SOCIO CULTURAL CONSCIOUSNESS AND POLITICAL FACTIONS IN THE SELECT POEMS OF EASTERINE KIRE

Abstract

Easterine Kire Iralu is one of the literary voices of her native Nagaland. She brings out the importance of Naga culture especially Angami tribe through her narrative poems. Storytelling acts as a part of their culture. All her poems are based on her own experience and ideas which, she received from her elders. She expresses the glory and sufferings of Nagaland under the control of the British as well as the Indian Government. These impacted their culture and lifestyle of Naga people. Cultural consciousness makes people realize their own culture to which they belong and makes them to relate with various cultures of societies, and people of different eras. She has the consciousness towards her lost culture and that consciousness made her to elucidate the vibrant culture of Naga people through her writings. Culture defines an individual’s identification, esteem, and endurance based on cultural mutation. Folklore, rituals, and stories bring those values alive and reinforce the consciousness in culture. Cultural consciousness is much evident in her poetic lines. This paper explores the cultural consciousness of Nagaland in terms of socio-political crisis in the selected poems of Easterine Kire.