Shillong, Aug 30: A group of songwriters and music enthusiasts on Tuesday submitted a memorandum to Arts and Culture Minister Paul Lyngdoh urging the State government to preserve and promote the indigenous arts, music and playwrights etc.
FR Kharkongnor, Commissioner and Secretary of Arts and Culture, was also present during the meeting.
The group asked the minister that since the introduction of written language and the printing press, many of the written documents on past heritage are still being preserved by various stakeholders, including public and private libraries. However, there was apprehension about the preservation of local indigenous songs and plays, which have been recorded at radio stations in the state and outside in cities like Kolkata and Guwahati since the pre-independent period.
The delegation urged the government to constitute an autonomous committee with songwriters, singers and playwriters as members.
Also, the delegates emphasised that local indigenous artistes who had contributed to arts, music and culture must be recognised. All original songs written and composed in Khasi, Jaintia, Garo, Hindi and other languages by the local artistes must be retrieved, collected and preserved for posterity.
