Itanagar, Feb 16: Tirap Deputy Commissioner Techu Aran has appealed to misguided youths from Tirap and Longding districts to return to the mainstream, lead normal family lives, and contribute positively to nation-building.
The Deputy Commissioner made this appeal while gracing the Wancho community’s major agricultural festival, Oriah, celebrated at Pongchau, an SDO headquarters in Tirap district, on Monday.
Highlighting the immense potential of the Wancho community in sports and cultural activities, Aran urged the youth to stay away from narcotic substances, including kaani, brown sugar and alcohol, and instead focus on education to compete with other tribes and the state as a whole.
The celebration featured a vibrant showcase of Wancho traditional attire through a fashion show presented by participants from various villages of the Pongchau area. The programme also witnessed the launch of a Wancho modern audio album.
Extending warm greetings on the occasion, the Deputy Commissioner lauded the Wancho community for steadfastly preserving their rich cultural heritage and traditions handed down by their ancestors.
Emphasising the challenges posed by rapid modernisation, he stressed the importance of safeguarding traditional values and customs to preserve cultural identity and pride.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Wancho Oriah Celebration Committee president Noksom Wangshu elaborated on the significance of Oriah.
The celebration was marked by vibrant traditional dances, beating of the traditional log drum, colourful attire displays and grand mega dance performances. Cultural troupes from Pongchau, Konnu, Konsa and Bonia enthralled the audience, while a mega dance was performed by the girls of Pongchau, adding splendour to the occasion.
The programme was attended by local MLA Honchun Ngandam, former minister Anok Wangsa, Longding DMO Dr Dilip Dutta, Wancho Council convenor and former ATSU secretary Banchauk Wangsu, village chiefs, GBs, ZPM Pongchau Block Phiphot Wangsa, former ZPM Laito Wangsa, CO Pongchau Kumman Thungwa, Shungkuh Wancho Women Welfare Society (Pongchau Wakka) chairperson Ngunkhow Ngandam, IPR representative Gawang Sumpa (UDC), and other Govt officials.