Ethno-Narratives : Identity and Experience in North East India

Contents: Preface. Contributors. 1. Introduction: Identity and experience in North East India. Ethno-narratives: 2. Gender and power : Women-centred narratives from Ao-naga folklore/Temsula Ao. 3. The signifying dimensions of the folk : A study of ka \'Tiew Larun/Esther Syiem. 4. Descent of the \'seven huts\' : Folk narrative as structure of the Khasi Pnar consciousness/Abhijit Choudhury. Constructions of ethnic narratives: 5. Resistance in verse/Sajal Nag. 6. Narratives claims and identity impasse : the experiences of the nowhere people/Rajesh Dev. 7. Wisdom and reason : Decolonizing ethnography in North East India/Prasenjit Biswas. Identity and experience: 8. Representation of gender : Marginality in the visual narrative of M.H. Barbhuyan/Moushumi Kandali. 9. The failed narratives of North East India : Sujata Miri\'s the broken circle/Zilkia Janer. 10. Sylheti narratives : memory to identity/Sukalpa Bhattacharjee. 11. Negotiating frontier spaces : Narratives and the idea of a \'Goalparia\' identity/Sanghamitra Misra. 12. Myths, tradition and identity : women in Khasi matriliny/Patricia Mukhim.

"The specific ethno-narratives of various communities of North East India with a wide range of themes; starting from the construction of identities through folk and ethno-narratives to political and historical structuring of ethnic identities have been contributed by scholars, known both for their erudition and commitment, in this volume. Most of the articles have drawn upon a methodology of insider\'s and participant perspective in order to portray the experiential aspects of claims of community and identity. The book may be of the interest to those interested in the subject and in the North East India." (jacket)