Langkhon Phuja Mishawa Dance

Understanding the Langkhon Phuja Festival

The Tiwa Tribe of Middle Assam in the North East, especially amongstits hill-dwelling branches namely the Rangkhoi, Amani, Amsai and Marjong people, celebrate a unique folk-festival known as the ‘Langkhon Phuja Mishawa’. The festival takes place during Autumn- Ahin and Kati of thelocal calendar October and November as per the local calendar system.

Langkhon Phuja is associated with agriculture andother works of the Hill Tiwas. A atthe heart of the festival, one performs a Puja, or worshiping ceremony. The Tiwa people tryto Greatly please the Ramcha Old God and the Mother Bijuli or the Goddess Lakhumi, through this ritual. From theJhum (cutting and burning method in the hills) and Panikheti (water-based farming in the plains), the logic is just to make a profit of the richest harvest possible. The puja additionally seeks safeguards from afflictions like ailment, plague, cataclysm, and burglaries from unique in-home petsand wildlife pets. In the end, the farmerspray for good productions from their fields.

Introduction to the Langkhon Phuja Michawa Dance

The Central Role of Dance: The Mishawa dance holds a central place in Langkhon festival. From thevillage dormitory, the Mishawa dance could be witnessed on the final day of the purification ritual known as the Langkhon Puja. Tiwa boys and girls hold a long stamp of bamboo,known as ‘Bijuli Bamboo’ orin their own dialect as ‘Langkhon’ and dance together during the dance. These bamboosticks have flower designs made by scraping its thin outer layer. These Langkhons are the most highlighted aspects ofthe dance, that is why the festival is widely known as ‘Langkhon Phuja ’.

This indicates a group performance through the holding and movement of decorated bamboo sticksin the dance. The dance is accompanied by drumming (Khrum, Khrumban), flutes(Thurang, Pangchi), and cymbals. These dancesaddress the interplay of dependence between man and nature. Itcalls the Mishawa songs "sensuous in nature, full of fun and frolic," thereby enhancing the festive spirit. When the dance is donethe performers go house to house within the village and are welcomed by folks who bring food and a special rice beer. The celebrations come to an end with the ceremonial Langkhonor dancing sticks disposed of in rituals.

Tiwa Lokanritya Guru Nadiram Deuri has given dancesteps to the special dance 'Langkhon Phuja Mishawa'. A group dance performance bythe artists of Markangkuchi Tiwa Kanthijuri Jama. Buang Khaek, the dance is usually performed on the occasion of the LangkhonPhuja festival, which is associated with the agricultural cycle of growing riceand the offerings to the deities for good harvests and safeguarding. Thefinal part of Langkhon Puja is the performance, held in front of the village dormitory.

In the next modules, we are going to look morein detail, but this brief introduction about the Langkhon Phuja Festival and the dance will serve as an overview to build upon. Let's goahead and explore the importance and the process of preparing the 'Langkhon'.

The 'Langkhon' - The Central Prop

In this module, we will be concentrating on the main prop that stays as the central figure for the dance, that is the 'Langkhon. Create the 'Langkhon', the Heart of theDance First we will look into theorigin and property of the Bijuli bamboo that it is made out of. We then talk about how to prepare and decorate theLangkhon — techniques and possibly significance; We'll then discussthe ritual meaning assigned to the Langkhon and to its ritual passing off to the dancers. And eventually, we will look at how itis an active agent in delineating the flow and movement and the visual landscape of the Langkhon Phuja Mishawa performance.

The Bijuli Bamboo

The central prop of the Langkhon Phuja Michawa dance, called 'Langkhon', the central prop of the Langkhon Phuja Michawa dance, is a prop made up of thin wild bamboo, also known asBijuli Bamboo. Moreover, the process of acquiring the Bijuli Bamboo, for the 'Langkhon,'is not a casual one as the ritual is associated with the Lakhun Puja a four-day festival of the Tiwa tribe, the celebration is one of the biggest festivals for the tribe which is performed at the end month of Kati (October-November). The puja starts with the Dewri (distributor of offerings) requesting betel leaf-nut and laopani (rice beer), offering to the members of the community –Sangdoloi, Sangmaji, lor, and hatari for allowance to give puja.

After the consent, the Sangdoloi, Sangmaji, and lor and hatari walk tothe jungle to find suitable 'Langkhon ' (Bijuli bamboo). Bamboo planting requires ritual cleansing of the portion of the bamboo to be buried, the placement of a banana leaf, and a ritual offering of seven slices of betel nut to the "God and Goddesses ofthe bamboo plant" representing great respect for nature and its resources.

That means eighteen bamboo cuts willbe brought to the temple along with songs and dances, which denotes the connection between bamboo gathering and the festive spirit right from the start.

Preparation and Decoration of the Langkhon

Eighteen bamboo plantsare prepared after taking to the temple. Piyapatsays that the 'Langkhon ' is "finely polished", meaning that the bamboo shafts must first be cleaned and then smoothed. Sharptools are employed to scrape the outer thin layer of the bamboo to carve out flower-motifs which further bedeck the bamboo piece known as the Langkhon. This embellishment reflects the tie to nature–perhaps awish for bountiful harvests.

A coral tree called malbari is also brought and prepared during theLakhun Puja and this is interesting. It is not exactly the same asthe Langkhon but is lacquered, has a bird nib, and is tinted ash and turmeric, marked with characters. Further theses 'malbari' are smitten the walls of homes of villagers and thence tossed at a particular place hinting ata seperate ritualistic significance through this whole tradition at Lakhun Puja. The Langkhons are finally vanquished where the 'malbari' is thrown (vesrium boos of a malbari),both are the high ends representing the culmination to their ritualistic end or use of the festival.

Ritual Significance and Transfer of the Langkhon

A grand puja is offered to the polish-shined and luscious shiny 'Langkhon' before the dance. It is set on a long banana leaf together with five betel nuts-leave and smeared with blood taken from birdsthat are sacrificed on the altar. In addition, the pouring of Laopani (rice beer) also forms part of the prayer, which makes the Langkhon retain the sacred qualities related to the welfare and agricultural successof the community.

Once the puja is over, the elderly members of the community formally bring theLangkhon s and pass it on to the youngsters. The act indicates the passing of ritual responsibility andthe commencement of dance as a principal component of the festival culmination. The future grownups then take this 'Langkhon s' and dance the Mishawa in the saamadi (a type of latrinehouse), after that dance in every home of the village. Suchperformance is welcomed with hospitality. The last of the 'Langkhon s'are also thrown at the same place as the 'malbari' which denotes its ritual disposal and also that the Langkhon festival of the year has come to an end. Disposed in this ritualistic manner indicates that the langkhons have completed their role in the puja and the dance (shori & khel) which symbolizesthe prayers (shorin) to finally anoint the prayers in the puja unto them.

The Langkhon as a Dance Prop

Madefrom the Bijuli bamboo, the Langkhon rises above what it is made of and becomes a prominent and lively part of the Langkhon Phuja Mishawa dance. No one on stage simply holding a prop that looks nice; it becomes an instrument of expression, a color and tempo tool that plays a huge rolein the choreography as well as in how the performance hits the audience.

TheLangkhon, held by each dancer, requires a specific awareness of space in relation to each other, and also restricts the possible movements available within the formations the group makes. At that distance and with relatively rigid properties, it needs some measure of coordinated timing so they don't run into each other and create sussinct visualformations. The other basic element in the dance is how the dancer holds up the Langkhoneither aloft, grounded or swung based on the dynamic of the dance.

Langkhon also has an important visualfunction of the performance. Darken areas of the prop represent carved flower motifs, created through the careful scraping of thebamboo's outer layer. As the group walks in unison with these embellishedLangkhons, they form eye-catching patterns, lines and textures that brighten the visual art not just of the Langkhoon but also of the entire picture. The harmonic motions of waving, rising, and descending should be able to trigger imaginations regardingnature, such as the movement of bamboo and crops swayed by the wind, indirectly emphasizing the dance’s relation to nature.

In addition to its visual aspect, the Langkhon can also provide a rhythmic aspectto the dance. Though the main rhythm base isprovided by the instrumentalists, the dancers also ring their Langkhons together, or bang them against the ground as they move, adding accented percussive layers to the overall sound. If such a percussive use is made it only serves to cement theprop more fully into the aural realm of the performance.

Eventhe management of the Langkhon brings out the performance aspects of the dance. The way it is gripped — with a tight hold in vigorous stages or loosely during smooth scenes (or vice versa)— has its own emotional feel. Moreover, the way dancers interact with each other through their Langkhons — for example, by bringing props together, orby moving props in similar ways — can also develop the narrative or thematic elements of the dance, especially the sense of community and collective effort.

Therefore, its function asa prop for dance represents a ritualistic shrine within a shrine— a juxtaposition of having significance in its original, and now, in its new role as an object of dance. Where in light of the high value attributed to the Langkhon in both its gain and the subsequent puja, its relevance as a mere prop in the dance is more than just a prop for dance. The movements executed with the Langkhon may also be interpreted as a culmination of the prayers made during the Langkhon Phuja festival, which functions asa materialization of the community's desires and dreams. The ultimate ritual disposal of the Langkhons at the end of the celebrations reinforces the idea that it is not discarded items they are but items which perform a function and fulfil an essential and sacredrole in the annual cycle of the festival and the dance.

The Langkhon is morethan a mere stick—it is a protagonist of the Langkhon Phuja Mishawa dance, defining its visual character, rhythmic landscape, expressive domain, and indeed, at the top of it all, the ritualistic soul of the Tiwa tradition.

Movements and Choreography of Langkhon Phuja Mishawa

Basic Steps and Rhythms

The sounds of the drumsticks (Khrum, Khrumban) determine the rhythm for the Langkhon Phuja Mishawa dancing and the dancers imitate their footwork in line with the sound ofthe percussive beats. The useof different drums probably brings about change in tempo and the complexity of rhythms. They "dance gaily" [which is literally "in gay abandon" or honestly "with no modicum of restraint"] and have"great expectations," so one assumes that they are all quite energetic and possibly expressive in their movements. Wielding the very basics of the Langkhon (Bijuli Bamboo), the dancers find stepsthat provide enough wiggle room for them to easily and colorfully manipulate this prop. Those steps are probably walk, sway, and maybe (but not necessarily), more vigorousmovement in concert with how they grip the bamboo (wave or hit). Theflutes (Thurang, Pangchi) and cymbals accompany the dance and regulate the nuances of the rhythm, feel of the basic steps and suggest variations in pace and thrusts. The sultry andmerry Mishawa songs probably drive the fluid and happy expressions of the dancers to such deep-rooted rhythmic steps.

Formations and Spatial Dynamics

They create shapes perform namaste like hands with both right and left;Langkhon Phuja Mishawa is performed by group boys & girls and they make sure shapes and move from one to the other. For instance,in the saamadi (youth dormitory) where the group does its initial part of a dance, it needs to be formed in a particular way because of the space that is non-negotifiable. Afterward, the dancers travel to each house inthe village, with their movements shifting to the different locations of the community. As a result, the spatial dynamic ofthe performance becomes fluid and participatory. The dancers are all holding a long stamp of bamboo which Iimagine is a paddle to measure the distance and thus dictate the schools of dancers formations so that they do not crash into one another. At times the formations could focus on the visual patterns that arise through the similar or divergent movementsof the Langkhons.

Music, Costumes, and Ornaments of Langkhon Phuja Mishawa

Traditional Tiwa Music and Instruments

There is no Langkhon Phuja Mishawa dance without music, as it serves not only as the backbone of rhythm in this dance form but alsoas the voice of melody that guides the movement of the dancers while raising the flag of festivity. For this dance, the traditional Tiwa musical ensemble consists of various drums, where each drum or pair of drums adds itsown distinct sound. Deep, sonorous beatsecho from the long drum known as the Khram Ludang. Meanwhile, the smaller Khram Panthai ispossibly capable of producing sharper, more penetrating higher frequencies that complement the lower tones. Another type ofdrum, the Pati Khram, point to yet more differences in timbre and rhythm that may be featured individually or within the ensemble. The Tumding, about which willbe detailed in a separate paragraph is another addition that brings an entirely different character is a drum similar to the North Indian Nagara that could potentially symbolize a loud and booming sound. The Tagar possibly sounds between the two, offering a higher but prominenttwang between the highs and the lows. Lastly, Jorkhram literally translates to a pair of drums, indicating the use of two drums playedin concert to develop cross-rhythms, engaging the audience through complex, interlocking rhythmic patterns that propel the energy of the dance forward.

The wind instruments add a melodic complimentry layer to thepercussive foundation. The Pangshi, a bambooflute, brings lyrical melodies that fly between the rhythm stitch. Providing bright, ringing accents that fill out the gaps between the drumbeats and bring the rest of the character and energy ofthe music with them. How Far This Collaborative Range of Drums Influences Langkhon Phuja Mishawa Theinterplay between this wide range of peripheral drums, the melodic flutes, and piercing cymbals usher in a complex sonic environment which shapes the speed, dynamics, and emotional qualities translated by the dancers in the Langkhon Phuja Mishawa.

Traditional Tiwa Attire for the Dance

The colourful traditional attire of the Langkhon phuja Mishawa dancers also has an important symbolic aspect to it, just as the auditory element of this dance form has a more-than aesthetic value, the dancers takes maximumbenefit of every inch of colourful traditional wear to promote their identity and festival. There are a few main pieces that the maledancers usually wear. This Tagla,which means a shirt in English, is a culturally specific Tiwa garment designed in a traditional manner. The Thana, a Dhoti, is a traditionallower waist garment for men, that is vertically tucked into the waist and the legs. The Faguri, a Paguri ora turban, added as a mark of cultural identity and most often worn during celebrations. The Thenas, are cross bandwhich is worn across the chest or shoulders and is estimated to be heavy inset of decoration in the apparel. Faga, a Gamosha: the traditional Assamese cotton towel, often ornamented with intricate designs, is used both for social andceremonial purposes.

Women dancers also wear traditional dresses whichare unique to different regions. Faskay, the Arabic which is also Bukut Mara Methoni which mean "chestcovering cloth" or "the garment which worn to covers the chest" which supports the served in traditional way to cover the upper body. Kasong a Mekhela is an Assamese traditional wrap-around skirt-like garment for women. Tailored toform, this skirt is wrapped around the waist and pleated. Not only this traditional costume makes the dancers easily distinguishable, but it also creates a visual explanation of the cultural root and celebratory essence of Langkhon PhujaMishawa.

Ornaments and Jewellery

To add to their visual spectacle aswell as cultural lineage, Tiwa dancers generally adorn traditional ornaments and jewellery in addition to their ethnic wear. These decorations provide an additional level of complexity, and othertimes can have cultural meaning. Saplo,a neck chain, among the dressing made of local materials and Pensil design of Tiwa art form There are also different shapes and kindsof Khaithong, the Tiwa traditional earrings, which may represent their own cultural meaning. Chikilo, traditionally a neck, neck where coins whose use servesas adornment that usually has value for traditional societies which may not only have a value but also economic value and social value. At last, we have the Yasil—Gam kharu (bracelet) which signifies traditional Tiwa bracelets found on the wrists, thus forming the outfit andalso providing the traditional charm for the dance recement of the dancers. Thus, this handpicked decorative items & ornaments have an effective contribution to thedance language of strengthening the visual quality & cultural authenticity of the Langkhon Phuja Mishawa dance.

In this Module We learnt about theauditory and visual richness in the Langkhon Phuja Michawa dance. Adequate traditionalTiwa musical instruments (various drums, flutes, and cymbals) and their soundscape particularities to produce sound of Tiwa dance were also respectively determined Our investigation also into the colorful variety of traditional costume worn by the male and female dancers including soldier-style pants and a military-style jacket,( on the male dancers) and a white gownwith vibrant colored beads around the neck, arms and wrists of the male dancers for heightening both the colour value and cultural depth of the performance.

Ritual Embodiment and Spiritual Expression in the Dance

The Langkhon Phuja Mishawa dance is not merely entertainment but a vibrant representation of the Tiwa community's devotionalexpression in reverence to the Langkhon Phuja festival. Originally, it arose under the idea of beseeching gods for an abundant harvest, and the dance isliterally the prayer in action. In this, the dancers provide a physical embodiment of the village's wish to secure prosperity and safety during their coordinatedperformances and when they move their Langkhon that is full of ritualistic decorations. Every footstep, every gesture, isimbued with the spirit of tradition and the spirit of prayer. Fuji Synchronicity 60' performative act emboldened by upbeat music and embracing thesensual, lively energy of the Mishawa songs, started in the spirit of human and nature connection which is celebrating in Langkhon Phuja festival. Thus, this act of communal dance is one of the strongest forms of spiritual communication, a kinetic dialogue with the divine, where the bodies of the dancers become instruments of devotion, and their movements, a langaugeof faith.

The Dance as a Preserver of Cultural Heritage and Identity

Langkhon Phuja Mishawa dance is that the basic key of preserving and passing on Tiwa ancient culture, this dance is a vital prime consider forming and maintaining their distinctive identity that comesdown from ancestors to future. Young people play an active role in this dance, and the form helps keep key componentsalive. In addition to learning the natural choreography, the rhythms of the variousmusical forms played, and the traditional attire specific to the performance, dancers learn about the deeper meaning behind the Langkhon prop and how it relates to the Langkhon Phuja social festival. Such integrated transmission protects these traditions fromthe homogenizing forces of modernization. Even the choreography, which is guided and honed by people like Nadiram Deuri, becomes a kind of living archive of Tiwaartistic expression and cultural mores. Performing this dance within the communityas well as externally, is a bold reminder of the Tiwa people’s history and value systems and art forms, and reinforces connectivity and cultural pride.

Evolution and Contemporary Performance Contexts of the Dance

The Langkhon Phuja Mishawa dance is strongly indebted to itstraditional ritual context—the Langkhon Phuja festival—but also negotiates new and differing contexts of performance. The inherent vibrancy, the visual vibrancy of the Langkhon, and even the musical rhythms of it are such artistic forms that extends the boundaries ofperception even as it resides in the heart of the Tiwa community. Cultural events, folk festivals and demonstrations of Northeast Indian traditions featuring the dance help to expose it to new audiences, fostering awareness and appreciation of Tiwaculture. Today, however, the danceis often appreciated for its aesthetic elements as well as its cultural history. The vibrant and lively dances, colorful attires, and the interesting form of the Langkhon become a sightto behold. Additionally, LangkhonPhuja Mishawa dance can be creative art inspiration. The choreography, rhythms, or symbolic aspects of the form may inspire choreographers or musicians who then create new works inspired by this depthof style, subject matter and artistry. The vitality of Langkhon Phuja Mishawa dance lies in their performance and evolution which is keeping this folk tradition alive as an expression of Tiwaculture in contemporary world.

Conclusion

More thanjust entertainment, tracing our steps through the Langkhon Phuja Mishawa reveals a multifaceted and intriguing cultural manifestation of Tiwa. We started by setting up the contextof the Tiwa tribe, how unique and diverse their culture is and how many festivals form an integral part of their cultural, social, and spiritual life. It was against this foundation that the Langkhon Phuja festival had us appreciate the significance of this Autumn celebration,inseparably tied to the agricultural cycle and the survival of a community made dependent on a properly functioning harvest season. We learnt that the festival is an important moment for placating gods and goddesses andfor asking it to protect people, which shows the deep bonds with nature and belief system of the Tiwa people. Sponsored Content There was one particularly themethat seemed to stand out above others; the prominence of the Langkhon, the Bijuli bamoo. We followed the tree from where it is ritualistically chosen in the woods toits adornment as an object of deep symbolism. Deconstructing and reconstructing the Langkhon overtwo days made it clear that the Langkhon is not just an ornamental object but an agent of cultural symbolization, and an integral part of the symbolic function of the dance.
Shifting our focus to the dance itself, we examined its animated, participatory nature that isdanced by young men and women. Some steps and rhythms may take more detailed observation but we got a good ideaof how the movements are inherently tied to the pulsating sounds of traditional Tiwa music. A close-knit ensemble of drums, flutes and cymbals creates bothrhythm and melody, directing the dancers' expressions in color. We did, of course, look atthe colourful traditional dress (different styles for men and women) with occasional traditional jewellery They deeply enrich the aesthetic experience of the performance, and they also function as a key locatorfor Tiwa identity.
By the end of our exploration, we knew that the Langkhon Phuja Mishawa dance is a cultural abstraction andis very relevant in contemporary environments. We understood it as a ritual,one of the sensory manifestations of the community prayers, desires and wishes for wellness and prosperity. It serves as a significant means of Tiwa cultural heritage, not only transmitting the cultural legacy from one generation to another but also upholdingthe continuity of the artistic tradition of this community and reaffirming their distinctive identity in the changing world. The Langkhon Phuja Mishawa evenin the present-day aspects is not the case. It symbolizes a living tradition of their unparalleled cultural heritage, an impulse for modern traditions ofthe arts, and evidence of the capacity of culture long held to resonate through time. In this investigation, we cameto understand Langkhon Phuja Mishawa dance as a dynamic manifestation of Tiwa ethos: a vibrant cement of community identity that affirms their distinctiveness in the world.