Organisations of Nagas in Assam have condemned as “racist” the song used during the Bihu performance that created a world record on April 13.
About 11,300 female dancers and male drummers had assembled for the “largest Bihu performance at a single venue” to create two world records acknowledged by Guinness. The 15-minute performance was organised at the Sarusajai Stadium in Guwahati.
One of the songs used for the record-breaking show, however, did not go down well with the Naga communities.
After the All Assam Naga Welfare Society (AANWS), the All Assam Tangsa Students’ Union slammed the use of the “racist song” that called the Nagas okora, meaning stupid or dumb. They also deplored the use of the word Nagini in the song, which apparently means ‘Naga woman’ but is construed as being likened to a snake.
“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.
“The sentiments of Naga people living in Assam since time immemorial are hurt by a Bihu song performed by Bihu exponent Ranjit Gogoi at the event,” the Tangsa students’ body said.
Tangsa is a Naga community living in areas straddling Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
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Videos of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and other dignitaries joining in when the “objectionable” song was sung have gone viral on conventional and social media in Nagaland, attracting condemnation.
Many in Assam have also criticised the “poor choice of song” for a world record-breaking performance and called for a review of songs that denigrate tribal people or hill dwellers.
Officials of Assam’s Cultural Affairs Department, which organised the event, said the song was a traditional one and the “intention was not to hurt the Naga community”.
About 2.5 lakh people belonging to 10 Naga communities are spread across 11 districts of Assam.
