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Digaru Mishmi Buiya Dance
The
Digaru Mishmis have two types of dances called Buiya and Nuiya. The Buiya dance
has two types of movements and it is performed for entertainment while the Nuiya
is a ritual-dance performed by a priest.
Buiya dance is performed on any festive occasion like the Duiya, Tazampu and Tanuya
festivals which are performed for the prosperity and good health of the
performer and his household. This dance may also performed after a feast
arranged by a family to entertain the fellow villagers who co-operate with it
opening a new field.
The
dance is performed in the passage which runs along one side of the house from
the front to the rear. Men and women take part in this dance. There is no limit
to the age of the dancers although generally children and old persons do not
take active part in the dance itself but merely sit by, as spectators. There is
no special costume for this dance, so they perform this dance wearing their
usual dress. The male dancer wears a loin-cloth a sleeveless jacket, a turban
and ear-rings. The female dancer wears a blouse, a long skirt reaching down to
the ankle with a short one wrapped over it and a side-bag on the left side. They
wear necklaces, large silver-ear-plugs and a silver fillet with its strap
studded with coins or cowries.
The dancers
stand in a line, one behind the other, in the passage. One of the dancers plays
a drum while another plays a gong. Cymbals are played, if available, by another
dancer. Keeping time to the beats of the drum, gong and cymbals, the dancers
take one step forward with the right foot, then gently bring the left foot up to
the heel of the left one flexing the knees as before. They dance forward
repeating this sequence of movements till they reach the rear of the passage
with the same sequence of movements. Thus they dance up and down the passage of
the house. They may or may not sing to the accompaniment of the dance.
When they sing a song, it may be solo or in chorus.
There
is another movement when they dance with skipping steps but with no accompanying
song. The skipping steps of the female-dancers are lower and graceful while
those of the male-dancers are higher and more vigorous.
The
dancers get no remuneration. There is no formal training but they learn the
dance movements by imitating those of the elders.
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