Days of Rage
It is so great that Easterine’s book ‘A Terrible Matriarchy’ has been translated into German. You can now order the book directly form most bookstores or go to the ‘Books for Adults’ page on the Windhover site and click on the link for an online store where you can get your copy!
BARKWEAVER LAUNCHES ITS FIRST BOOK
Barkweaver’s first book, “Naga Folktales Retold” was launched at Dream Cafe, Kohima on the 18th December. Guests arrived well before the launch and one of the sweetest arrivals was 90-year-old oral narrator Salhouthie. The other oral narrator who was present was 77-year-old Kelhouvikuo.
The presence of the oral narrators meant that it had to be a bilingual launch. Which was quite alright. Nagas are adept at code-switching so the first part of the launch began in English and then we rounded it off in Tenyidie. Signing of autographs took place in English, I think.
The response from the local press was heartening. Next morning at breakfast, my sister pushed the papers to me saying, “Well you and David Beckham made it to the front page.” Indeed there we were, Dave on one side of the four-columner and yours truly on the other. Hope Victoria doesn’t subscribe to Naga newspapers.
Book Launch of Lion
It’s not the best film you’ll ever see but there is a man dressed as a giraffe and a room full of keen listeners. My iphone captures some of the book launch as I enjoy it with my daughter! Just click the above link!
New Venture!
Barkweaver Publications.
Barkweaver is a new venture in the publishing world. Barkweaver is a small publishing house being set up initially to publish the folktales of the Nagas in a series of volumes. It hopes to proceed from there to publishing and making available Naga Literature to a global audience. Barkweaver is committed to producing quality books showcasing Naga art and story-telling.
Barkweaver draws inspiration from the bark-weaving of women in the Naga villages, who harvest the bark of the nettle and weave a sturdy body-cloth out of it. It is one of the oldest ways of weaving being kept alive by a handful of women. Our efforts at storytelling in print imitate the solitary bark-weaver in whose nettle-cloths are woven, the stories of her village and her forests, the twin-cradle of our stories and culture.
Barkweaver has collaborated with Keviselie Publications to bring out the first volume of Naga Folktales Retold.
A Terrible Matriarchy translation.
The book will be translated in to German for the Frankfurt Book Fair which is great news. It is always amazing to have work available in different languages and to be able to engage with a wide range of readers.
10 Copies of Windhover
Exciting! 10 Copies of the original Windhover Collection are with us. This is the book we will re-publish in the Autumn. The copies are in hardback and if you would like to purchase one, please contact us.
New Books in development
The Lion in the Refridgerator is now available in Norwegian from the site as a downloadable collection. This will soon be available in print from Amazon, just as soon as we finish proofing and adding some extra illustrations! Ernie and the Water Dwellers is near completion and may be ready as soon as Autumn. You will hear it here first so please make us a regular stop on your web travels!
Review of Easterines ‘A Terrible Matriarchy’
A Terrible Matriarchy
A grandmother (Vibano) still wanting to retain customs from her generation is determined to continue instilling her beliefs into her granddaughter (Dielieno) who has been ordered to leave her own family home to help support her grandmother with home duties. Dielieno has dreams of gaining an education, but the grandmother shows contempt toward any custom allowing girls to expand knowledge and although Dielieno does not mention it directly to her grandmother, she openly states to her parents and close friends that she is being controlled by a terrible matriarchy.
Easterine Iralu has given us the opportunity to relive the life of Dielieno from a very young age until the death of her grandmother with three generations clashing as strong antiquated beliefs are being broken down because of the social culture rapidly changing. Through Dielieno’s dialogue, she gives her grandmother utmost, but begrudging respect without wanting to go down the path of her teaching, and at times this does cause conflict. Dielieno feels aggrieved at the favours offered to her brothers and male relatives for she believes that women should be treated with the same respect, so on occasions her outspokenness and questioning has her chastised for fighting her grandmother’s beliefs.
Dielieno’s story takes the reader through the highs and lows of new life, saddening deaths, continuing customs of the Naga people, Religion, alcoholism, political frustration, and all noted through her very keen mind at a very young age. One chapter on achieving womanhood amongst ignorance is particularly strong for her knowledge is received from a friend (Vimenuo) who is around her own age.
Easterine has given the reader a wonderful, and impressive picture of everyday life in the changing social structure of a small village in Nagaland through the eyes and mind of Dielieno, The dialogue Easterine has used fits beautifully with the storyteller’s straightforwardness, using words and quotes expected to match the age of a young girls vocabulary. Easterine has written many passages pertaining to innocence of a child, and a number that a child should not be expected to understand, but through Dielieno we take her journey with her family, friends, acquaintances and a terrible matriarchy.
Review by Laurie Lindsay
Website Under Development
This website is being built as you read this post! If you have fallen across this page you are most welcome to have a look around yet the site will not be finished until the end of May 2009. Many thanks!
