When words reclaim heritage: Naga Identity and Cultural Documentation in Easterine Kire’s: When the River Sleeps

Abstract

This paper presents literature from the North-East region as a crucial medium to assert their distinct identities and resist cultural assimilation. By voicing their experiences and histories through literature, the people of the North-East seek to counter the misrepresentation and marginalization they have faced historically. Within the premise that North-Eastern literature embodies a resounding voice of resistance, emerging from the profound need to preserve and assert distinct identities, this paper delves into the subtle layers of identity construction and preservation within Naga society as depicted in Easterine Kire’s novel “When The River Sleeps.”