A three-day workshop on the documentation of the Aka Hrusso language and culture was held at RIWATCH from 20–22 November 2025. Organized by the RIWATCH Centre for Mother Languages (RCML), the workshop the workshop focused on verifying the language data and folktales gathered during the July 2025 field study in West Kameng District, Arunachal Pradesh, and on conducting comprehensive audio-visual recordings to further enrich the documentation.

During the workshop, extensive audio-visual documentation was carried out, including recordings of traditional Aka Hrusso musical instruments, as well as detailed sessions to refine and expand the Aka Hrusso wordlist and sentence list. The workshop hosted six esteemed resource persons from the Aka Hrusso community: Shri Duva Dususow, Shri Dibru Dususow, Shri Miali Sidisow, Shri Sipa Saksa, Smt. Anu Jebisow, and Shri Dorjee Khandu Thasusow. Their expertise, narratives, and cultural insights greatly enriched the documentation process.

A significant highlight of the workshop was the generous donation of valuable Aka Hrusso artefacts to the RIWATCH Museum. These included traditional musical instruments, a bow, arrows, a quiver, and a spear— the objects that hold deep cultural and historical significance for the community. Their inclusion in the museum collection will help preserve and showcase Aka Hrusso heritage for future generations.

Over the course of the workshop, more than 1,400 words, 500 sentences, and 38 folktales were documented. The linguistic data will serve as a foundation for further linguistic analysis, while the documented folktales will support efforts to preserve the rich oral literature of the Aka Hrusso community through the publication of dedicated folktale volumes.

The workshop marked a meaningful step towards safeguarding and promoting the linguistic and cultural heritage of the Aka Hrusso people.

Event covered by

The Arunachal Times : https://arunachaltimes.in/index.php/2025/11/18/kaman-mishmi-language-and-culture-promotion-prog-held/