India is home to several harvest festivals, where, different regions, at some point during the year, celebrate and give thanks for a successful crop year. Wangala, is one such post-harvest festival celebrated annually by the Garo tribes in the month of November. The main deity whom the Garo worship and offer thanks to for a rich harvest is the Sun God – Misi Saljong. Wangala is therefore a time when the traditional tribal culture and values get showcased. This year, the festival was attended by people from the host village as well as by people from neighbouring villages and drew a crowd of approximately 350 people. On 29th of November 2022, the Wangala festival was organised in the village of Halwa Ambeng, South Garo Hills, Meghalaya.

Group photograph of participants with the WTI team and guests of honor | Photo by WTI

Wildlife Trust of India has been working in the Garo Hhills of Meghalaya in collaboration with the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), State Forest Department and the local communities for almost two decades now to conserve and protect the biodiversity of the region. With HCL Foundation as its supporting partner, for the last few years, WTI has been organizing the Wangala festival in one of the villages that it is supporting. WTI values nature conservation that is based on community support and inclusion, and therefore, through the celebration of Wangala, WTI not only aims to preserve and protect the Garo culture but also educates the community about the need for biodiversity conservation and safe passage for wildlife– shedding light on the part each of us play in the restoration and preservation of nature.

Traditional Garo dance being performed by the dance troop from Tura | Photo by WTI

Music, dance and several games and activities were organized for different age groups which in turnthat helped the community members bond with one another while also having fun. The games organised included sack race for children, music bottle for women and for men, traditional Garo games such as Wapong Sika and An’ding Oka were organised (a game that is similar to tug of war and is played using a bamboo). During the course of the celebration, the WTI field team also made it a point to interact with the community members about their general wellbeing. During the course of this interaction, one of the community members said, “Thanks to Wildlife Trust of India and HCL Foundation for bringing our traditional festival ‘Wangala’ to Halwa Ambeng village; at least this way our next generation kids will remember that we do have a Garo harvest festival. We are also happy to see the ‘Wangala’ once again”.

Men playing the traditional Garo game An’ding Oka | Photo by WTI

In addition to the games, the traditional dance performed during Wangala using drums was organised where a dance troop from ‘Do’kaku Arts & Culture Association’ was invited all the way from Tura to perform as part of the celebration. The songs performed by the group take the viewer through the entire cultivation process and the events and adversities faced until the harvest period. The festivities were resided upon by the Nokma’s (village heads) of Halwa Ambeng, Ampanggre and Dambuk Atong along with the GHADC Range Officer of Baghmara, Mr. Ronathson CH Marak – as Guests of Honor. Every Nokma along with the Range Officer were felicitated with a traditional head gear (Kotip) and Necklace (Ripok Dokatchi) for the support they have extended to WTI and HCL Foundation by encouraging the villagers to conserve wildlife and their habitat and set aside land for conservation.

Nokma felicitating the locals for their wins | Photo by WTI

The festivities concluded by a token of thanks and appreciation by the Guests of Honor. All the speeches expressed the value that conservation holds today as well as the need to preserve human culture and biodiversity. Mr. Marak (RO, GHADC), in his speech, acknowledged how the villagers have collectively preserved the land and how the Garo tribe has always valued nature and carried pride of having such a beautiful landscape. He said, “It is each and every one’s responsibility to preserve the identity and pride because without it we are nothing”. Lastly, talking about the support that WTI has always extended to the Garo people, Dambuk Attong Nokma, Mr. Clement M Sangma said, “WTI not only works for animals and forest but also for the well-being of the community, education of  school children, and preserving the rich heritage of Garo through festival. We deeply thank them for that.”

Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and World Land Trust (WLT), in partnership with the GHADC and the state forest department, have been working with these communities for over a decade now. Our overarching aim is to connect the fragmented forest patches located between the West Garo Hills and Nokrek National Park, with a view to establishing an unbroken wilderness link with Balpakram National Park. This network of forest patches forms the backbone of the region’s biodiversity and has been designated the Garo Green Spine.