A feature by James Khangenbam
Mangka Mayanglambam the renowned folk singer of Manipur started to attend formal Pena classes when she attended class 8. Traditionally she has to visit her teacher late Oja Khangembam Mangi to attend Pena classes on Moirang Kangleirol and Laiharaoba. She also learnt Pena from her father Oja Mangangsana. Pena is an indigenous musical instrument of the Meitei community. Pena performances involve playing the musical instrument and simultaneously singing with graceful body moments. Mangka with her talent combined with passion, hard work and dedication had attained an iconic status in Manipur. Her unique voice synced with the melodious pena music had touched the heart of many including artists from different countries whom she collaborated with for musical performances. The traditional hairstyle and attire she wore during the performance had become symbolic. When children approach her for Pena classes they would come with the same hairstyle and a phanek (Traditional dress) in their bags.
Beyond her performances, she has been giving classes to children below 15 years since 2014. For the current year, she is giving classes to batches of students numbering around 300 students every Sunday. Among her students almost 10 of them have received a National Scholarship and some of them have become approved Radio artists. During corona pandemic, she was giving Pena classes online. Online classes had a wider reach as students from beyond the state including Cachar, Silchar and metropolitan cities have joined. Some parents want their children to attend Pena classes for learning Manipuri languages especially those living in big cities. And ninety-five per cent of her students happen to be girls while few are transgender and very less boys. She also gives special focus to some distinguished students whom she performs with to substitute her in Pena classes when she is on tour for musical performances. By the time of filing this article, Mangka is bound for Switzerland and France for Pena music performance.
As a folk artist, she has to visit many villages in the State to seek knowledge about various traditional songs, stories and practices. She felt that musical Collaboration enables one to know better about various communities living together. So far Mangka has collaborated with Japanese folk singer Motonaga Hiromu in Sakuhachi Meets Pena, with a famous Portuguese band Cla for a musical piece called Nura Pakhang, with a Hawaiian for a musical piece Engeleihua, performance with local artists at Taketomi and Ishigaki island, Okinawa Japan. She is now working with an artist from Wales for a musical piece titled ‘Re ra hei’.
Many youths from the current generation may not be aware that the meetei ancestors use to keep hairstyles for many reasons especially the women. When nachom (flower) is worn on the left ear it signifies that the lady is single, if it is worn on the right ear it indicates that she has someone in her life (married). If a woman wears her hair by making knots on the top of her head, it indicates that she is a mother to a child as the phrase goes ‘Lutong Sambul Pullabi. Such traditional knowledge and practices are also part of the knowledge a folk singer sometimes explores which actually bridge a gap between generations. And Mangka is a great example. Her humble enduring effort of running Sunday classes over the years had given something to the society. She had so far imparted Pena knowledge to around three thousand students in the last decade. In future she hopes to establish an Academy for Pena performance.