F minor, the first all-female indigenous band, began their journey in October of 2016. The band's line-up was formed by the band's founder, Jadu Ritchil, and co-founder Antar Sku. The band's goal is to reflect the culture and music of indigenous communities residing in Bangladesh, as well as other kinds of global music. Folk music representing indigenous groups is one of the band's major influences.
The band went through many ups and downs in its early career, but managed to stay constant, going from the Garo Wangala Festival 2016 in Banani, to one of the biggest events in the country, "Joy Bangla Concert 2020," at the Bangladesh Army Stadium. By doing this, the musicians want to reintroduce local folk tunes, which are based on the intrinsic elements of life, natural beauty, and local culture. Nachbe Pahar, a piece from this spirit's repertoire, was originally a presentation to Balipara of Thanchi in Bandarban. It's clear that F Minor is the country's first all-female indigenous folk band. "Somosto Din" is one of their most famous and unique songs, since it captures the everyday lives of women in the nation.
The five band members include-Pinky Chiran (vocal), Nadia Ritchil (guitar and vocal), Gendaria Manda (lead guitar), Diba Chicham (cajon and drums), and Akiu Marma (keyboards). All are members of the Garo and Marma communities. All of them are students studying at colleges and universities.
"Neither of these assertions is correct if I say we encountered no difficulty at all or if I say we never ran into any difficulties since we were all female. Our supporters, well-wishers, brothers-sisters-friends, and our elders have all been cheering for us. Additionally, we have found male listeners who are under the impression that we will not be heard or succeed in our present situation, and female listeners who think we are a novelty act that is destined to fail. We welcomed the criticism, but we never took this ground for granted," one band member expressed. "Our accomplishments come from the fact that people share our songs and talk about us. We want to represent our country's unique and diverse culture on a global scale, not just within it," they stated.
We must raise the issue of cultural assault on indigenous communities, and F Minor's songs encourage us to do so. Beyond that, songs in F Minor are a constant reminder that Bangladesh began life with the goal of building a multicultural community. To protect their own languages and cultures, the members of F Minor saw themselves as part of a larger mission.
Written by Souradeep Chakma
Comments