Shillong, April 12: In Khasi culture, the Khasi people believe that ‘God’ (Blei) exists in every form and element of nature. Being an agricultural society, every year in the month of April, the Khasi people celebrated ‘Ka Shad Suk Mynsiem’ as a thanksgiving dance to mother nature for good harvesting and for fresh sowing of seeds.
At the outset of spring and slight summer in Khasi Hills. Shillong witnessed as usual Thanksgiving rituals of Khasi Tribe “Shad Suk Mynsiem” the traditional dance participated by both men and women.
This year, 284 female and 313 male dancers participated in the three-day festival.
While talking to Bantei Sing Rumnong, Chairman of Publicity Committee of Seng Khasi for Shad Suk Mynsiem he said, the thanksgiving ritual is marked by traditional dance known as Shad Suk Mynsiem. The rituals usually take place at Madan Weiking at Jaiaw. Therefore it is also known as ‘Shad Weiking’ as some locals call it. It is assumed that these rituals are blessings to us from our creator to begin a new prosperous life by eliminating the evils in our lives.
On Monday, ‘Ka Shad Suk Mynsiem’ was performed in the presence of Meghalaya Dy CM Prestone Tynsong, Local MLA Adelbert Nongrum, MLA Sanbor Shullai, MLA Samlin Malngiang. and u Syiem ka Hima Khairim and u Syiem ka Hima Mylliem.
The dance step of a man differs from that of a woman. Men’s dance steps are very energetic, on the other hand, a very subtle and dance form is being danced by the females. Only virgins ‘sotti’ Khasi females can participate in this annual dance festival.
Shad Suk Mynsiem begins with drums, flutes and cymbals tuning up the tempo. In the dance, two circles are formed with women dancing on the inside of the circle and men on the outside. Men play the part of protectors for the women who are inside the outer circle.
Ka Shad Suk Mynsiem dance is also symbolic of women’s fertility where they are receptacles of seeds and bearers of fruit, and men are cultivators who plant, cultivate and nurture the seeds until they are harvested.
