Oi Nitom
Oi Nitom (Mising: Oi: Nitom; Assamese: ঐনিতম) is a traditional music form of the Mising community of Assam. The Mising tribes consider this type of song as a folk song.
Characterization[edit]
Oi Nitom can be characterized as songs of love.[1] The term Oi Nitom literally means "song of the dear one" in the Mising language.[2] They are then in some ways similar to Bihu with natural lyricism and picturesque imagery.[3]
An example:[4]
Longé: miksi dínamdém
Apongépé tí:langka
Yumé miksi dénamdém
Kerasinpé romlangka
In the Mishing community[edit]
The Mising people have several forms of folk songs, such as Abang, Kabang, Birig, Lupo and Oi Nitom.[5] However, the form of Oi Nitom has gained exceptional prominence and attention compared to other forms of Mising folk music.[3]
Another way of classifying Mising folk songs is as Religious Abang, Oi Nitom, Kaban, Ko-ni-nam and Moman, where Oi Nitoms are songs of love, Kaban are songs of lamentation and Ko-ni-nam are lullabies.[1] Oi Nitom has slowly replaced Kaban, which used to be the prominent form of folk music among the Mising.[3]
The Mising people dance to the tune of Oi Nitom in festivals like Ali Aye Ligang.[6]