The three-day National Tribal Dance festival organised in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, was an occasion for the tribal community from across the world to showcase their rich tribal heritage. Speaking at the valedictory function, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said that there is uniformity in the dance, music and traditional instruments of all tribal communities in the world. He said the tribal communities had remained neglected for centuries and the National Tribal Dance Festival was an effort to demonstrate the richness of the tribal culture.
The chief minister said that without the tribal culture, there can be no subsistence of the society and all talks of development will appear futile without assimilating the tribal richness.
The dance festival was also an occasion for the state to showcase to the world, Chhattisgarh government’s inclusive development model to empower the people.
In the festival, artistes from seven countries, 27 states and six Union Territories participated. The participants from Jharkhand, Odisha and Assam won the top honours.
At the inaugural function, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren had said that the tribal community had remained deprived of their rights. “I also come from a tribal community and experienced the same challenge that a tribal has to face before reaching this stage. The tribal community is struggling to preserve their culture and civilisation in this materialistic age.”
Appreciating the Chhattisgarh government for giving Minimum Support Price (MSP) on minor forest produce, Soren had said this will empower the tribal community and lead the way for welfare of the marginalised. Currently, 53 minor forest produce are being procured on MSP and the state government has taken initiative to set up minor forest produce and agriculture-based industries.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in his message, said, “Adivasi brothers and sisters are repositories of our heritage, and they have been at the forefront of preserving our ancient wisdom. Every folk song, dance, painting and sculpture tells a unique story, and provides a window into the fascinating world of our ancestors. It is through these living traditions that societies and communities keep their collective memories alive. The Chhattisgarh Government has been working proactively to support and recognize the Adivasi artists while strengthening the spirit of diversity that is at the very core of the idea of India. The festival weaved different colors of the tribal culture and it was a relishing and rich experience for the artists from different places.”