By Dominick Dauni Roising Rymbai
Life is tough, not fair; can be cruel. The second track, Ki Khlur (The stars). Oh, to be a young man in our matrilineal society, not matriarchal! Like the Chad Laho of the Jaintia Hills where a woman dances between two men signifying the father and the uncle, the duality of responsibilities can be a heavy yoke. College is hopes and dreams of youth; also, the attitude “I don’t want to change the world, I don’t want the world to change me”. With students from Shillong’s elite schools and the periphery in the same class and campus, college is a democratic level-playing field, with interactions between the classes. Beyond college, real world beckons. Ma Lou Majaw said: “when life gets too real, take a little time to dream”. A little time, cannot be all time. The tribe is egalitarian; the class divide is real. The upper and upper-middle class (‘riew donburom), old money and the nouveau riche, is well-entrenched with soaring barriers. Access points are few, far and between. There is generational wealth & education, inheritance of social and professional networks for the “blessed” ones. Some just win the birth lottery – waiting jobs and businesses, instagrammic fancy weddings & exotic honeymoons, topped-up with house and/or land ownership. With the right push from family (pynsuh syntiew) or otherwise, some smart (also privileged) ones are “aa kiru kiwa chem slip” (literally to find a big win at the teer/teem counter, also means the ‘convenient business’ marriages). Work hard, follow your passion, they say. That passion can be overcrowded; hardly acknowledged, it’s income stream barely of subsistence level. To make time for culture, environment, politics, etc, ….seriously? To be content with one’s life is a life’s luxury few can afford. The pangs of hunger growl loudly. One is angry, one might just do the stupidest of things. The common-good ecosystem of being there for one another is gradually yesterday’s tradition. With generational gaps, family doesn’t understand; friends have become “too busy”. Heartbreaks are too painful. Ultimately, culturally one may just commit the gravest of sins. Music is cathartic – Tur Shaphrang (to march forward), Ka Umksiar Umrupa (Water for ceremonial rites; whispering a prayer) and Iaid Ko Mynsiem (a clarion call to oneself) possibly can help. But, oh, to defy all odds and, be an exception to the rule! Society’s performative polite hypocrisy endures. Frustration and resentment lingers; the struggle goes on.
Drawing from our ancient past, the words of Ki ‘Lei San Snem (the five year gods, practically the who’s who of society) are intensely angry. The ‘gods’ are the easiest punching bags at social gatherings of sadness and happiness; and despicably on social media, specifically on the who’s who, who happens to be female. Now, let’s reflect, 20 years older and wiser. Our politicians don’t just electorally represent us but reflect the very same tribal casteless egalitarian society – in thoughts, words and actions. And in our first-past-the-post parliamentary democracy, that is atleast 40% to 70% of the community. Easy to blame, harder to walk in their shoes.
The ka ksing and ka bom calls for warriors of Mei Bhabriew (beautiful mother) to fight for the people in Wait Rangdajied (The Sword of the Chosen One). Not all battles are about guns and bombs. We need agricultural scientists, mining engineers with actionable plans on environment regeneration, experts on practical sustainable tourism, and specifically for our rural areas – good doctors, nurses and para-medical staff and, the first external role models to a child (a vocation), good well-paid well-trained teachers. Do we have the will (ka mon), the courage (ba shlur) to make a decision or choice (ban jied), be a fighter for the common well-being, to use our ‘blessings’ for small positive changes? We just need to use our hearts and definitely our brains, which are way bigger (proportionately) than those of nthXL-size dinosaurs. Or we can just fart around (including empty words) and contribute to global warming. Carbon Dioxide is a greenhouse gas while Oxygen is vital for humans. There were studies that said tiny-brained dinosaurs’ farts and burps contribute to climate change and consequently, their annihilation.
The closing track, Mawlynnai: the band’s description, in its official YouTube video, says it all. Like Pandora’s Box, it ends on hope, a prayer of a new day. There are still good people from the upper and upper-middle class, and all classes. Else it will be a countdown to extinction culminating in Sodom and Gomorrah from the Bible.
In the 2000s, Snow White was more of a youthful urban phenomenon. The rural areas were dominated by straightforward witty lyrics and dung dung sounds of the inimitable UN Sun. The popularity of Pradip Kurbah’s music videos, Dur Bhabriew, Dei Maphi and Uff Ka Jingieid, transcends the north-eastern region’s ethnic divide of the student community in Shillong. Music in Shillong’s local taxis and, beyond the yellow maxi cabs and bos smit, explained it all. Aficionados will remember the appearances of (Late) Bah Skendrowell Syiemlieh, (Late) Bah Kerios Wahlang and Kong Battimai Kurkalang, and their duitara(s) in the city’s cultural programmes. The Jaintias had (still have) their movies, music and Bamphalar (theatrical tradition). By the 2010s, the band was on a hiatus; perhaps they were a little ahead of their times. In the meanwhile, they lost their founding drummer. Fortunately, they made a comeback at the Monolith Festival 2016. Since then, they have performed across the Bri U Hynñiewtrep (Indigenous lands of the Hynñiewtrep people).
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What is the influence and legacy of Snow White? Others have taken the sounds of these hills to the national and global stage, say, the Shillong Chamber Choir, the blues of Soulmate, the fusion of Summersalt and, the indie of Meba Ofilia. The pioneering effort of U Rangdajied did lead to Khasi-rock albums of Akhia, Arkaitor and Adroit. Original hard rock music in Khasi language is still there, e.g., the song U Tirot Sing by Dymbur (feat. Desmond Sunn) and the band Thunder’s Cave from Nongstoin. The word Rangdajied was featured in the profile names of social media accounts of erstwhile Orkut (of Google), early Facebook and Myspace; was it heralding the invisible internet khlawait (keyboard warrior)? As opening acts or headliners, it is heartening to see Gen-Z singing along with the band. Today, irrespective of genres, good original music in Khasi with fusion of traditional instruments sells. Irrespective of religious beliefs, both the creators and their listeners love and are proud of the Khasi-ness in the music. Possibly it plays a role in the de-colonisation process, to reclaim and own-up what has always been ours. A 120 years of British Raj will certainly take more than 78 years to disband.
Well it’s 2025. Snow White lost their founding guitarist in 2017. Their latest performance was at PRIME Ruralpreneur 2025 with a Gen-Z co-vocalist. They introduced a new original, Hamsaïa (rumour, hearsay), so apt in this age of ear-piercing fake news and false narratives, amplified by echo chambers. Meghalaya is a peaceful beautiful state with a tourism boom. Traffic and waste management are troubling. A concert economy sounds interesting. The platform Meghalaya Grassroots Music Project is good work. Will demographic dividend be realised or just end up in talks only? The Jaidbynriew of chi troh (a handful, approximately 2-million in a country of 1,450 millions) is still beset with genuine old fears, and newer challenges. Bah (Late) Rana Kharkongor’s Ko Ri Baieid, released in the 1980s, is still relevant. The drugs problem and robberies, and crimes against women and children, leaves one with that par snieh doh (very horrifying) feeling. There is popular support for campaigns against drugs by the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (Police) and the Hynñiewtrep Youth Council (HYC). Not to indulge in fear mongering but will insurgency, with trans-national terror links this time, resurrect again? A BJP-led coalition is in power at our Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic Republic. Terror struck Kashmir with aims to incite communal riots. The country unites. Operation Sindoor needed to happen. Message sent to the troublesome neighbour, terrorism will not be tolerated. A Special Forces army officer from neighbouring Mizoram, Captain Lalrinawma Sailo (4 Para SF), was awarded the Kirti Chakra for conspicuous gallantry linked to Operation Sindoor. Thank heavens, NO prolonged conflict. The Constitution of India is a living document. Enabled by the disruptor Jio, India has one of the cheapest internet data rates in the world. Social media is the media. Worldwide (podcasts, reels, news), technology is all about Artificial Intelligence and, the control of the algorithm.
Running out of ideas, so need to google, oops, to prompt an AI tool; and also to binge-watch OTT shows for some delulu is the solulu. To conclude like Snow White’s signature curtains-down of their live performance, SAY NO TO DRUGS!
(Disclaimer: The piece reflects only the personal opinion of the writer from the Jaintia Hills and is subjected to constructive criticisms and some tolerable trolling. He can be reached at dauni.roising@gmail.com)
