International Day of the World Indigenous People

August 9th is International Day of the World Indigenous People.
Every year on the day, event is organized by indigenous people to seek human right, cultural preservation.
It was in Shahid Minar near Dhaka University this year.

My neighbor told about this event on the day.
I was a bit late(the program started from 10am), but I could see.

When I arrived, some people were giving speech.
In hot weather, I couldn't make myself listen to it.
While waiting for dance, we went around to take pictures.

Too lovely kid!

  

Dancers with their traditional dress.

They are Chakma, but a girl in the right side of above picture wears Marma's dress.
Their face is somewhat similar to us, Japanese.....

When I walk on the street, sometimes Bangladeshi(usually boys) looks at me, says "Chin-Chan Pon!(they are mimicking Chinese language)".
One of them told me that it happened to them, too.
How does it feel like to be treated as foreigner in their own country?

So after a while...dance started.
Chakma presented their dance and music at first.

Then, Garo tribes.

Stilts?

I heard it was also Chakma culture.

(Japan has the same kind of thing!)

However, now it is only found in village.

(Not sure where to be found in Japan these days....?)

After dance and music, drama started.

The story is about independence of Bangladesh, but by the view of indigenous people.

When Bangladesh fought for independence, people tried to establish country for Bangladeshi, who speaks Bengali.

However from that time, there are many indigenous people.....the story told about it.

Program finished around 2pm.
Then, people started rallying to Bangla academy where stalls were prepared.

Bags, cloth, folkcrafts.....

And some food.....unique in area where indigenous people live.

 

Can you find bamboo shoot?
Thinner than Japanese one, but I used to eat a lot every year when season comes in Japan.

Event is organized every year on August 9th, but time/venue/contents of program aren't the same. (Organizer is also not the same.)
You have to wait for 1 year, but if you are in Bangladesh next year on August 8th, please check information.