A blend of indigenous and Bangalee culture

Singer Alpana Chakma

There is an inherent sweetness about the Chakma phrases like Jimit jimit juni jwaley or Uttan pegey meghey meghey--titles of two Chakma songs very famous among the indigenous people of the hilly regions of Rangamati, Bandarban and others. And listening to the songs gives one the wonderful feeling of ecstasy and of affinity with nature.

Interestingly, Alpana not only sings Chakma songs, she is also a Rabindra Sangeet artiste. In 2002, Commitment Products released an album of Rabindra Sangeet, Nirantar Anandadhara, along with her Chakma title Jimit Jimit Juni Jwaley.

"I was attracted to music since I was very young," says Alpana. "My chief inspiration for learning music was my mother. Often, she would sing and I used to imitate her." By the time she studied in college during the mid-1970s, Alpana had been a regular performer of Chakma songs at the Chittagong Betar.

After coming to Dhaka to study architecture, she got admission in Chhayanaut. However, she failed to continue with her music lessons due to studies. Her studies over, Alpana sought admission in Sangeet Bhavan in pursuit of learning music again. And she chose Rabindra Sangeet. "Since my childhood I was attracted to this particular genre--I often used to learn songs just listening to others," she reminisces.

At Sangeet Bhavan, Alpana learnt Rabindra Sangeet from eminent singers Kalim Sharafi and Rezwana Chowdhury Bannya. Later, she took lessons from Papiya Sarwar and Sadi Muhammad aswell.

In 1997, Alpana passed the auditions of Bangladesh Television in both Rabindra Sangeet and Chakma songs. "Since then I have performed on BTV on various occasions, but only Rabindra Sangeet as there were not many programmes on indigenous music," she points out.

Chakma music's original form is known as Ubhogeet, akin to Bangla Pala Geet, in which Alpana says she is not an expert. "The songs of my album are like the modern Bangla songs sung only in Chakma language," she says.

Presently serving in the architecture department of the government, Alpana believes that the indigenous culture of the country needs promotion. " There are many beautiful aspects of the ethnic culture, which immensely contributed to the country's cultural scenario," she says.