Doomdooma: Several people, including leaders of the Assam Tea Tribes Students’ Association (ATTSA) and Makum MLA Sanjoy Kishan, paid tribute on Friday to Makar Singh Bhumij in Assam’s Tinsukia district. Bhumij was known for his work with traditional folk music.
“Bhumij was rushed to Tinsukia Medical College and Hospital yesterday (Thursday) after suffering a sudden health crisis reportedly linked to high blood pressure while carrying out cultural responsibilities. He subsequently passed away,” Kishan said.
Bhumij worked to preserve and promote Jahali Geet, a traditional folk-song form associated with the Sohrai festival of Adivasi communities, including the Bhumij, Santhal and Munda.
Through his specialised troupe, Bhumij performed Jahali Geet in its traditional form. The songs are part of an oral tradition associated with agricultural life, community celebrations and shared memories.
Sohrai, also known as Sohorai or Saharai, is celebrated around the harvest season. The festival is associated with agricultural abundance and the role of cattle in rural life. Its practices include rituals, music and dance, with families decorating cattle sheds, caring for their animals and singing traditional songs.
Jahali Geet is performed with instruments such as the dhol and madal and forms part of the festival’s musical traditions.
In Assam, tea tribe and Adivasi communities practise folk forms such as Jhumur, Tusu and Karam songs.
Many members of these communities trace their ancestry to regions including Chotanagpur, present-day Jharkhand and Odisha. Their ancestors were brought to Assam during the colonial expansion of tea plantations.
Music, festivals and performing arts are among the ways these communities maintain their cultural traditions and express their historical experiences.