Ashish Lohorung Rai

As you may or may not have heard the news from a horse’s mouth, on behalf of the team I would like to share a good news with you. Recently, Kirat Rai Yayokkha Sydney Australia (KRYSA) decided to participate in a Cultural Dance Competition organised by NINFA on the occasion to celebrate the World Indigenous Day 2011 (August 9) at Campsie. Under the Kirat Council Sydney, artists and volunteers spent at least a month to prepare a Sakela Dance and Chyabrung Dance for this event. Albeit the short time notice of rehearsals and preparations, with involved everyone’s sheer dedications and can-do attitude, we have pulled through a winning pair out of 6 contestant groups.

I am very much glad to share the good news that Kirat Limbu Chyabrung Dance was declared the winner and Kirat Rai Sakela Dance the runner-up. I would like to congratulate everyone of you (Kirat – Rai, Limbu, Yakkha and Sunuwar). And special Congratulations and a Big Thank you go to the Dance Artists and Volunteers.

Obviously, to make any event a worth while and success there will always be a bunch of volunteers’ efforts, contributions and dedications at the background. I would like to congratulate these volunteers and on behalf of the team, would like to extend a Big Thank you once again to followings:

Sakela Dance Artists:
1) Degana Rai
2) Bashodha Rai
3) Anupama Rai
4) Jyoti Rai
5) Shrijana Rai
6) Ram Kumar Rai
7) Naresh Rai
Sushil Tumbahangphe
9) Anand Lohorung Rai
10) Sanjay Rai

Song and Rhythm:
1) Narendra Rai
2) Santosh Rai
3) Pradeep Rai
4) Sashi Chandra Rai

Volunteers:
Food and Beverages: (during rehearsals)
1) Sashi Chandra Rai and Family
2) Mohan Rai and Family
3) Chitra Tumbahangphe and Family
4) Samir Bantawa and Family
5) Santosh Rai and Family
6) Ashok Rai and Family
7) Sashi Limbu and Family
Narendra Rai and Family
9) Raju Subba and Family
10) Major Bhala Rai and Family

Dress up and attires co-coordinator:
1) Bashodha Rai

Dresses and attires, jewelleries lenders/contributors
1) Barsha Rai
2) Bindya Subba
3) Menuka Rai
4) Sharmila Rai
5) Bisa Rai
6) Sumitra Rai (Ram’s mother)
4) Bona Rai

Dance Silli creator/contributor
1) Bashodha Rai
2) Degana Rai
3) Jyoti Rai
4) Ashish Lohorung Rai
5) Narendra Rai

Gone 9th August was the most remarkable day for the indigenous people (IPs) all over the world. Here in Nepal many different IPs related organizations including our Lohorung Yakhkhama Yuyong (Lohorung Women Organization) also took part in that event. LYY has exhibited food stall and Dhaka cloths at Dasarath Stadium during the event period of three days. That day was the last day of a week long event where many different types of games such as Badminton, Traditional Archery etc were held.
The final day started from a rally at Khulamanch, Ratnapark where many indigenous peoples gathered before setting off. NGO-Federation of Nepalese Indigegnous Nationalities (NGO-FONIN) had been organizing “Singnature Campaign”. Finally about two kilometers long cloth signatured by different people of the Kathmandu valley were asked to carry by the people taking part in that rally. It was really a unique and fun experience for me to help them to ask different people at the roadside for asking to do signature and distributing pamplates.