Expressions that reflect our scholars’ cultures
Watch some dances from Thailand and India
Konyak Festival
Aoleang is a post-harvest festival of the Konyak Naga indigenous people group. It is celebrated in April every year with dance, food and merry making. The songs sung by the people in the videos, all convey thanksgiving and hope to the Almighty for a bountiful harvest. The colorful traditional attires worn in the pictures were all made by Tiyara Scholar Poungmei and her mother.
Video Credits: Poungmei
Ao Festival
Nagaland, where a group of Tiyara scholars come from, is home to multiple indigenous people groups. This video captures the Ao community celebrating “Moatsu” at the end of the sowing and planting season. In the background is the “Morung”, a community meeting place, where important societal decisions are made.
Video Credit: Tiyara Scholar Okthem
Kabbadi
Tiyara scholar Vikram (# 7 ) playing Kabaddi, an Indian contact sport. Each team has 7 players and takes turns going on the offence, by sending one player referred to as a” raider” into the opposing court to tag as many players as possible on a single breath. All those tagged are then out of the game. But if the raider is tackled by the opponents and takes a breath, then the raider is out of the game.
In the video, Velu takes part in a folk dance called “Karakam” which is performed during these celebrations, with dancers balancing a decorated water pot on their heads.
In this brief clip, Tiyara Scholar Rajarajesweri enjoys Silambam, a South Indian martial art and dance form, dating back to at least the 2nd century BC.
Scholarship Candidate Uma at her hometown’s rain festival.