Shillong, Aug 23: World Folklore Day was celebrated at the District Library Auditorium, Mynthong, Jowai on Saturday, organised by the Meghalaya Society for Cultural and Folklore (MeSCaF) in collaboration with the Department of Cultural and Creative Studies at NEHU Shillong and Kiang Nangbah Government College, Jowai.
Puramon Kynjing, Daloi of Elaka Jowai, was the chief guest while District Librarian Wanphrang Gassah was the guest of honour.
The event was attended by Prof Desmond Kharmawphlang, KNGC Principal Hercules Toi, MeSCaF Executive Member Rimika Lanong, president Pynjanai Mallai and general secretary Barikupar Paswett, along with students and faculty.
Addressing the gathering, Kynjing said Meghalaya is blessed with rich heritage in terms of indigenous languages, music, dance and oral traditions and called for conscious efforts to preserve and practise them. He asked students to treat ancestral knowledge and skills as gifts to be used for serving society.
Gassah said folklore connects past with future and stressed balancing modern progress with cultural continuity. “Folklore is not only about our past, it is also a bridge to our future,” he said, urging youth to learn and carry forward folk songs, stories and customs.
Kharmawphlang noted that MeSCaF has completed one year and has already held programmes in Shillong and Jowai, with plans to expand across the state. He said folklore should not remain just an academic subject but should be nurtured as a living practice.
Principal Hercules Toi, in his welcome address, termed folklore as a living memory shaping community identity and highlighted its importance under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 for promoting Indigenous Knowledge Systems.
The celebration featured cultural performances, oral narratives and presentations showcasing Meghalaya’s diverse folklore traditions.
