'Aiching': A puppet theatre on Jhum cultivation
Ershad Kamol
Jhum, the slash and burn method of cultivation is very popular amongst the ethnic minorities living at the Chittagong Hill Tracts. But, in these days a controversy has surfaced regarding Jhum: Is the method harmful for environment and ecology or not? It is true that after the Jhum cultivation the hill tract remains barren at least for a year. Moreover, because of the cultivation, deforestation occurs.To address the issue, a message oriented puppet theatre titled Aiching was staged by theatre troupe Tongsuimah from Bandarban as part of the ongoing theatre festival arranged by the Department of Theatre and Film of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy at the Experimental Theatre Stage on May 16. Tongsuimah usually performs the puppet theatre at the remote areas of Bandarban. Maintaining the familiar structure of educational TV shows for children such as Meena, Aiching a Marma girl urges her parents to plant tress after the Jhum harvest, so that the hill tracts do not go through deforestation. As the subplot of the play, 'importance of paying attention to what children have to say' has been focused. As Aiching is targeted towards the communities living in the hill tracts, to make the play appealing, entertaining performances are staged before the show. At the Experimental Theatre Stage the troupe staged three traditional performances: Sangrai Dance of the Marmas, Horn Dance of the Booms and Jhum Dance of the Tanchangas.
|
A scene from Aiching |
