Preserving Sounds: How One Musician is Reviving Ancient Songs with a Modern Twist

Rewben Mashangva is not your typical blues musician. He’s on a heartfelt mission to merge ancient songs from his Tangkhul Naga tribe with modern blues, creating a unique genre he calls“folk blues.”The journey is far from easy, as he has faced criticism for keeping these ancient traditions alive, but the passion in his voice tells a different story. He’s traveled to over 200 remote villages, lovingly recording the songs of elders who have kept a thousand-year-old oral tradition afloat, despite the forces threatening to silence it.

Through his music, Mashangva transforms these ancient songs into something fresh and relevant, appealing to younger generations raised on rock and K-Pop. His son, Saka, performs alongside him, illustrating how these songs create a bridge between the past and the present. Boldly, they show how preservation is less about stagnating culture in time and more about breathing new life into it. So, here’s to Mashangva—proving that, sometimes, looking back is the best way to move forward in music and culture alike!