Newmai News Network
Imphal | September 30
A seminar on Liangmai language saw many participants took part in the event with enthusiasm.
Located some kilometers northwest of Senapati district headquarters, Nguangphungning (Oklong) came alive with Liangmai people in traditional attires came and participated at the seminar.
The seminar held on September 28 was sponsored and organised by Tribal Research Instute (TRI), Tribal Affairs and Hills department, government of Manipur in collaboration with Liangmai Pui Naga Ruangdi, Manipur (LPNR-M), the apex Liangmai women organisation in Manipur.
Under the theme, “Sustaining Liangmai language”, the seminar was held with Ragongning Gangmei, chairman of the Council of Tribal Languages and Literature Society, Manipur (CTLLS-M) and Dr Guichamlung Daimai, assistant professor, as resource persons.
Ragongning Gangmei dwelt on the topic “Promotion and preservation of language is indispensable”, while Dr Guichamlung Daimai spoke on “Dialect defines identity and its significance”.
According to Ragongning Gangmei, the love for one’s language is the key to the growth of the community. “When Liangmai people love the Liangmai language the language itself will develop, and that, when the language is developed the whole Liangmai community will develop”.
Dr Guichamlung Daimai said that language is an extraordinary gift. He also said language is the mirror of a society. According to him, whoever controls language controls culture. Dr Guichamlung Daimai then advocated that “liangmai cannot be a dialect, but it should be a language”.
Later in the programme, meaningful and healthy interactions between the resource persons and participants took place.
Nearly 200 people including church leaders, women unions, student bodies, clubs, village authorities from surrounding areas particpated in the seminar.
