Newman Higher Secondary School, Tobu, commenced a two-day Cultural Fest-cum-Literary Day on October 8 under the theme, “Our Culture, Our Stories, Our Future.”
Organised by the school’s Cultural Committee, the event is being held at the school auditorium, with four houses competing in cultural, literary and indigenous games for the overall championship.
According to a press release , the inaugural programme was graced by Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), Tobu, L Samuel NCS, as the special guest. The programme began with a traditional welcome ceremony and a demonstration of rain calling, highlighting indigenous knowledge and cultural practices. Speaking on the occasion, L Samuel stressed the importance of preserving culture alongside education. He said culture without education was like “a tree without roots” and urged the younger generation to preserve their traditions while adapting to the rapidly changing world.
He cautioned that failure to adapt to changing circumstances could eventually lead to “elimination by nature itself” and called for parents, teachers and students to work together in preparing students to meet the challenges of the modern world. In his welcome address, Principal Rev. Fr. Kevishi Solomon said the event aimed to provide students with a platform to celebrate their cultural identity, preserve traditional practices and develop their literary, artistic and competitive talents.
The two-day fest features a range of cultural, literary and indigenous competitions. Indigenous games and cultural events include folk song, war cry, slingshot, bamboo slit race, cart race and fire-making, while literary competitions include extempore speech, quiz, spell bee, declamation and prepared speech. Other events include solo performances, dance, choir competition, storytelling based on folk tales and cultural dance.
