ROING, Aug 12: The RIWATCH Centre for Mother Languages (RCML), in collaboration with Jomin Tayeng Government Model Degree College (JTGMDC) and the Arunachal Pradesh Literary Society (APLS), successfully hosted a two-day international seminar on the theme "Oral Traditions of North East India: An Intangible Cultural Heritage" on August 11 and 12, at the Research Institute of World's Ancient Traditions Cultures and Heritage (RIWATCH).

The seminar aimed to explore the significance of oral traditions in tribal communities across the globe, offering scholars a platform to present and compare insights from their research on societies that rely on oral traditions for the transmission of traditional knowledge.

In his welcome address, executive director of RIWATCH Vijay Swami highlighted the universal similarities in oral traditions among various indigenous communities worldwide, drawing comparisons with traditions in New Zealand, Indonesia, Kenya, and Armenia.

Swami emphasized the importance of preserving these oral traditions, noting that they are rich with values, social unity, and moral lessons. He announced that RIWATCH plans to establish a Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) to document and preserve the cultural heritage of Northeast India, particularly Arunachal Pradesh.

The seminar was inaugurated by Padma Shri awardee and president of APLS, YD Thongchi, who commended the organizing institutions for providing a platform for young scholars to engage in discussions on oral traditions. He stressed the importance of cultural neutrality and objectivity in research, urging scholars to study their native cultures without bias to ensure the quality of their research.

During the event, Thongchi also released the seminar's abstract book and three Idu Mishmi pictorial books, published by RCML, as part of a series aimed at preserving the Idu language.

The keynote address was delivered by professor Uta Reinhöl from Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, Germany, who spoke on the linguistic exploration of "Igu: The Shamanic Language of the Kera’a."

Special lectures were also delivered by the Arunachal Institute of Tribal Studies, Rajiv Gandhi University, director Prof Simon John, and Dr Suyanto M.Pd., assistant professor from Kalimantan, Indonesia, among others.

The seminar featured over 50 presentations from scholars and researchers from various institutions, covering a wide range of topics related to the oral traditions of several tribes from Arunachal Pradesh and other parts of Northeast India, as well as indigenous communities from Kalimantan, Indonesia.