Assam Day

I am Assamese. Or rather, my parents are from the region of Assam, in the far nort-east of India. So I suppose that makes me a second generation British Assamese. Or something.

Anyway, every year, the Assamese community of the UK get together and do stuff, usually on the August Bank Holiday weekend. Sometimes I go, sometimes I don't. This year, I went, buoyed by the fact that our friend Julie wanted me and Nicola to go. Nicola had not attended anything like this before, and it gave her a good opportunity to go out and buy some new, ethnic clothing!

Last time I went (two years ago), I got up on stage and played a couple of songs to the assembled crowd (BaRabica were still going then, so I played acoustic versions of a couple of our songs). It was in stark contrast to most of the rest of the entertainment, which had a distinctly Assamese flaour.

This time around, my contribution was still very much more Anglicised than the others. I played an acoustic version of "Oh my god" by Kaiser Chiefs, and followed it with a new song, as yet unnamed, but written especially for the event. I got a decent response, lots of (metaphorical) Aunties and Uncles saying how much they enjoyed it, and wasn't it great to have something different as part of the entertainment.

Over the last few years, my Dad has usually organised something for the Sunday morning - for the last two or three years, it has been a light-hearted debate (e.g. "This house believes that the Assamese male has much in common with a single-horned rhino"), but this year, Dad and Julie decided on something different. And so Dad introduced the first ever Assam Day Pub Quiz Music Round. There was a mix of English, Hindi and Assamese music, and the whole thing was introduced by Julie and myself. We got really good feedback - when you have such a diverse range of ages and interests in the room, it takes some effort to engage everyone - well done, Dad!

I had a fun time, Nicola enjoyed the dressing up and even participated in some Assamese dancing! However, the weekend will be remembered for the "love" affair between 3 year old Luke and 2 year old Orla. During the pre-dinner speeches, Luke and Orla ran across the dining room (in full view of everyone), before locking into a passionate toddler-embrace. Afterwards, Luke apparently said he liked Orla because she is "pretty". The affair was over shortly afterwards as Orla started running around with the other kids instead. Love can be cruel...