educationhome Promoting Peace Education through Cultural activities.
- Tony Pertin (Chairman LIFE, League in Friendship Endeavour)
On the 9th Sept 2001, Itanagar, India, LIFE along with the KALING PONUNG
celebrated the Solung festival of the Adis with the theme Promoting Peace
education through cultural activities In order to highlight the importance
of Peace Education, LIFE has thought it most appropriate to appeal to the
people that the message of Peace and non-violence can be brought through and
during these cultural festivals. Solung one of the most important annual
festivals of Adis tribes is celebrated throughout Arunachal Pradesh, a tribal
state in India, during the first week of September with religious fervor and
traditional gaiety. The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasms as such
it fosters oneness and helps maintain the integrity of the community. Solung
festival is celebrated to appease the gods and goddesses for bumper harvest.
Other highlights of the celebration included traditional folk dance
competition, Ponung dances by various cultural troupes, Mithun sacrifice and
community feasts etc. Traditionally the festival served one of the most
important things, maintaining the social harmony; therefore it is important to
draw upon the strength that exist within. The festival also provides a medium
through which the tribal communities can express their solidarity within
themselves and need for preservation of their art that have held the
communities for so long. Perhaps some may ask, how do Peace education fits in?
Here the emphasis is on the positive aspect of peace. When people learn to live
and dance together, where women sing and are happy, where children are reared
with love and respect, where there is tolerance and guests are welcomed. Must
not such traditions need to be nurtured and promoted? Therefore the promotion
of Peace education should include the sole foundation of those behaviours,
which binds and brings about positive values such as respect, tolerance and
protection of not only its creed but also the others and the environment.
Promoting Peace education through cultural activities therefore is an important
medium to reach the tribals and indigenous
peoples. ****
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