The Red Rhododendron Songs

For a community living in a state of being “un-belonged” and “nowhere” to rest their sense of belonging, poetry may seem like the least meaningful pursuit in the scheme of societal usefulness. The Tangkhuls exhibit a poignant example of a people who fail to belong fully to any home or category. Although they are Nagas, they are not indigenous to the Indian state of Nagaland. As such, they do not enjoy the privileges afforded to a people living within a state that provides for its citizens. Geographically, the Tangkhuls are spread between the Indian state of Manipur and the Myanmar state of Sagaing Division. Whether imagined or real, the Tangkhuls have never fully associated themselves with the identities of either Manipur or Myanmar. Consequently, they are not at home with the idea of being Manipuri or Myanmarese, either in culture or in spirit. Lost between the states of being Naga by blood and Manipuri, Indian, or Myanmarese by citizenship, the Tangkhuls navigate a complex interplay of identities and borders. Adding to this is the political unrest that has engulfed the Naga regions for the past seven decades, leaving the Tangkhuls in a state of numbness toward artistic endeavors. The creative nuances that once thrived in every Tangkhul man and woman have long been buried, overwhelmed by the madness of daily struggles for survival. The mundane demands of life, intertwined with the uncertainty of existence, have rendered the Tangkhuls a community that is, to some extent, deaf to creativity and stoic in their outlook. This anthology is an attempt to resuscitate the vibrant creative streams that once flowed abundantly within the societal fabric of Tangkhul tradition. By recollecting poems from the past and present, it is hoped that the heartbeat and laughter that once echoed through the Tangkhul hills will be revived, offering the community an opportunity to begin anew. It is further hoped that this humble endeavor will provide the community with a chance to reflect on its critical voices. Poetry has the unique ability to reflect truth-often a bitter truth. The voices expressed in these poems stand not just as mirrors of individual experiences or specific moments in time but the voice of a lone poet also resonates across many generations, capturing the collective essence of a people.