MUSIC AND DANCE
Music is an essential accompaniment to any Genna or festival. The themes have a
wide range of variety. They may glorify a tradition, extol a specific act of
heroism, narrate an important event of the recent past or relate to a
love story.
A common musical instrument played by the Nagas is
Petu. It
is a string instrument. The Angamis and Chakhesangs are particularly fond
of it and it is used to give the desired accompaniment to one's voice.
Another popular string instrument is Theku. Of the wind
instrument, the flute is quite common. In earlier days,
the instrument was kept in the Morung only, but now the restriction is not
observed. In some tribes, only boys are allowed to play the flute, the
girls are debarred lest they seduce the young boys. The trumpet is
mostly used by the herds men to scare away wild animals from the cattle.
Among the present-day youth, the guitar is very popular. Born
and brought up in a Christian atmosphere, the young boys and girls are
naturally attracted to western music and instrument.
Dance
 Dancing is natural to the Naga tribes. It is full of vigour and vitality.
Strangely it is the monopoly of men, except in Zeliang tribe where
women join with their men folk in dancing. There is nothing
like individual performance. Naga dancing is always in a group. It
is difficult to generalize, but roughly it could be said that the artists
first slowly enter the arena or stage, make a circle or any other
geometrical formation and gradually work up tempo with the stamping of
feet, interspersed with clapping and chanting of some formula. The spear, dao
or the shield are swung to the rhythm of the dance. After the
climax is reached, the tempo is brought down again and there
is a satisfying finale. The beauty of the dances is heightened by the colourful
costumes. The zeliang dance is particularly artistic.
The Zemis of North Cachar hills are very fond of dances. There are a number of
dances and each with a different name. They are named after the manner in
which hands and feet are executed to resemble the movements of a bird or
an insect or an animal. For example, Nruirolians known as 'cock dance' is the dance which resembles the trait of a
cock, Gethinglim or 'cricket dance' is a dance in which hands are moved to and fro.
Some what resembling the movement of the insect Temangnetin or the
'fly
dance'; Hetateulee or the 'bear dance', which was usually done by men when defeating enemies.
All these dances are performed with the accompaniment of songs and music.
Drums and cymbals are beaten at regular intervals
while the singers array themselves on one side or form a
circle so as to allow space for the dancers in the centre. Songs which
are generally and commonly sung by both young and old alike may be
classified as follows.
Songs
-
Heliamleu
or dancing
songs - They
are composed and sung
by young and old alike and are usually romantic.
-
Hereileu
or war songs - composed by old people about
the pride of their life, their bygone days, usually sung in memory of the
victory or defeat in war.
-
Neuleu or legendry songs
- composed by old men to
commemorate any significant event of the old days or that of a person who had done something notable during his life time.
-
Hekialeu or songs about
self - These songs are composed by old men
of their eventful career while they were young and strong.
-
Hekialeu or a duet -
composed by both young and old is sung by young boys and
girls together.
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