A painting by Raphael Warjri. Telegraph picture

Shillong, March 16: When writer Donbok Tarcisius Laloo was not spinning tales, he was wandering across villages collecting vignettes of Khasi life — of an ethnic cremation ceremony, a drum ritual that has relocated to Jaintia Hills, monoliths that still inspire awe and the legend of a serpent that brings wealth.

And there began an artistic journey that led Laloo and visual artist Raphael Warjri to produce and inspire some invaluable documentaries on disappearing Khasi traditions.

The endeavour began 20 years ago, when Laloo concentrated mainly on writing and Warjri was a visual artist who used to design book jackets and sketch illustrations.

Though Laloo died in 2007, 50-year-old Warjri has kept the passion alive.

“Laloo and I shared a common passion and interest of documenting the folk culture of the Khasis. He (Laloo) became my confidant and guide. Our maiden venture was a documentary film on the indigenous musical instruments of Ri Bhoi,” Warjri said.

The shared passion gave birth to Riti Academy of Visual Arts in 1991 with help from acoustician R. Parlang Phawa to produce their first documentary, Harmonious Rhythm — on indigenous musical instruments, which include Ka Mieng (Jew’s harp), Ka Talwak (single hole flute) and Ka Saitar (a stringed instrument).

Warjri had always been attracted to Laloo’s work. “His research work was very thorough and he was a very resourceful person,” Warjri said.

“Since then, there was no turning back,” he said.

The Wandering Drums, on a percussion ritual of the Lamare clan which has since moved to Jaintia Hills, was filmed in 1994 with culture exponent Sumar Sing Sawian.

In 1996, the Ka Krud Ksing highlighted the community ploughing practice at Umtyrkhang village in Ri Bhoi district.

Next, the academy documented a cremation ceremony of Lyngngams, a sub-tribe in West Khasi hills, titled Ka Phor Sorat, in 1997, which went on to be nominated to the Film South Asia ’97 — a festival of South Asian documentaries at Kathmandu and at the Dhaka International Short Film Festival in 1999.

The Language of Stone, about the megalith culture of the Khasis, was made in 1998.

A docu-drama on the practice of thlen sorcery in Khasi society based on a book by Laloo, Ka Iieng Tin Saw, came in 2001.

In 2006, the illusion of the serpent legend U Thlen found place in a film, Ka Dur Maia U Thlen, that explored the territorial conflict of man and animal over space for habitation.

An entrepreneur, Prabhat D. Sawian, pitched in to film a documentary on herbal medicines for Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage.

Another project with Sawian that is in the offing, is a documentary film on the rain forest of the region in general and the state in particular.