Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Imphal: Manipuri folk artiste Mangka Mayanglambam took the stage at the Jodhpur Rajasthan International Folk Festival this Friday. The 30-year-old musician used the platform to spotlight the heavy human cost of the ethnic violence that broke out in her home state in May 2023. She performed traditional folklore alongside songs detailing the trauma of the Covid-19 pandemic and local strife.
She revisited her composition, Apocalypse: The Call of Mother Nature. She initially started the song during the pandemic but finished it only after the ethnic conflict flared up. She told PTI, "Music is my weapon, my power. It is the only thing that I can share with the world and say that Manipur used to be a peaceful, calm, and beautiful place."
The current violence between the valley-based Meitei and hill-based Kuki communities has killed at least 306 people. Many others remain missing. The October 19 ambush that killed three Meitei men further spiked tensions in the region. Mangka remains one of the few practitioners of the pena, a traditional single-stringed instrument once reserved for royal courts and male performers. She now works to keep this heritage alive.
Her set featured traditional narratives, including the Khongjom War of 1891, the creation of the universe, and the tragic love story of Khamba and Thoibi. She noted that the lack of festivals in Manipur has destroyed the livelihoods of many local performers. While some critics blame artists for skipping protests, she insists her music provides a vital service to society. Beyond the stage, she teaches the pena to over 300 students and performs in relief camps for displaced citizens. The Jodhpur RIFF, hosted by the Mehrangarh Museum Trust, hosts over 250 musicians this year to showcase global and regional roots music.
Comments