India’s stall dance welcomes General Secretary and President To Lam

On May 5, within the framework of a state visit to India, General Secretary and President To Lam was welcomed by the people of this country with the pounding bamboo rhythms of the Cheraw dance.

According to the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Cheraw dance has a long history, associated with the identity of the Mizo community in Mizoram state. This type originated from the primitive spiritual concepts of indigenous people, before developing into a popular form of performance.

In the course of history, Cheraw played an important role as a ritual dance to pray for peace and preserve the traditional values ​​of the tribe. Over time, the meaning of the dance gradually shifted from ancient rituals to a symbol of joy, fertility and community solidarity.

Currently, dance is the central content of the Chapchar Kut festival (spring festival) and often appears in national symbolic events. In 2010, Cheraw was listed in the Guinness Book of Records when gathering more than 10,000 dancers to perform in the capital Aizawl.

Technically, Cheraw is a combination of physical movement and the rhythm of natural percussion from bamboo materials. A standard performance usually includes 6 to 8 artists, requiring absolutely precise coordination between the two groups.

The bamboo control group consists of young men sitting opposite each other in pairs. They keep long, straight bamboo sticks placed horizontally on two other bamboo sticks placed as bases on the ground. This group performs the action of smashing bamboo sticks together and onto a wooden base in a 4/4 rhythm. The sound of bamboo colliding creates an alternative rhythmic framework for modern musical instruments.

The group of dancers consists of women wearing traditional costumes of Puanchei wrap skirts and Kawrchei shirts performing steps in and out between moving bamboo sticks.

Cheraw’s technical characteristic is that the speed gradually increases over time. When the bamboo beat becomes more intense, the dancer must maintain high concentration to move his feet accurately between the gaps of the continuously opening and closing bamboo bars. Arm and body movements often imitate natural forms such as the movement of trees or the flight of native forest birds.

With a history spanning 2,000 years, Cheraw is often chosen by the Indian government as a cultural representative in welcoming ceremonies for national leaders. Cheraw’s form of using bamboo as props and performance rhythm is close to the bamboo dance of the ethnic groups in Northwest Vietnam.