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2 NATIONAL FOLKLORE SUPPORT CENTRE National Folklore Support Centre (NFSC) is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation, registered in Chennai, dedicated to the promotion of Indian folklore research, education, training, networking, and publications. The aim of the Centre is to integrate scholarship with activism, aesthetic appreciation with community development, comparative folklore studies with cultural diversities and identities, dissemination of information with multi-disciplinary dialogues, folklore fieldwork with developmental issues folklore advocacy with public programming events and digital technology with applications to voice the cultures of the marginalised and historically disadvantaged communities. Folklore is a tradition based on any expressive behaviour that brings a group together, creates a convention and commits it to cultural memory. NFSC aims to achieve its goals through cooperative and experimental activities at various levels. NFSC is supported by grants from the Ford Foundation and Tata Education Trust. B O A R D O F T R U S T E E S C O N T E N T S Editorial ................................................ 3 The Land ................................................ 4 The World of Folk Literature: Kokborok ...... 6 Garia : A God of the Soil ........................... 7 Tales ...................................................... 9 Why the Snakes Never Look Up at a Kite .... 11 How the World was Made ......................... 13 Folklore: The Unexplored World ................. 16 Bibliography: On Tripura ........................... 18 Images Courtesy: http://www.bamboo-products.org CHAIRMAN Jyotindra Jain Member Secretary, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, C.V. Mess, Janpath, New Delhi TRUSTEES Ajay S. Mehta Executive Director, National Foundation for India, India Habitat Centre, Zone 4 – A, UG Floor, Lodhi Road, New Delhi Ashoke Chatterjee Honorary Advisor, Crafts Council of India, B 1002, Rushin Tower, Behind Someshwar Complex, Satellite Road, Ahmedabad – 380015 N. Bhakthavathsala Reddy Professor, Centre for Comparative Dravidian Literature, Dravidian University, Kuppam - 517425 Dadi D.Pudumjee President, UNIMA International, Director, Ishara Puppet Theatre, B2/2211 Vasant Kunj, New Delhi Deborah Thiagarajan President, Madras Craft Foundation, Besant Nagar, Chennai Molly Kaushal Professor, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, C.V. Mess, Janpath, New Delhi Munira Sen Director, Common Purpose India, Vasanth Nagar, Bangalore - 560 052 K. Ramadas Karamballi, Via Santosh Nagar, Udipi 576 102 Y.A. Sudhakar Reddy Professor and Head, University of Hyderabad, Centre for Folk Culture Studies, S.N. School, Hyderabad Veenapani Chawla Theatre Director, Adishakti Laboratory for Theater Research, Pondicherry E X E C U T I V E T R U S T E E A N D D I R E C T O R M.D. Muthukumaraswamy STAFF Administrative Archivist and Graphic Research Fellow Research Fellow (Library Officer Academic Secretary Designer (Publication) and Information Resources) A. Sivaraj Vinodh Prem Dhas P. Sivasakthivel Seema .M S. Radhakrishnan Programme Officer Programme Officer Research Fellow Research Assistant Research Assistant Support Staff (Publications and (Field Work) (Field Work) (Publications and (Field Work) M. Senthilnathan Communication) Aakaash Nair S. Aruvi Field Work) Manivannan A. Mohana Subhashini Sen Shanthini Sarah Vani Venugopal M. Dhivya G. Ravikumar INDIAN FOLKLIFE EDITORIAL TEAM Editor Associate Editors Guest Editor Page Layout & Design M.D. Muthukumaraswamy Subhashini Sen Saroj Chaudhuri P. Sivasakthivel Seema .M Vani Venugopal For our monthly email newsletter on our activities, please write to info@indianfolklore.org Previous issues of the newsletter can be accessed at http://indianfolklore.org/nfscpress INDIAN FOLKLIFE SERIAL NO.35 JANUARY 2010
E D I T O R I A L SAROJ CHAUDHURI Retired Reader in English, Department of Higher Education, Government of Tripura. E mail: showrose@rediffmail.com Tripura, a small North-eastern state of India, possesses the unique character of a confluence. There are as many as nineteen ethnic groups among its ancient inhabitants; added to them are the Bengalis, the Manipuris, members from other Indian communities, even descendants of Portuguese soldiers under the service of Tripura Kings. All these people have been living in the state for generations and constitute the population of the state. There is a confluence of ethnic groups, of traditions and of culture, and yet, it is not the ‘melting pot’ where the distinctive identities are lost. Each stream has its own distinctive character, and yet, there is a unique synthesis. There is no invasion, no confrontation and no inherent conflict. Cultural dissemination and cultural assimilation are regarded as essential features of civilisation; even where these processes have been at work in this land, it has been without transgressions. This synthesis has been achieved with a true spirit of acceptance and mutual regard. Culture and tradition are best borne by folklores and oral literature. In the study of oral literature of Tripura, it is interesting to note that while folklores have retained their originality; folk lore from each source depicts a world of its own-with its faiths, beliefs, values, norms and ways of life. It will not be just or fair to presume that folk tales from two different sources never have anything in common amongst them. Values and norms are more or less universal in nature. Taboo on incest may be reflected in the oral literature of many communities. “It is a great pity that most of the peoples of the world do not realise how many folklore they have in common” (Allan Dundes). Early man’s concept of creation also might have imaginative similarity. This may account for the similarity between the Chakma tale of Genesis and the Santhal tale of Genesis. There is a discernible similarity in the concept of endless placid water at the beginning; the amphibian (tortoise / crab) being instrumental in creating land; the Creator creating life out of the dirt of his own body etc. Another reason for similarity can be the similar life-conditions. When the occupations for livelihood are the same, and almost the same privileges and predicaments guide the living, similar ideas can be reflected in folklores. Yet another reason for similarity can be identified among the folklores of different ethnic groups, barring a few exceptions, when their cultural matrix is more or less homogeneous. Similarity need not concern the readers, the only concern can be when there is mark of deliberate imposition. There are about a score of ethnic groups in Tripura, and each has a treasure trove of folklores. The Mogs, the Chakmas, the Tripuris and the Bengalis have prominent cultural entities, and they constitute the main sources of the variegated oral literary pattern. Manipuri oral literature carries the legacy of the homeland. Tripuris, Reans, Noatias, Jamatias, Rupinis, Kolois, Murasings and Uchois use Kokborok, the state language besides Bengali. Methodical collection, categorisation, analysis and interpretation of oral literature is quite young in Tripura. In view of the huge and varied range, it will take quite some time. Therefore, any effort in the field is bound to appear insufficient and incomplete. This effort is nothing more than a humble attempt to introduce the huge and enchanting territory of oral literature of Tripura to the rest of the world. It is heartening to note that a group of dedicated and enthusiastic scholars are engaged in exploring the field. With the establishment of North East Centre for Oral Literature in Agartala, the process will surely gain momentum. I express my heartfelt gratitude to MD Muthukumaraswamy who offered me the honour of editing this issue as Guest Editor. I have very little contribution of my own. I am indebted to the scholars: Dr. Nanigopal Chakrabarti. Sri. Chandrakanta Murasingh, Sri. Kumud Kundu Chaudhuri, Sri. Gitya Kumar Reang, Sri. Santimay Chakrabarti, Sri. Sunil Debbarma. Dr. Mrs. Arundhati Ray, Sri. Rupak Debnath, Dr. Nirmal Das and many others, whose collections I have compiled. ❆ INDIAN FOLKLIFE SERIAL NO.35 JANUARY 2010
Page 1: Since 1997 Indian Folklife A Quarte
Page 5 and 6: 5 Tripura has great antiquity, rule
Page 7 and 8: 7 and on, all alone, before a bunch
Page 9 and 10: 9 TALES Collected and retold by: Dr
Page 11 and 12: 11 HOW THE CHHAN GRASS (Thatch) GRE
Page 13 and 14: 13 How the World was made (CHAKMA F
Page 15 and 16: 15 day, he cried out in anger, “T
Page 17 and 18: 17 scholars, a very important mater
Page 19 and 20: 19 NFSC's NEW PUBLICATIONS From the

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