Traditions and heritage of the Garos on the wane

The Garos, a large indigenous community from Mymensingh region, are fast losing their age-old tradition and culture for a variety of reasons. The Mymensingh region, once well-known for its ethnic diversity, and harmony among the people of different faiths and cultures has lost its rich legacy over the years. Among the indigenous groups living in this region - Garo, Dhalu, Cooch, Khatriya and Hajong form the majority. The Garos are the leading community in these ranks and have their homes in Haluaghat and Dhubaura, frontier upzilas of Mymensingh and Madhupur of Tangail, each with varied traditions. Currently there are some 40,000 Garos living in the Haluaghat and Dhubaura area but this number is on the wane.

There was a time when the Garos used to arrange a variety of traditional festivals: among them 'Wangala' or 'Wanna', a festival celebrating the harvesting in Agrahayan; 'Rangshugala' on the occasion of sowing grains in Falgun and Chaitra; a festival on the occasion of 'Jhum' in Chaitra and 'Habaghrita' at Baishakh.

Why is indigenous culture on the decline? Observers ascribe a variety of reasons: the major factor being the Garo's mass conversion to Christianity. Moreover, the younger generation is lukewarm to the traditional Garo culture, putting its future in jeopardy.

The Adibashi Shangskritik Kendra, the only cultural organisation for the Garos in Rangrapara, Haluaghat, is about to down shutters, sources say. Likewise they add, other cultural centres at Biroidhakuni, Bhakua Para, Ranikhang in Mymensingh and Nalchapra in Netrokona are not functional.

Talking to this correspondent, Adolf Marak, an NGO official, also a former member of Birishiri Cultural Academy in Netrokona the Garos have turned indifferent to their ancestral culture. As a result, young Garos are more inclined towards contemporary western and Bengali cultures. “ Since advocate Promod Mankin, MP from Haluaghat, a representative of the indigenous people has been appointed as the State Minister for Cultural Affairs, we hope that necessary steps will be taken to revive this traditional culture that is in danger of being lost forever,” adds Adolf.

Sulekha Mrong, vice-president of Achik Mechik Society (A society for hill women) at Pirgachha in Madhupur of Tangail told this correspondent that pressing financial difficulties have compelled the poorer Garo people to migrate to different places and such migration has torn them away from their immensely rich culture. “We need to revive our culture to identify us as Garos and for the betterment of future generations,” Sulekha concludes.

Beatlemania is set to return again

Beatlemania is set to return -- in digital form at least - when The Beatles: Rock Band game is released this week.

The format may not be unique, but the content is. It will be the first time that music by the Fab Four has appeared in a video game.

And as a newcomer to music gaming, it was astonishing how quick and easy it was to step from the 21st Century into the Swinging Sixties.

For the uninitiated, Rock Band is a karaoke-style game that uses adapted game controllers -- lead guitar, bass guitar and drums -- to play along to various songs.

The game is all about keeping in time with colour-coded blobs that scroll along the on-screen fretboard. It works in a similar way if you are Ringo on the drum pads.

And it's curiously addictive.

If one of the band is not up to scratch, you'll get kicked off stage -- though there's a family-friendly override setting.

The Beatles: Rock Band game is part of a wider marketing campaign that also sees the release of newly-remastered versions of the band's back catalogue on CD.

It comes at a time when the music industry is looking for new ways to recover some of its dwindling revenue as CD sales decline.

Of course, music video games are nothing new -- Guitar Hero 5 was released last week in the US featuring tracks by Nirvana, Muse and Iron Maiden.

But getting a brand like The Beatles is a significant step in an industry worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

The game, which goes on sale on September 9, will feature 45 songs, along with a bonus track -- "All You Need is Love" -- that can be bought online.

The albums "Abbey Road," "Sgt Pepper" and "Rubber Soul" will be released for download later in the year.

The game allows players to follow The Beatles through their career in environments such as The Cavern Club and the Shea Stadium. It also features "imaginative environments" known as Dreamscapes.