Dr. Desmond Kharmawphlang on ‘Myths and Metaphors associated with Rice’
Oral Traditions: Continuity and Transformations, Northeast India and Southeast Asia, Shillong (1st-4th February, 2016);Conference
Description
Dr. Desmond Kharmawphlang talked about ‘Myths and Metaphors associated with Rice’, detailing the essence of rice myths, rituals and development in the backdrop of oral traditions sustained by the Khasis of Meghalaya. Through sharing a video of one of the diminishing rituals, he drew attention towards the need to appreciate the poetics of oral tradition, which requires us to accept that the term ‘oral’ is as important as ‘tradition’. Largely, the application and representation of oral tradition is understood in the context of formalized verbal genres but it is important now, more than ever, that it is seen as a vital building block of ideas and practices that we use in our daily lives. He talked about an enormously critical role performed by oral tradition in the transactions of our daily lives by formulating meaning to notes of existence, bringing legitimacy to cognitive categories and social activities. Drawing similarities between the origin tales revolving around cucurbits of Northern Indo-China, Northeast India and Southern China, he said that this phenomenon reflects the crucial role played by cucurbits in the lives of people, perhaps in the distant past.
Project Title
Oral Traditions: Continuity and Transformations, Northeast India and Southeast Asia, Shillong
DOCUMENT TYPE
image
Identifier:
SC_29
Related Term
Oral Traditions
Related place
Shillong
USE RESTRICTIONS
In Copyright
RIGHTS HOLDER
INTACH
