtic and is written in Roman script. They mainly reside in the districts of Morigaon, Nagaon, Dhemaji, and Karbi Anglong in the state of Assam.

Understanding the Langkhon Phuja Festival

The ‘Langkhon Phuja Mishawa’ is a folk-festival widely observed among the Tiwa Tribe of Middle Assam in the North East, especially the Rangkhoi, Amani, Amsai, and Marjong branches settled in the hills. The festival is celebrated in the Autumn months of Ahin (October–November) of the local calendar.

The Langkhon Phuja descended from the agrarian practices of the Hill Tiwas. Worshipping rituals, or ‘Puja’, is the prime focus of the festival. With this ritual, the Tiwa people hope to court the Old Ramcha God and Mother Bijuli or the Goddess Lakhumi. We just wish for a successful crop of both Jhum (a cutting and burning cultivation method of the hills) and Panikheti (a water-based cultivation method of the plains). The puja is also a request to protect them from any misery or unhappy event, and for general happiness, safety, and well-being. In the end, the farmers want blessings for good production from their fields.

Introduction to the Langkhon Phuja Michawa Dance

Central Dance: Mishawa dance is a central feature in the Langkhon festival. The Mishawa dance is performed outside the village dormitory to celebrate the end of the Langkhon Puja. While dancing, a group of Tiwa boys and girls dance, holding a long piece of bamboo stamp which is called ‘Bijuli Bamboo’ or ‘Langkhon’. These calabashes are ornamented with these flowers cutting the outer skin thin in proportion. The festival is informally called as “Langkhon Phuja” for the variety in the Langkho n in the dance.

The dance is performed by a group of people Conveyed by the holding and motion of the mompar, the ornamented-elevated bamboo sticks. The dance is done to musical accompaniment using drums (Khrum, Khrumban), flutes (Thurang, Pangchi), and cymbals. The dances are intended to express man's interdependence with nature. The Mishawa is the sensual song, mirth and laughter fill the air and all is merriness. After the dancing, the actors call at each house in the village, and are received and entertained with food and rice beer. The celebrations end with the ritual burning of Langkhon or dancing sticks.

The dance, ‘Langkhon Phuja Mishawa’ in particular has been choreographed by Tiwa Lokanritya Guru Nadiram Deuri. The group dance item is performed by the artistes of Markangkuchi Tiwa Kanthijuri Jama. The ritual is enacted as part of Langkhon Phuja festivals which are a concomitant with the agricultural cycle and the supplication of gods for a good harvest and protection. The exhibition is performed in front of the village rest house as a culminating act of the Langkhon Puja.

The 'Langkhon' - The Central Prop

The Bijuli Bamboo       

The most important property of the Langkhon Phuja Michawa dance is the 'Langkhon' made up of one particular kind of wild thin bamboo called 'Bijuli Bamboo.' The Bijuli Bamboo is not acquired casually for the ‘Langkhon’ but through an important ritual conducted during the Lakhun Puja, which is a four-day festival and the biggest festival of the Tiwa community and which is held at the end of the month of Kati (October-November). Jeepuwa Male: On the morning of the puja, dewri (the distributer of offerings) will distribute from his home the betel nut-leaf and laopani to the main community officers- Sangdoloi, Sangmaji lor and hatari requesting their permission for the puja.

After getting the permission the Sangdoloi and Sangmaji including the lor and hatari proceed to the rhali to choose fine quality 'Langkhon ' (Bijuli bamboo) in the jungle. When they find the right plants, they perform some rituals: they clean thoroughly the bamboo's foot area, lay on a banana leaf, and offer seven betel nuts slices, a give to the 'God and Goddesses of the bamboo plant', showing reverence to the nature and its gifts. For instance, 18 bamboo plants are felled and these are carried back to the temple, songs and dances following them to indicate how the collection of bamboo is being linked up with the spirit of the festivity from the word go.

Preparation and Decoration of the Langkhon

The eighteen Bamboos are now brought to the temple, and there made ready. The 'Langkhon is "dressed," or cleaned and smoothed, to receive the bamboo shafts. The outer layer of bamboo is scrapped to form flower-patterns, which decorates the Langkhon. This motif likely represents the link to nature, and relics of a wish for farming luck.

Intriguingly, the malbari, a coral tree, is also carried and cooked during the Lakhun Puja. Though different in form to the Langkhon, it is polished, has a bird chopped at the top of it, is blackened with fire and turmeric, and has characters written on it. These 'malbari' are beaten in front of the villagers' houses later and thrown at a particular location — indicating perhaps a separate ritualistic use of ‘malbari’ in the Lakhun Puja. The Langkhons are finally thrown at the same spot as the ‘malbari’, denoting the end of their ritualistic role in the festival.

Movements and Choreography of Langkhon Phuja Mishawa

Basic Steps and Rhythms

The drumbeats (Khrum, Khrumban) mark the rhythm for the Langkhon Phuja Mishawa dance and the dancers’ feet also move in unison with the beating drums. The other drums might change the meter and rhythm. The dancers "whirl and bound" and manifest "high hope" through their active and perhaps expressive steps, signifying a vigorous performance style. Clasping the Langkhon (Bijuli Bamboo) basic steps are executed to ensure free and easy action while using this accessory. Those steps may consist of walking, swaying, and perhaps more aggressive movements that reinforce the way they carry and manipulate the bamboo (waving or striking). The Thurang, Pangchi of the flutes and the cymbals inspired from the dance affect the nuances of the rhythm and the timber of the dance, indicating the variation of pace and the variation of accentuation in the basic steps. The sensual and fun Mishawa beats are supposed to produce flowing and happy basic steps from the dancers.

Formations and Spatial Dynamics

The Tiwa boys and girls dance Perfinate Langkhon Phuja Mishawa The dance is performed as a group dance. Both boys and girls move in accordance with the rhythm, make various formations, and change from one formation to another intermittently. The boy’s village in saamadi (youth dormitory) takes place, and specific formations of this must be used. The dancers then go to each home in the village, dancing and adjusting their moves for each house they visit, traveling throughout the neighbourhood. This turns the spatial choreography of the performance into a travelling, interactive phenomenon. Every dancer is holding a long stamp of bamboo, assumedly the distance between performers in formations to avoid banging heads. The formations can highlight visual patterns when a line or opposite movements of Langkhons are performed.

Music, Costumes, and Ornaments of Langkhon Phuja Mishawa

Traditional Tiwa Music and Instruments

The music is an integral part of the Langkhon Phuja Mishawa, providing much of its rhythm and serving as the "voice" of the dance, directing the dancers' time movements, and the spirit of the entire people. The Tiwa musical orchestra for this dance comes out in full force; different sizes of drums that bring out varying sounds, collectively give the rhythm needed for the performance. Status of the person dancing it. The Khram Ludang (long drum,) beats with dense, full sounds. On the other hand, the smaller Khram Panthai possibly produces sharper, higher-pitched rhythms that complement the bass-affect others. The Pati Khram, a different type of drum, opens the timbral and rhythmic worlds in the ensemble to even more possibilities. Bringing a completely different element to the table is the Tumding, a drum like the Nagara of North India, which means a loud and booming sound that won’t go unnoticeable. Tagar most probably gives a middle tone with a resonant quality, as it connects the higher and the lower ranges Thousands and thousands of interpretations have been available and this is nothing wrong with any of them because nobody until today had actually heard what the veena of Yagya really is (the one at the age of the Sarada). Lastly, the Jorkhram, which refers to a couple (pair) of drums, represent two hand-drums that play together, interweaving complex rhythm to drive the energy of the dance.

The wind instruments strike softer as the drums pound. The Pangshi (bamboo flute) has been providing lyrical melodies that drift in and around the rhythmic weave. These give crisp, piercing accents thatthrum in the background of your drumbeats and add a pleasant dynamic and pulse to themusic. The interaction between these various drums, the melody-rich flutes and the clashing-crisp cymbals gives rise to a challenging sound space that affects the tempo, dynamics, and emotional content of the dancers of the Langkhon Phuja Mishawa.

Traditional Tiwa Attire for the Dance

Integral to the Langkhon Phuja Mishawa is the visual spectacle, backed up by a stunning array of coloured costumes all providing the visual signature of the performance, and further aiding the festival in making a memorable impact. Male dancers generally wear several specific pieces of clothing. The Tagla is a shirt which is unique piece of clothing for people of Tiwa culture GNUNET. Thana – Dhoti Thana – Dhoti is also a traditional men wear to wrap around waist and legs. The Paguri or turban, Faguri is a symbol of cultural identity and is commonly worn during festivities. Some commentators have suggested that the Thenas, a band slung in twists across the chest or shoulders, may bear a decorative or symbolic role in costume. The Faga, a Gamosha, is a traditional Assamese cotton towel with carved designs and it is used for a number of social and ceremonial functions.

Women dancers also wear specific traditional clothing. The Faskay (also Bukut Mara Methoni) is a "chest covering" cloth or a similar material that covers the chest in the conventional style. The Kasong, a (Mekhela) is a traditional Assamese skirt-type cloth worn by the women of Aasam, draped beautifully at the waist and pleated to give its unique look. This costume is not only to differentiate the dancers but to look at culturally strong and festive in the Langkhon Phuja Mishawa performance.

Ornaments and Jewellery

Apart from its costume, Tiwa Dance players adorn themselves with traditional ornaments and ornaments which helps them appear their culture. The decorations are very intricate and can sometimes have cultural significance. The Saplo, a neck chain, is one of the ornaments made of traditional and designs characteristic Tiwa work. Khaithong, the old-days Tiwa earrings, can be circular or used with other shapes with a variety of traditional materials and theoretics behind them. The Chikilo-An Ornament Around The Neck Useful Knowledge the Chikilois a high-fashion necklaces first made of coins, and now. has evolved to complex patterns including beads, gold, silver. A necklace usually of silver coins. That women adorn themselves Toda women wear ornaments and it shows social status Have you tried googling it? Lastly comes the Yasil, also known as the Gam kharu that is a term that means bracelet, referring to traditional Tiwa bracelet worn on the wrist, in the end all complementing the attire and giving a traditional look to all the dancers. These well-chosen accessories and jewellery, is one of the significant factor that adds visual poise and cultural substance to the Langkho Phuja Mishawa dance.

In This Module, we explored the auditory and visual splendour of the Langkhon Phuja Michawa dance. We studied the principal traditional Tiwa musical instruments (drums, flutes, cymbals) and the way they enter in the soundscape of the dance. We discussed the bright skin of the male and female dancers, in combination with their traditional dress and what each article of clothing meant culturally and visually to the impact of the performance.

Ritual Embodiment and Spiritual Expression in the Dance

“Langkhon Phuja Mishawa dance is not just a performance but an expression of the spiritual beliefs of Tiwa community in the Langkhon Phuja festival. Rooted in appeasement of the gods for a good harvest, the dance itself is a moving prayer. By dancing in unison and handling the Langkhon which are ritually charged, the dancers thereby create with the physical shaping the collective communal aspirations for abundance of harvest and protection/security. Each step, each motion is burdened by tradition and the urgency of supplication. An energetic piece accompanied by a rhythmic music, and carrying sensual and festive spirit of the Mishawa songs, it aims to represent that essential association between Men and the natural world that is an underlying theme of the Langkhon Phuja festival. This act of group movement, therefore, also seems to be a form a spiritual communication, a conversation in flesh and movement with the divine by the bodies of dancers that have become instruments of devotion and the movements a language of the faith shared by those moved to the dance.

The Dance as a Preserver of Cultural Heritage and Identity

The Langkhon Phuja Mishawa dance remains an important tool for the maintenance and promotion of Tiwa oral tradition, handed down from generation to generation that has been instrumental in influencing and strengthening the Tiwa's distinct identity. Young people participating The dance engages and passes on the necessary cultural requisites. Dancers also assimilate not only the particular choreography, rhythmics in music and dress worn in conjunction with the performance but also the deeper meaning of the Langkhon prop and its association with Langkhon Phuja festival. Such all-round propagation of these maintain these traditions from the rout of modernization. The choreography too, influenced and polished by artists such as Nadiram Deuri, is a live archive of Tiwa aesthetic and sociocultural values. The public performance of this dance throughout the community and then shared with other communities has never allowed community members and outsiders to forget the unique history, belief system and artistic culture that makes the Tiwa peoples exist for their own cultural pride and identity.

Conclusion

Our overview of the Langkhon Phuja Mishawa dance has ushered us through an intricate and charming aspect of the Tiwa culture, a world apart from the realm of simple entertainment held dear by the great Indian public. First, we started with a background of the Tiwa tribe, an appreciation of their distinct heritage and the importance of festivals in their society and religion. It is on this foundation that we were able to learn about the Langkhon Phuja festival, an important autumn celebration closely tied to the agricultural cycle and the people’s reliance on a good harvest. We found out why the festival is an important time to offer sacrifices and ask for the protection of gods, illustrating the Tiwa’s close relationship with nature and their belief system. One of the major themes that came out is "The Langkhon, the Bijuli bamboo" as the hub. We followed its path from the forest, where it is ritually chosen, to its new incarnation as an embellished and emblematic prop. This journey had shown that the Langkhon isn't just a property, but also a vessel of cultural significance, an important aspect of the ritualistic of the dance.
When we eventually focused on the dance itself, we noted its vibrant and social nature, executed by young men and women alike. Although we may not have focus such as steps and rhythms, we now have an overall appreciation of how the movements are so intertwined with the hurly-burly of the music of the cloth grabbing Tiwa music. Drums, flutes, and cymbals make up a wide and colorful world of percussion and melody which leads and moulds the dancers' interpretations. We can’t help but look around the beautiful traditional wear, from the classic agbada for men, to the splash of colors and beads in gele for the women, often matching their local jewelry with their outfit. These images enrich the visual aspects of the performance and constitute key indicators of Tiwa identity.
Our search finally revealed the strong cultural value and current relevance of the Langkhon Phuja Mishawa dance. We saw it as a ritual, as the execution of the communities’ prayer, hope and dream for prosperity and wellbeing. The dance is important for its role in safeguarding and perpetuating the cultural heritage of Tiwa through generations, and in maintaining the artistic expressions that have made them a distinct community amidst changing environments. Even in contemporary times, the dance form of Laghohon Phuja Mishawa persists and has received its share of appreciation from audiences, both within and outside the Tiwa tribal community. It remains a living reminder of their vibrant cultural heritage, an inspiration for modern creative expression, and a testament to the enduring value of tradition in a continuum that links the past, the present, and the future. Through this overview, we now have a greater appreciation of the Langkhon Phuja Mishawa dance as a living embodiment of Tiwa culture-as a powerful expression that holds the community together as it revels in the distinctiveness of its own place in the world.
In this unit we discovered the significance and legacy of the Langkhon Phuja Michawa dance. We discovered it is a critical ritualistic performance inextricably linked to Tiwa spiritual and agricultural life. We studied its role in sustaining and perpetuating the Tiwa cultural heritage and identity over generations. Finally, we analysed how the dance is transformed and preserved in current times, to still express Tiwa culture and, possibly, to influence modern artistic creation to recognise the unique value of its form, harmonious melodies and rhythmic arrangements of its folk songs, individual functions of its native instruments, as well as its traditional clothing, so rich in terms of symbol, which contribute to embrace its uniqueness among the other Indian folk formations.