Guwahati: At a time when Assamese people are jubilant over the world records created by the Assamese Bihu dance, Naga people felt humiliated through a song performed at the state’s largest Bihu gathering.
Altogether 11,304 Bihuwotis (Bihu dancers) and dhuliyas (drum beaters) performed the “largest Bihu performance in a single venue” to create two Guinness Book of World Records at Sarusajai Stadium in Guwahati on April 13. The record was created at around 5.30 pm. The event was performed for 15 minutes.
The event was organized by the state cultural affairs department to take the traditional Bihu dance form to the world stage.
However, Naga people living in Assam since time immemorial are saddened by a Bihu song performed by Bihu exponent Ranjit Gogoi at the event.
The lyrics of the song say: “Nogar sange sage bogai nu moi asilu..Nogai nu alu kochu khai…okora Nogake bhinihi buli matilu majoni oi Naginike bulilu bai.” (Rough translation: I was roaming in Naga houses… Nagas have potato, yam… I call Naga brother-in-law and Nagini sister.”
An official of the Assam cultural affairs department, which organised the event, said it’s a traditional Bihu song. “It has nothing to hurt the Naga community.
However, the All Assam Naga Welfare Society (AANWS) reacted sharply to the Bihu song saying that the organizers should not allow such a song to be performed at an international event.
“We condemn the song performed by artist Ranjit Gogoi in the event to create the Guinness Book of World Records. We have noticed that Naga communities have been insulted in the lyrics of the song using the words like okora Noga, Nagini, etc,” AANWS president Shompha Wangsu and general secretary Manto Konyak said in a statement here on April 15.
”The song intensely hurt the emotion and sentiments of the people of 10 Naga communities with 2.5 lakh population living in Assam,” they said. Besides AANWS, other Naga civil societies or organizations, including community-wise organised councils and student bodies also reacted strongly to the song.
“The song with derogatory lyrics against Naga people by well-known artist Ranjit Gogoi is not acceptable,” AASWA president Shompha Wangsu told EastMojo.
He said that Assam is a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural state where each and every ethnic group is conscious about its own identity and culture. “10 indigenous Naga communities with a 2.5 lakh population have been living in 11 districts of Assam since time immemorial. We are an integral part of Greater Assamese society and culture. We really feel proud to be a part of this society, but most of the time, we are facing discrimination and negligence in different ways. So we, all the indigenous Naga communities of Assam, are strongly against such derogatory lyrics and defaming our community,” he said.
“We strongly demand to ban this song in any event hereafter. We also demand an unconditional apology from artist Ranjit Gogoi for the song. Otherwise, we will be compelled to take legal recourse as well,” he said.
“At a time when chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is talking about one spirit of Northeast, such a derogatory Bihu song is not acceptable to us,” he added.
Lohit Gogoi, another Bihu artist, said, “I am really shocked to hear the song. It is not good to call a community okora. We should respect them and recognize their grievances. We should not hurt them.”
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Commenting on the entire issue, Naga Hoho advisor P Chuba Ozukum said: “It’s really bad. Why is he creating enmity in the neighbourhood?”
Bihu exponent Ranjit Gogoi was not available for comment.
Also Read | ‘Bihu’ spectacle with 11,304 dancers, drummers enters Guinness World Records
Sir you have skipped to translate one word OKORA NOGA…which means foolish…… in Assamese
Not a single community can tolerate such insult, infact if it was other community like Mising, Bodo, they would take the issue to another level. We are just asking for just an apology and banding such insulting song.
I don’t know the real intentions of the singer when he penned the song , whether it was in light harmless banter or whether he actually meant to insult a particular community , but Mr Ranjit Gogoi should have the decency to delete or modify the objectionable contents in his lyrics , especially in light of the recent complaints filed !There is no glory in riding the waves on someone’s back ! MEANING – -Becoming famous at at the expense of others cannot be called sweet success !