(ANS – Jorhat) – During the weekend 6-8 January at the “Don Bosco-Life Plus” in Jorhat, there was the First “Ethnique 12” Tourism Festival for visitors involving  the young people of the Mising tribal community, and their life and culture.

The Tourism Festival was the idea of Fr Thomas Kalapurackalm, Rector of “Don Bosco Life-Plus” and Director of “I-Card” (Institution for Culture And Rural Development), for the benefit of the young people members of the Indian Mising tribe. For the Festival Fr Kalapurackalm involved over 160 Mising, young people who had given up school but who were still followed up by the I-Card project

On 6 January during the Opening Ceremony there was the inauguration of the “Memorial Abhishek Media Education Centre”, the gift of a local official in memory of his deceased son.

During the three days of the Festival the young Mising were responsible for dances in four locations, Assamese music and classical presentations on other stages, folktale enactments, street plays, and  life scene depictions on different platforms, which entertained the visitors to the Festival.

There was also a photographic exhibition and in another hall, continuous screening of video films in English, Assamese and Mising., Local traditional food was also available in keeping with the overall theme.

“Ethnique 12” was well appreciated by the many visitors, but the most satisfying aspect was the part played by the young Mising, who in demonstrating the special features of their own culture and in organising the events acquired self-confidence and pride in their own community.

In future, Ethnique12 will be celebrated during the first weekend in January every year.

Published 12/01/2012