MYANMAR MANIPUR CONFERENCE ON THE

CONSERVATION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE

November 23-25, 2015

Chorus Repertory Theatre Imphal, Manipur (India)

IMASITHE MAHARAJ KUMARI

BINODINI DEVI FOUNDATION 

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

Artists and scholars from Myanmar, US, Australia, and France discussed issues of the cultural heritage of Myanmar and Manipur and its preservation with their counterparts from Manipur and the rest of India.

It was open to the public but seating was limited and prior registration was required. An average of 40 people attended each session over 3 days.

It was a part of the Manipur Sangai Festival.

Guests from Myanmar arrive on a special Golden Myanmar chartered flight from Mandalay

The Conference was presented as part of the Manipur Sangai Festival of 2015The festival is the annual tourism festival of Manipur, presented by Manipur Tourism

Asian Cultural Council, New York, was the International Sponsor

Chorus Repertory Theatre of director Ratan Thiyam was the Venue SponsorThe Conference was presented in association with Laihui Ensemble

The Department of Myanmar Studies of Manipur University

Ministry of Tourism, New Delhi

STAFF

Project DirectorL. SOMI ROY

Program ManagerM.MANGANGSANA

Guest Relations DHANESHWARI DEVI

Events CoordinatorDEVAJANI SORAISAM

AssistantsSURESH KHUNDRAKPAMSURAJ ROYPREMANANDA

Technical AssistantBIJU DAS

DOCUMENTATIONThe Conference was documented

by Jessie English and Eric

Feigenbaum of ReMedial Media, New York

CONFERENCE FLYER(Front)

 

CONFERENCE FLYERWith Speakers and Topic (Back)

 

MYANMAR

Francois Tainturier Grace Swe Zin Htaik Kyaw Minn Htin Pyiet Phyo KyawTin Maung Kyi

 

MANIPUR

Augustine Shimray Chanam HemchandraDoren OinamMutua Bahadur Nahakpam ArunaRatan ThiyamRK AchoubisanaRK JhalajitSomi RoyWangkheiphee MantriYashawanta Chungkham

 

OTHER

Eric FeigenbaumJessie EnglishKamesh Salam Kathryn Deyell Uma DasguptaThaiu Mag

 

PRESENTERS

PRESENTATIONS

The Conference was on art and culture. It was open to the public but attendance was limited to 60 (actual attendance averaged 40). It strove to make attendance mandatory but with mixed results. Presentations and discussions were in English, in the outdoor courtyard theater and in the rehearsal studio when projection was required.

The Conference included field trips for visitors to help establish a common frame as well as complement discussions. Sites included Kangla Fort, the Manipur State Museum and a private manuscript archive.

The Conference focused on art and artists. There were 5 performances: a demonstration of singing styles from the Lai Haraoba rituals, a Manipuri Bacchae, Tangkhul Naga tribal folk and ethnic rock, an environment and wildlife Manipuri dance-drama, and classical Maha Ras at the Palace temple.

FEATURES

FIELD TRIPS

PERFORMANCES

FIELD TRIP 1Kangla Fort

The field trip to Kangla Fort in the center of Imphal brought the visitors to the heat of Meitei civilization. With comparative insights into coronation ceremonies, dragon boats, moat culture, serpent worship, and shaman rituals.

Dr. Tin Maung Kyi: “Why does the chindit have horns?”

FIELD TRIP 2Manipur State Museum

The visit to the museum complemented the presentation on the Lai Haraba festival and its performance rituals, the artifacts of Kangla Fort from the early British period, discussions on archeology in Bagan and Manipur, and textile design.

FIELD TRIP 3Manuscripts Archive

The visit to the manuscripts archive of traditional scholar Chanam Hemchandra offered a first hand and hands-on look at the puya tradition of Manipur.

The visit complemented the presentation and discussion on the endangered status of Old Manipur.

PRESENTATIONKeynote

Theatre director Ratan Thiyam of Chorus Repertory Theatre delivers the keynote address of the Myanmar Manipur Conference on the Conservation of Cultural Heritage

Dr. U Tin Maung Kyi from Mandalay responds.

PRESENTATIONManipuri Textiles, and Costumes in India, Bangladesh and MyanmarMutua Bahadur

Manipuri independent scholar and curator Mutua Bahadur on the Manipuri kathe community in Mandalay and beyond.

PRESENTATIONThe Ramayana in MyanmarU Tin Maung Kyi

Mandalay’s physician scholar and authority on puppets presents the Burmese Ramayana.

“In the Manipuri Ramayana, the celibate bachelor monkey-god Hanuman, takes a wife called Chandni.”

“In the Burmese Ramayana too, but his wife is half fish and half monkey.”

PRESENTATIONBamboo Culture in NER and MyanmarKamesh Salam

“The Army is the biggest consumer of Bamboo in NER.”

PRESENTATIONEndangered Old ManipuriProf. Yashawanta Chungkham

On the need to save archaic forms of Manipuri language (Aribalon).

Discussants: RK Jhalajit Singh, Chanam Hemchandra

“Manuscript digitization essential to save Old Manipuri language”

“The Manipuri script has 63 alphabets for every sound in existence.”

PRESENTATIONKazeiramKathryn Deyell (Australia)

A short film on loss and reclamation of Tangkhul Naga identity. Featuring performance artist Augustine Shimray

“Tangkhul Nagas believe you can visit a true love in the Land of the Dead. But just once.”

PRESENTATIONDiscovering "Arakan" in Northeast IndiaKyaw Minn Htin (Singapore)

Myths, history and culture of the Mog community of Tripura

Discussants: Prof Aruna Nahakpam, Thaiu Mag

PRESENTATIONThe Lai HaraobaRK Achoubisana

On the rituals, dance and music of the Lai Haraoba of Manipur

PRESENTATIONCultural Identity and Myanmar CinemaGrace Swe Zin Htaik

The five periods of Cinema from Myanmar

Discussant: Doren Oinam

“Sudden pregnancies are a common plot device in Myanmar cinema”

PRESENTATIONBagan Visual Art WorksPyiet Phyo Kyaw

Conservation of the mural and sculptural remains in Bagan.

PRESENTATIONClassical Manipuri Textile DesignWangkheiphee Mantri

Display and discussion of traditional weaving and classical embroidery designs of Manipuri handloom textiles.

PRESENTATIONConservation of Shwe Nandaw Monastery in MandalayFrancois Tainturier (France)

World Monuments Fund conservation work on Myanmar’s oldest teak structure, including VR model created by University of Florida

PERFORMANCE 112 styles of Lai Haraoba singingLourembam Bedabati

PERFORMANCE 2Euripides’ BacchaeChorus Repertory Theatre

Special performance dress rehearsal of Chorus Repertory Theatre’s Manipuri style interpretation of the Greek classic. Directed by Thawai Thiyam.

PERFORMANCE 3Keibul Lamjao: Dancing Deer of Manipur

Keibul Lamjao, a dance drama ballet on wildlife conservation and environment by Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy used folklore, classical dance and folk music.

KEIBUL LAMJAO: DANCING DEER OF MANIPURInvitation (Front)

 

KEIBUL LAMJAO: DANCING DEER OF MANIPURInvitation (Back)

 

PERFORMANCE 3Hao-laAugustine Shimray

Musician and performance artist Augustine Shimray from the Tangkhul Naga tribe in northern Manipur sings traditional hao-la folk songs, and his own Naga rock compositions.

PERFORMANCE 3Maha RasPalace Temple

Traditional full moon performance of the greatest of the four ras offerings of Manipuri classical dance

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