Sofiyum

Sofiyum is the only Lepcha Folk Music Band in the world . From the small Himalayan state of Sikkim - the band composes folk songs in Lepcha language . Lepcha language is an endangered spoken by barely 20000-30000 people in Sikkim and the hills of Darjeeling in West Bengal state of India. Once official language of the region - Lepcha ( know as Rong Aring to the Lepcha people) , has now been reduced to a language spoken barely even by its own people. Numerous efforts have been made to safeguard and protect the language from vanishing.
Sofiyum - literally in Lepcha language means breeze , it represents the soft cold breeze of the winter season as the Lepcha festival of Naamsoong( new year) begins.
About Sofiyum
With the growing fear of losing the language and its existence - a group of young and rejunated Lepcha youths came together in the year 2012 and came up with an idea to form a band that would serve the purpose of popularizing Lepcha music and in turn safeguarding the Lepcha language. Hence , the folk music band came together accidentally with the collective effort of some independent musicians. Since then , the band and its music has been quite popular with the Lepcha population . They have been performing Live Shows and have also been credited with a couple of wonderful compositions and recordings.
Members
Vocals/Tungbuk/Puntong : Mickma Tshering Lepcha - He leads this Lepcha folk music band . He has also been awarded as a Youth Icon by the Government of India with Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar Award.
Vocals/Guitar : Ongyal Tshering Lepcha
Tangdar/Percussions : Norden Lepcha
Drums/Percussions : Palden Lepcha
Guitar : Leeyong Lepcha
Bass Guitar: Chyuzong Lepcha
Vocals/Percussions : Choki Lhamu Lepcha, Phursong Lepcha, Tshering Doma Lepcha, Phurba Doma Lepcha

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