Cheraw dance of Mizoram

Cheraw is a very old traditional dance of the Mizos. It is believed that the dance had already existed way back in the 1st Century A.D., while the Mizos were still somewhere in the Yunan Province of China, before their migration into the Chin Hills in the 13th Century A.D., and eventually to the present Mizoram. Some of the tribes living in South East Asia have similar dances in one form or the other with different names.

Men sitting face to face on the ground tap long pairs of horizontal and cross bamboo staves open and close in rhythmic beats. Girls in colorful Mizo costumes of ‘Puanchei’, ‘Kawrchei’. Vakiria’ and ‘Thihna’ dance in and out between the beats of bamboo. This dance is now performed in almost all festive occasions. The unique style of the ‘Cheraw’ is a great fascination everywhere it is performed. Gongs and drums are used to accompany the dance. Today modern music also complements the dance.

The people of Mizoram set a New Guinness World Record on March 12th 2010, for the Largest Bamboo Dance in the World. 10,736 people dancing in synchronization.

In this video, you will see some students of Nuchhungi English Medium School, Hnahthial performing cheraw dance on Teachers’ Day, 2013 at Hnahthial.