National Tribal Dance Festival; Dance as a means to celebrate culture

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The National Tribal Dance Festival (NTDF) commenced in Raipur, Chhattisgarh on 1st November 2022. It is a 3-day festival organised by the Chhattisgarh Tourism Board which will showcase and celebrate the vibrancy of the tribal culture. Over 1,500 local and international artists are expected to take part in various activities in 3 days.

The state of Chhattisgarh has over more than 40 tribes residing in it. Each tribe have their unique festivals, cultures and traditions. Around 44% of the land cover is dominated by forest in the state. To celebrate diversity and bring various cultures on one vibrant lane the Chhatisgarh government has made this initiative.

Sharing of crafts, cuisine and culture:

While inaugurating the festival, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said that the festival is an effort towards preserving the rich cultural heritage of tribals. “Tribal culture is deeply rooted in Chhattisgarh. This festival aims to bring the tribals of the world on one platform so that they can connect with each other and cherish their cultures, and their strength and move forward. We are moving towards creating Chhattisgarh as the world forum for tribals,” he said.

Weaving unity in diversity through dance:

Each culture has its own dance style and these styles evolve with time. It is significant to preserve the culture and various means through which the culture is cherished. NTDF is one such initiative of the Chhatisgarh government to embrace art.

The first NTDF was organised from 27th December to 29th December 2019 and the second NTDF was from 28th October to 1st November 2021. Tribal groups from different states and union territories, from countries like Uganda, Uzbekistan, Palestine, Nigeria, Sri Lanka and more have been a part of NTDF’s past editions. It is the third Tribal Dance Festival being organised in the state. In the previous year, 12 countries had shown interest in the event, out of which seven had participated. The cultural exchange would facilitate artistic sharing between tribal artists of different civilizations. The tribal members will also become aware of each other’s unique lifestyles, cultures, and food habits.

This year, 26 countries have shown interest out of which nine countries are going to participate. The tribal artists hailing from Mozambique, Mongolia, Tongo, Russia, Indonesia, Maldives, Serbia, New Zealand, and Egypt will perform at the festival. This time, two themes have been decided for the festival. The first theme is ‘Tribal dance on Harvesting’ and the second theme is ‘Tribal Traditions and Customs’.

Various seminars will also be held on the occasion where discussions about tribal development will be encouraged. The festival is not just a platform to boost state tourism but would also generate employment opportunities for the local people.