ZIRO: The tenth edition of the Ziro Music Festival (ZMF) got under in the picturesque village of Hapoli in Ziro, Lower Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh, on Thursday.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu, along with a host of dignitaries kicked off Day 1 of the four-day music extravaganza. “Delighted to be part of Ziro Festival, North East’s iconic celebration. Set against breathtaking landscapes of Ziro, the fest is kaleidoscope of music & arts, community, sustainability and cultural diversity,” wrote Chief Minister Khandu, taking to a popular micro-blogging website.
Known for it’s focus on sustainability and eco-tourism, ZMF is committed to using locally-sourced materials for building festival infrastructure. Noting that Khandu added, “With an infrastructure built entirely of locally-sourced bamboo and a strong emphasis on eco-friendly practices, Ziro Festival is a one-of its-kind extravaganza…”
Earlier in the day, the literary vertical of the festival began at Saint Claret College (SCCZ) with an insightful discussion on “Tribal Customary Laws and the Modern World”. It featured former APSCW chairperson Jarjum Ete, research scholar Gaby Miyum Damin, and journalist Karma Paljor, moderated by journalist Ranju Dodum.
The day saw a host of discussions on topics such as “India’s Northeast and Its Neighbours” and “A Brighter Future for Tribal Literature”, among others. The featured list of dignitaries in the discussion panels boasted of popular names in the region’s literary realm such as Wancho author Banwang Losu, Assamese novelist Dr Rita Chowdhury, author Tanuj Solanki, among others.
Lower Subansiri DC Bamin Nime praised resource persons in his address, while SCCZ principal Dr Fr. Allwyn Mendoz highlighted the festival’s significance in the state vis-a-vis the region.
The day ended with a captivating musical performance by Ary Juliant and Asrie from Lombok Island, Indonesia. Ziro Literary Festival, since the last four editions, has been drawing distinguished authors, journalists, activists, educators, scholars, and students, for enriching discussions.
