Steering Committee Meeting of the Folklore and Folklife Study Project

The third steering committee meeting of the Folklore and Folklife Study Project was held on 23rd May 2007 under the chairmanship of Prof. Tulasi Diwasa, President and Executive Director of the FOFO Study Project at Bhatbhateni. The meeting was attended by HE Ms. Pirkko-Liisa Kyostila, Charge de Affairs and the project officer Ms. Eeva Maijala of the Embassy of Finland in Kathmandu. The Social Welfare Council was represented by Mr. Raju Joshi. The members of Core Group present at the meeting were Prof. Dr. Abhi Subedi, Prof. Dr. Chudamani Bandhu. Dr. Jay Raj Pant, Mr. Tej Prakash Shrestha, Mr. Hiranya Bhojpure, Mrs. Urmila Shrestha, Mr. Jiwan Joshi and Mrs. Sandhya Joshi were invited as guests.

Prof. Diwasa presented the progress report in the meeting on behalf of the Core Group. HE Pirkko-Liisa Kyostila expressed her satisfaction on the progress of the FOFO project.

Meche Cultural Conservation and Promotion
One day Interaction Programme.

'Meche Samaj Shibiyari Aafat' organized one day interaction programme on conservation and promotion of disappearing Meche folkore and culture on 25th Bhadra 2064. In the programme the president of 'Meche Samaj Shibiyari Aafat' Chandan Meche was the chairman and Prof. Tulasi Diwasa, president of Nepali Folklore Society (NFS) and Mr. Jalendra Meche, Ex-chairman of 'Meche Samaj Shibiyari Aafat' were Chief Guests. The researchers of NFS went for the study of 'Meche Folklore and Folklife' Mr. Tej Prakash Shrestha, Mr. Suren Sapkota, Mr. Ram Kumar Shrestha and Mr. Rohini Raj Nepal also participated in the programme.

Chandan Meche, Jalendra Meche, Ekasari Meche, Ram Bahadur Meche, Khila Meche, Pagal Singh Meche, Santalal Meche spoke in the programme from Meche community. Besides, representatives of the Dhimal community Patra Dhimal, Newar community Dinesh Shakya and Rajbanshi community also spoke in the programme. On behalf of the study team, Team Coordinatior Mr. Tej Prakash Shrestha spoke on the experience of Meche Folklore and Folklife study. Chief guests Prof. Diwasa, Mr. Jalendra Meche and other participants also put their views.

Tharu Folklore and Folklife Study Programme and Press Conference, Dang

On 18th Ashadh, 2064 the researchers of Nepali Folklore Society involved in the study of 'Tharu Folklore and Folklife' organized a press conference to disseminate information on the importance of study of Tharu folklife to the local cummunity of Dang. The researchers of the study team were Dr. Govinda Acharya, Mr. Ashok Tharu, Mr. Bir Bahadur Khadka and Mr. Jitendra Kumar Chaudhary.

The Programme was chaired by coordinator of the study team Dr. Govinda Acharya. Local journalists and various individuals shown participation in the programme. Prof. Tulasi Diwasa, president of Nepali Folklore Society (NFS) was the chief guest in the programme. On the conference Karina Kurin and Eeva Maijala, representative of Embassy of Finland spoke on the importance of study of Tharu Folklore and Folklife as Special Guests. Sudarshan Rijal, secretary of Nepal Reporters Association, Dang and Ram Prasad Poudyal, chairman of Press Union, Dang and others put their views in the programme.

Orientation for 5th and 6th Research Team

Two team of four researchers each were appointed for Meche and Tharu Folklore and Folklife Study Project, agreement was made with them, and MOU and TOR were signed. The Meche research team comprises these experts: 1. Mr. Tej Prakash Shrestha (team coordinator), 2. Mr. Suren Sapkota, 3. Mr. Ram Kumar Shrestha and 4. Mr. Rohini Raj Nepal and Tharu research team comprises 1. Dr. Govinda Acharya (team coordinator), 2. Mr. Ashok Tharu, 3. Mr. Jitendra Kumar Chaudhary and 4. Mr. Bir Bahadur Khadka.

From April 1st to the 12th of April, the researchers practiced to operate the essential equipments and tools needed for data collection (digital camera, digital-audio recorder and video cameras). They also collected some reference materials related to the folk group and were involved in the orientation, whereby they were given the necessary guidelines for field work. Besides, an interaction programme on 6th April was organized in the project office to share the experience between them and the earlier field researchers who had completed their field work. On behalf of the earlier research teams, Prof. Dr. C. M. Bandhu (coordinator, first research group), Mr. Tej Prakash Shrestha (coordinator, second research group) and Mr. Amrit Yonjon (coordinator, third research group) shared their experience of working in the field in course of data collection. The programme was organized in the presence of the project team leader Prof. Tulasi Diwasa, Prof. Dr. Abhi Subedi and Prof. Dr. C.M. Bandhu. Prof. Diwasa had also given the necessary guidelines for the researchers regarding the field study.

Meche Folk Cultural Programme

Meche Folk Cultural Programme was organized on 23rd Ashadh, 2064 at Ayabari, Jorsimal, Mechinagar-3, Jhapa. Ganga Prasad Meche coordinated and Pagal Singh Meche chaired the programme while Prof. Tulasi Diwasa was the chief guest in the programme. There were altogether ten folk songs and folk dances presented.

Pagal Singh Meche, Gangaru Meche, Somalal Meche and Sondari Meche played the musical instruments tabala, flute, and Jotha in the programme. The artists who sang the songs and presented the dances include Pagal Singh Meche, Ganga Prasad Meche, Chandra Bahadur Meche, Bathiya Meche, Niharo Meche, Burunchi Meche, Pinki Meche, Sunita Meche, Radhika Meche, Prasad Meche, Kandri Meche, Asari Meche, Kopchi Meche, Sonto Meche, Ravi Meche, Divas Meche, Ramesh Meche, Sanjaya Meche, Bikram Mcehe, Manju Meche, Arati Meche, Sujita Meche, Somlal Meche, Sondari Meche, Basanchi Meche and others.

At the end Pagal Singh Meche, chairman and Prof. Tulasi Diwasa expressed their views in appreciation of performed Meche folk dances, folk songs and the folk culture.