A ‘Bodo village’ in Nagoya, Japan!

GORESWAR, Feb 4 – Three Japanese resource persons, who are well-known nature and culture lovers, visited Assam recently with a view to explore the Kaziranga and Manas National Parks including Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary for their natural scenic beauty and exquisite flora and fauna.

Kuniharu Tamai, Chubu Branch Chief Planner, planning, research, environment, consultant of PREC Institute Inc, Nagoya city, Japan, Yuri Nakagawa, vice-chief, Chubu branch Planning, Research, Environment and Consultant of PREC Institute, Naka-ku, Nagoya city, Japan and Dr Kenji Wako, Professor, Department of Environmental Design, Osaka University of Arts, Kanancho Osaka, Japan visited the State along with a cameraman. The team was led by Dr Kenji Wako from faraway Japan to Assam.

They visited the two National Parks amd the Wildlife Sanctuary one after another and had a first-hand experience of the flora and fauna. During their visit to the National Parks, they were guided by Ananda Ram Boro, senior research scholar, Zoological Survey of India.

The Japanese scholars visited many villages of Assam mainly belonging to tribal people to study the varied cultural ethos and heritage of rural life in the State.

They found the villagers culturally sophisticated and that every village had a lot to offer. So these Japanese began to visit the villages of the Karbi, Dimasa, Boro, Rabha, Mising, Bengali and other ethnic groups with a view to study the status of life as against life in Japan. They found similarities in social customs and culture between the Bodos and the Japanese. They treasured various ideals of Bodo social culture on their journey back home.

They now plan to establish a Zoological garden in Nagoya city in Japan with similarities to the Kaziranga and Manas National Parks. According to their plan, they would be setting up tribal village (like the Bodos) around their proposed garden reflecting Bodo culture and ambience.

The team visited the Bodo villages such as Balahati, Kadamguri, Bagdoba, Gurmow and others in Goreswar area in Baksa district, BTC accompanied by Ananda Boro.

They were felicitated with ‘Arnai’ by All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) unit of Goreswar and welcomed with Kherai dance performed on ABSU office premises by Rwiswmi of Balabari village and Boro Rameha team under the aegis of Kamal (Hangama) Boro and Amar Narzary, president and vice-president, ABSU unit of Goreswar. The team while visiting Goreswar town interacted with reporters and public.