CELEBRATION OF THE MBOTAWA CULTURE FESTIVAL OF THE TENHARIM PIRY KAGWAHIMA PEOPLE

Abstract

This article discusses the celebration of the cultural festival Mboatawa of the Tenharim people, held in the Tenharim Marmelos Indigenous Land from July 16 to 20, 2024. The event brought together Tenharim, Parintintin, and Jiahui villages, highlighting the significance of the festival as a moment of cultural resistance and preservation of traditions. The preparation for the festival involved collective mobilization and the performance of rituals in honor of the deceased. The program included traditional dances, weddings, and the participation of hunters who contributed to the event's food supply. The research was enriched by interviews with village members, who emphasized the importance of Mboatawa in the transmission of cultural knowledge and the maintenance of the people’s identity. The analysis emphasizes the importance of the festival in preserving culture, food traditions, and in shaping collective identity, while also highlighting the challenges faced by indigenous peoples in a contemporary context.

Key-words: Mboatawa, Tenharin people, indigenous culture, cultural preservation, identity.