Shad Suk Mynsiem (Thanksgiving Dance)

The Shad Suk Mynsiem or the Thanksgiving Dance organized by the Seng Khasi Seng Kmie Shillong concluded its grand finale of celebrations with pomp and gaiety at the Lympung Weiking, besides the Umkhrah river, in Jaiaw Locality in Shillong, Meghalaya.

Shad Suk Mynsiem is a traditional dance revived by the Seng Khasi. It is organized during spring to resonate with the balance of man and nature. It is when nature rejuvenates itself and mankind is filled with the hope of a rich harvest from the sowed seeds. The Khasi give their thanks to God the Almighty for the blessings he has showered in the year gone by and prayer is offered for a good year ahead.

During the early 1900’s, The Seng Khasi’s had to preserve this traditional dance which began to dwindle due to the oppression of the colonial rulers. The Shad Suk Mynsiem attracted dancers from the nook and corners of Khasi Hills and the venue became congested as years passed by. In 1910, the Seng Khasi leaders decided to shift the venue from Mawkhar to a more open space to the present location at Lympung Weiking, besides the Umkhrah River bordering Mawlai and Jaiaw Locality. It was on April 14 and 15, 1911 that the first Shad Suk Mynsiem, was held at the spacious Lympung Weiking, and was formally known as Shad Suk Mynsiem in 1912.

The General Secretary of Seng Khasi Mr. Banteilang Sing Rumnong also reminded “It is not just a showcase of performance dance. It is the way of life of being a Khasi. Earlier when we had the Shad Suk Mynsiem 25 years back. People were very hesitant and ashamed to admit they were adhering to the traditional religion. Now we have involve the youth to make them learn to be proud to be still flowing the Khasi beliefs and as well as learn the rites and rituals. We try and concentrate quite a lot of activities for the youth. We have to pass our heritage and culture down through the youth because they in turn will become the future leaders of this society.”

Shad Suk Mynsiem is by far one of the most colorful festivals to witness and usher in the spring. The echoes of the beat of drums, cymbals, the melodious tunes of the piped instruments the Tangmuri, open your senses of pulsating beats to the grounds. There you witness the true colors of the rainbow, the maidens and young men dancing to the rhythmic tunes in their colorful attire of the finest silk, gold and silver. God has bestowed onto them.

The maidens dance in the center while the male dancers dance around the females to represent protection, for the family and the community. Being a matrilineal society, the female is the center of the well-being and progress of the family. The Shad Suk Mynsiem reflects the matrilineal and patrilineal aspect of the Khasi society. The man with whips and swords circles the virgins, as protectors of the honors of womanhood having a single strength and resource while the men have in them twelve strength and resource.

Mr. Banteilang Sing Rumnong mentions “there are no changes to the customs. We are trying to reinvent by making it more colorful each year. We try and incorporate each year the traditional decorations and themes and try and improve the dance steps.”