KUT, OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE IN DESPAIR

Chavang Kut and Chapchar Kut: A Non-Traditional Modernity Showcase

By Yochanan Phaltual - Shavei Israel Administrator, India

In the past the Bnei Menashe celebrated several Kut (festival) in tune with the changing seasons of the year. There are many harvest festivals of the Bnei Menashe that have similarity with the Biblical Jewish harvest festivals.

Regrettably, the advance of Christianity and western cultures discarded many of our customs and tradition. Not only does it change the belief system but also the rites and rituals involved. However, change in the traditional culture does not mean getting rid or abolition of the same. There is continuity as well and this is the reason why some harvest festivals are still celebrated with pomposity, merriment and religious fervor. Kut is celebrated with jubilation when farmers finish harvesting their paddy crops after year long labor. People remember the Almighty G-d and the Creator and give thanks for His abundant blessings.

There are generally four kinds of Kut which were all related to agriculture and whose origin is lost in oblivion as it is based on oral tradition. They are Mim Kut (Festival of Grain/Maize harvest), Pawl Kut(winter harvest), Chapchar/Chapphou Kut (Spring harvest) and Chavang Kut (Autumn harvest).

Picture Source: Bombiel.com

 Kut is a culture and cultures are meant to safeguard the unique customs and tradition of certain ethnic group. These traditional Kut were celebrated with varied traditional fervor. Dances such as Saguol-Kengkhai, Suhtah Laam, Cheraw (Mizo bamboo dance), Phit Laam, Laam-kuol, etc. with indigenous sports like pestle-throw (Suhtum-kho), mithun -jump (Siel-Kal/Siel kungkal), Kibot/buontol kho (wrestling, traditional WWE) and others were showcased. Traditional musical instruments were played in competition such as Goshem (bagpiper), Theile (flute), Pheiphit, Lhem-lhei, Dah (Gong) and Dahcha (cymbals).

The modern day liberty and culture invasion brought about a sea change in the meaning and content of the festivals. With State government sponsorship and thanks to the initiation of political bigwigs, new elements were added to spice up the Kut flavor. It is unfortunate that attractive items like Fashion show, beauty contest (Miss Kut) and the likes which are not in any way essential to promote and imbibe the culture and tradition identity of the people were over emphasized.

In fact, the cultural aspects and elements of celebrating Kut festival have been reduced to MISS KUT CONTEST. The Christian Church lamenting the Kut becoming a kind of reckless license to drink and free-for-all brawl wrestling mania night. Poor Christian society tries to rectify the wrong things by influencing the Kut Committee in a bid to spiritually diversify against the popular Miss Kut contest and Beauty pageant, manage to stage a gospel Kut with the theme “Kut for Christ” in many places.  The result of change is clear and stark – Kut becoming a boring gospel musical show sans all the glam – frills and few crowd with the larger unholy and wild boozers.

Kut is our culture through which the outside world could identify who we are. We let it drain to dwindle in our un-holistic attempt to add more new elements of going with the modern times. Kut is not a showcase entertainment event. We should redefine the celebration in order to protect and relive our culture and tradition by using modern tools and elements.

Until a corrective measure is introduce, our esteem heritage (Kut) will be nothing less than an ULTRA-GLITZY KUT.

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DAWN OF THE NEW GENERATION

Shavei Israel’s Seminar for Bnei Menashe in Northeast India

By Yochanan Phaltual - Shavei Israel Administrator India

This Wednesday and Thursday night the Jewish High Holiday, Rosh Hashanah occurs and will usher a new beginning, one of continuation and sea change.

In the recent 275 Bnei Menashe Aliya were participated almost all local community Torah teachers called “Shavei Israel’s Fellows”. There is a deep sense of urgency and a need of keeping the ember of Torah education and Jewishness among the Bnei Menashe community. So, the Shavei Israel conducted the largest Seminar for Bnei Menashe in terms of participants. There were 94 people from Northeastern state of Manipur, Mizoram, Assam, Nagaland and two young boys from Myanmar.

The Seminar was conducted under the supervision and Director of Seminar Rav Hanoch Avizedek. The staff includes Tzvi Khaute, Coordinator of Seminar, Rav Yehuda Gin, Rav Gurion Sela and extra-curricular activities in charge Miss Vered.

To be able to keep the continuation of Torah teaching and to be ready to face the new change by the Bnei Menashe, the Shavei Israel organized this Seminar at Sikkim, which is the smallest state of Northeast India.

So, for 25 days (1 – 25 August), the Seminar under the flagship “New Generation Bnei Menashe” and with the Theme – EARTH AND SKY, was held during the month of Elul which also marks the time of preparations for new start and new beginning for reconnection of Earth and Sky.

The first week with one Shabbat, we had our Seminar at Gangtok the capital city of Sikkim. There were 3 young boys (Eli Friedman, Uri and Dylan) from Ranana in Israel who had just finishes their high school. They teaches for a days about youth life and geography of Israel. It was a good experience for them and lots of social interaction program with the young guns of the Seminarian.

Though Gangtok being one of the most beautiful hills city of India, Rav Hanoch decided to change place and we shifted to a more calm and peaceful location. The new place is Yuksom (Yaksum), a whole one full-day journey from Gangtok and about a hundred kilometers on exciting, twisting and winding narrow roads.

Yuksam is a tiny village, the last base camp for treks to Kanchandzongha, the highest mountain peak of India and the third highest mountain in the world. It is a real get-away from the hustle and bustle city atmosphere of Gangtok. The place is quite beautiful that you can just be there and relax and gaze at the nature and you will not know where time would fly by. From our Hotel which is the best hotel in Yuksam – Yuksam Residency – we can see the majestic Himalaya mountain peaks covered with snow in clear sky morning.

It is here we are camping for 3 weeks learning the key or the bridge of “Earth and Sky”. The Seminarians learned from the Rabbis various basic subject of Judaism ranging from Emuna, Halacha and Mitzvot, Chagim, Shabbat, Hilkhot Yesodei HaTorah of Rambam and all daily practical mitzvoth. Besides, religious learning there were scores of extra-curricular activities of fun, entertainment, games, artistic and craftsmanship work (For example, making challah board and cover cloth with artistic design) from a very smart and talented yound Morah from Israel, Ms. Vered. She was truly the balm to the tired body and mind – a refreshing hub.

One day, in the middle of Seminar there was an outing and sporting program. We visited the oldest Buddhist Monastery of Sikkim called Dubdi Monastery which was built in 1701. It is located at the top of a hill about an hour’s walk by trekking up from Yuksam. The places were infested with leeches and no one of us has seen such battalion of this blood-sucking crawling worm in our lives. We also visited the coronation site of the first Monarch of Sikkim called “Throne of Norbugang or Coronation Crown”. Yuksam is the first capital of Sikkim and was established in 1642 and it is here the first Monarch was coronated.

A Seminar in such picturesque area with whooshing sound of the rushing waterfall near the village adds a soothing element to the serene ambiance and this is just an exterior education of appreciating the incredible scenery of Heavenly wonders on earth.

The 25 days of Seminar was a days of opportunity. As Elul month is a preparatory month for restart and return to our truest selves and the time for change, the SHAVEI ISRAEL always a harbinger of Bnei Menashe journey back to HOME, again sponsored the Seminar for the continuation of a new beginning for the New Generation Bnei Menashe.

The Seminar is a gift – a crash course in openness and truthfulness for new Shavei Israel’s Fellows. As Rav Hanoch said, like the first Seminar in the wilderness under Moshe Rabbeinu, Shavei Israel is continuing the Sinai tradition down to the Bnei Menashe.

And like our ancestors in the past, we know we have reason to be in the Seminar and of course the responsibility. With the new year in short days, Shavei Israel is presenting a special give to the Bnei Menashe – new Shavei Israel Fellows to guide and continue the old tradition and bring about new changes for the new generation Bnei Menashe.

A new dawn has just begun!

LeShanah Tovah Tikatevu Ve Gemar Khatimah Tovah!

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