LOCATING AFFINITY WITH NATURE IN TRIBAL NARRATIVES
Keywords:
Fallen branches, Mother Nature, Mother Earth, Breathe nature, Tribal poetry.Abstract
Tribals, we have heard that they never cut trees. They collect the fallen branches for fuel and the stems of the fallen trees are used as stools. They wake up with nature and sleep with nature. Aware of the love and wrath of Mother Nature they worship her with respect and with fear. They play with her, they seek from her, and they meet the end their life happily on the lap of mother earth.
Poetry of Mamang Dai, Gambhini Devi, Jiban Narah, Robin Ngangom, Sameer Tanti, Cherrie Chhangte, Temsula Ao, Nini Lungalang, writings of Baraguru Ramachandrappa reveal the tribal writers affinity to nature and the nature as part and parcel of tribal life. The tribal poetry which was once in oral form is available in written form with the accessibility of education or right to education. With the new awareness the nature provides new metaphors in the changed scenario. As Sameer Tanti says in his poem:
“As the Night Thickens the Stars Nod off”
…. And I keep going like an ever watchful boatman
Crossing over current after current
Across the other side of dreams.
In dream also tribals breathe nature. This paper discusses nature in tribal poetry. The purpose is to explore the tribal life as part of nature through tribal poetry.
