Echoes of Nagaland: Exploring Themes in Naga Poetry in English

Abstract

Naga poetry in English is a vibrant and evolving body of work that reflects the unique experiences, culture, and socio-political landscape of Nagaland, a state in Northeast India. This study examines the representation of violence in Naga poetry written in English, focusing on how poets articulate the enduring impact of historical and ongoing conflicts on individual and collective Naga identity. Through close readings of selected works by prominent Naga poet, Temsula Ao, this paper tries to analyze the poetic strategies employed to depict the multifaceted nature of violence – from physical brutality and displacement to the more insidious forms of trauma and cultural disruption. Ultimately, this analysis seeks to understand how these poems serve as a crucial space for mourning, resistance, and the articulation of a complex and often fractured Naga experience shaped by violence. The primary method employed in this study will be close reading, involving detailed analysis of the poetic language, imagery, and symbolism. The poems act as powerful testaments, bearing witness to the historical and ongoing violence that has shaped the Naga experience. This paper aims to investigate and highlight these social issues in Temsula Ao’s poems “Blood of other Days” and “New Terror.”