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American Baptist missions |
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The school specialises in music. Naga boys are taught the saxophone and cornet, while Naga 'misses' with waved hair learn the piano. I was reminded in fact of an entry in Butler's diary written while on a visit to Manipur. 'Shortly after entering the room', he writes, 'and almost before any conversation had taken place, I was suddenly surprised to hear a brass band strike up the well-known notes of "The British Grenadiers" and Colonel Thompson then explained that the Rajah had started a band about six or seven months ago and that it was entirely composed of Nagas, mostly boys, under the tuition of a Mr Pinto. At the Rajah's invitation I walked out to see this band and expressed to him my very great surprise and pleasure at the exceedingly good manner in which they played, which indeed was really the case for I found Mr Pinto had actually taught (59) these wild barbarians to play from music and being naturally gifted with particularly good ears they appear to have taken to it con amore.' |
