Stephen Sankhil of Komsen introduces the elders and dignitaries present during the Lamkang Student’s Union Seminar [Lamkang Kurchuknao Kunpun]. All elders were invited to sing or tell stories, and dancers and other dignitaries of different Naga tribe leaders from United Naga Council, All Naga Students Union, Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights and Deputy Commissioner of Chandel district, Nobert Disinang, I.A.S.

Beshot Tholung of Thamlapokpi talks about “Krei Klou” and others like “Arloo”, “Hol”,”Chavei” and “Changbom”.

Beshot Tholung of Thamlapoki discusses the Chaakhei Klou, the Harvest Festival. He explains the rituals that are followed in the process of harvesting of the crops. He shares about the feast called DilK’or, the festival of the harvest. He explains how they conduct a recitation to invite the crops from the field to the barns. A “Khulpuu” elder will call all the human spirits to also come back home from the fields to the homes.

Phamhring Sengul of Lambung Anal shares the importance of preserving the culture and how even just with our dress alone we are identified. As indigenous people we are deeply rooted in our environment and our culture, which is our identity. So we are the ones to preserve and promote and protect it from being lost.

Recording of the Deputy Commissioner of Chandel, Indian Administrative Services officer, Mr. Nobert Disinang, speaking about the importance of preserving culture. He talked about the need to preserve Lamkang traditional dress, ornaments, and dance as the observed the uniqueness of Lamkang cultural items when compared to other tribes. Mr. Disinang shared these thoughts at a seminar he was invited to by the Lamkang students.

Suungnem Bunghon of Leingangching explains how some of the months were named differently by the Lamkang Council, which he finds incorrect and wanted them to make corrections. He was sharing the different names given by people from different villages like the Mantri Pantha, which are different to what he knew. He shared how he requested the Lamkang Kver Kunpun to make the necessary corrections for future purposes.

Bunghon Suungnem of Leingangching explains how the trumpet is sounded to convey different messages to the community members. He also shares how the process of Chakhei harvest is done.

Bunghon Suungnem explains the meaning behind Totlang Kam and why they sing a particular song with the dance and also the dress they wear.

Thamnung Sankhil Tholungnu of Thamlakhuren shares a song about the names of the month in Lamkang. She explains the months of Lamkang, example how in the month of Purdun the cows came home from the jungle. They were discussing how some say or name it differently in some cases. Later they discuss about the elders from different villages trying to see who is from which village.

A group of men and women singing and dancing Archung Yunee Thxaaso

Men and women dance Chuungnii o Txuiva Mrsaal Le, led by elders Beshot Tholung of Thamlapokpi, Bunghon Suungnem of Leingangching, Belun Sankhil of Phaidaam, and Shangwar Dilbung of Khuibung

A group of men and women singing and dancing to 'Har Khungpaa' and 'Puulraang'.

Men and women singing and sancing Har Khuungpaa and Puulraang

A man sings Inn ksaa laa, a song about building a house,”lumen cheen neh”, Inmun Ksii o” and “inluu ee.” He mentioned how a dog was killed, then he told it has to be demonstrated by killing and also in some places where they cannot afford to kill a dog they will perform it with eggs.

This performance features Elders from various villages who are experts in traditional songs, stories and dancers from different villages who are invited to perform at the seminar, including Beshot Thulong of Thamlapokpi, Bunghon Suungnem of Leingangching, Shangwar Dilbung of Khuibung. “Khujin Laa” is the song which is sung at the end of the dancing. The song itself talks about the fall of the dusk and as the birds and animals are heeding to their nests and homes and we humans calling the neighbors to go home from the field.

Bunghon Suungnem of Leingangching sings three different songs: Phairongsaa, Khungphaai, and Simthlei. He sings about the Haika village, Aibul responded we are populous and we draw our water from streams dry. Raalveen said we are the border and we fought the war against the enemies. Chkhum boasts about their celebrating the Merit Festival called the Totlang Kam. At dawn they sang Var khuu thleng nge,pyu busuk pva busuk ting-tang. Meikhunu hinni’ktlun nuh.

Beshot Tholung of Thamlapokpi, Bunghon Suungnem of Leingangching, and Belun Sankhil of Phaidaam sing in praise of Puulraang for its beauty and the relations that they had with the Puulraang, a bird whose feather is used as a decorative item during the cultural traditional dances in Totlang Kam festival or any other festivities in the community.

Elders who are experts in traditional songs and young women and men dancers perform the Reelruu Kardaam. Reelruu Dance is a typical dance where the Reelruu, a long bamboo and gourd musical instrument, is played and a special dance is performed with this song. This dance has unique dance steps which only the Lamkangs perform and its one of the old traditional dances that still is unchanged in steps or song. The Reelruul is also very unique, as it is only played by the Lamkangs. This recording was done during Lamkang Naga Kurchuknao Kunpun (LNKK) seminar at Charangching Village.

Elders from various villages who are experts in traditional songs and dance, including Bunghon Suungnem of Leingangching and Beshot Tholung of Thamlapokpi sing the Reelruu song while the dancers are performing the “Reelruu kardaam". This is a dance where the “Reelruu”, musical instrument made of a long bamboo and gourd, is played and a special dance step is performed. This recording took place during the Lamkang Student Union [Lamkang Kurchuknao Kunpun] seminar at Charangching village.

Elders who are experts in traditional songs and dance, including Beshot Tholung of Thamlapokpi, Bunghon Suungnem of Leingangching, Shangwar Dilbung of Khuibung, and Beshot Khullar of Phaidaam perform the Bamboo Instrument Song [reelruu-laa]. The “Reelruu” is a musical instrument made with a long bamboo and gourd and played for specific dance steps which are performed with this song. This recording was done during Lamkang Student Union [Lamkang Kurchuknao Kunpun] semimar at Charangching village.

This performance features a group of Elders from various villages who are experts in traditional songs and dance, including Beshot Tholung of Thamlapokpi, Bunghon Suungnem of Leingangching, Shangwar Dilbung of Khuibung, and Beshot Khullar of Phaidaam sing Saa Kraang K'aai Laa. This song is sung in celebration when a fierce animal such as a tiger is killed. A feast is held in celebration and this song is sung on that special occasion. It was believed that only able men can kill a fierce animal, risking their own lives back in the days when there were no guns or other sophisticated ammunition, and only spear and bow and arrows were used to hunt.

Elders from various villages who are experts in traditional songs and dance, including Beshot Tholung of Thamlapokpi, Bunghon Suungnem of Leingangching, Shangwar Dilbung of Khuibung, Belun Sankhil of Phaidaam, Shetwor Dilbung of Keithelmanbi, and Beshot Khullar of Phaidaam performing the dance “Tharon Thoe, Tharon napi napao”. In this dance, while the group of dancers are performing, the singers are in two groups as they had to respond to each other in teams which the dancers cannot do while dancing, so the singers are required even if the dancers sing as their voices are not audible and one runs of out breath while dancing.

Suungnem Bunghon of Leingangching and group performed first the dance in Tharon Thoe, then khuu kak’kplap laa, and lastly they perform the “reelruu” dance at the end.

Young men and women dancers from various villages and elders who are experts in traditional song including Beshot Tholung, Bunghon Suungnem, Belun Sankhil, Beshot Khullar, and Shangwar Dilbung perform “Umi Reelruu Pukee”, “Raalki song nge” and “ Akhuukjing sumkhuu Kjing”. The group of elders sang these three songs while the dancers performed the dances Reel Ruu Kardaam, and they ended with the Khuujin Laa where the song talks about calling all the neighbors to come home from field as the dusk had set in and the birds and animals have gone in to their nests and homes.