Rewben Mashangva

Guru Rewben Mashangva is a Naga folk musician and researcher, director of the Naga Folk Music Academy and a pioneer of what has been called Naga folk blues. He was named for the Padma Shri in 2021 in the field of art, from Manipur ^[1].

Songs from the elders

Mashangva was born on 21 June 1961 in Choithar village, Ukhrul district ^[2]. He grew up learning Tangkhul folk songs, hao laa, from the village elders, and heard music from around the world on the radio ^[2]. He taught himself traditional instruments as well as guitar and sitar, and began composing ^[2]. His breakthrough came at 31, performing to a large crowd at the Naga Students’ Federation conference in Ukhrul in 1992 ^[2].

Naga folk blues

His three albums are Tantivity from 1999, Creation from 2007 and Our Story from 2011 ^[2]. He has performed at the World Social Forum in Delhi in 2006, the SAARC folklore festival in 2007, an indigenous peoples’ fair in Chiang Mai in 2008, the Rajasthan International Folk Festival in Jodhpur in 2009 and concerts in China in 2015 and 2016 ^[2]. He was a visiting professor of theatre arts at the University of Hyderabad ^[2].

Instruments and a museum

Mashangva makes and reinvents traditional instruments such as the tingteila fiddle, a four-hole bamboo flute and cowbell percussion, and runs a private museum of Tangkhul culture in Ukhrul ^[2]. He acted in and wrote music for the National Award-winning film Songs of Mashangva, and composed for the award-winning documentary Wearing the Face ^[2]. He also works on environmental protection and conflict resolution ^[2].