Book Series
- World Oral Literature Series vol. 9
- ISSN Print: 2050-7933
- ISSN Digital: 2054-362X
Copyright
Janet HujonPublished On
2018-04-25ISBN
Paperback978-1-78374-468-8
Hardback978-1-78374-469-5
PDF978-1-78374-470-1
HTML978-1-80064-556-1
XML978-1-78374-505-0
EPUB978-1-78374-471-8
MOBI978-1-78374-472-5
Language
- English
- Khasi
Print Length
100 pages (viii + 92)Dimensions
Paperback156 x 5 x 234 mm(6.14" x 0.21" x 9.21")
Hardback156 x 8 x 234 mm(6.14" x 0.31" x 9.21")
Weight
Paperback339g (11.96oz)
Hardback710g (25.04oz)
Media
Illustrations3
OCLC Number
1096897095LCCN
2019452732BIC
- DS
- DCQ
- DCF
BISAC
- LCO004000
- LIT022000
- POE009000
LCC
- PL4451.9.T46
Keywords
- Soso Tham
- Khasi
- long poem
- poetry
- northeastern India
Tales of Darkness and Light
Soso Tham's The Old Days of the Khasis
- Soso Tham (author)
- Janet Hujon (translator)
- Mark Turin (preface by)
Soso Tham (1873–1940), the acknowledged poet laureate of the Khasis of northeastern India, was one of the first writers to give written poetic form to the rich oral tradition of his people.
Poet of landscape, myth and memory, Soso Tham paid rich and poignant tribute to his tribe in his masterpiece The Old Days of the Khasis. Janet Hujon’s vibrant new translation presents the English reader with Tham’s long poem, which keeps a rich cultural tradition of the Khasi people alive through its retelling of old narratives and acts as a cultural signpost for their literary identity.
This book is essential reading for anyone with an interest in Indian literature and culture and in the interplay between oral traditions and written literary forms.
This edition includes:
• Original text • English translation
• Critical apparatus • Embedded audio recordings of the original text
Endorsements
Soso Tham was an Indian poet who worked at a time when English was slowly effacing the nuances of ancient Indian culture. Now, however, in Janet Hujon’s valuable translation, English is the very medium that enables Tham’s poetry to reach a wider audience. Hujon draws on parallels from the Romantic imagination and other sympathetic literary traditions of myth to illuminate and contextualise Tham’s work for an English-speaking audience. This translation will contribute to giving Soso Tham the wider recognition he deserves as a poet, and more generally to introduce Western readers to the rich literary traditions of northeast India.
Dr Vayu Naidu
SOAS, University of London
Additional Resources
Contents
1. Introduction
(pp. 7–16)- Janet Hujon
2. A Short Biographical Note
(pp. 17–18)- Janet Hujon
3. Khasi Folktales About Darkness and Light
(pp. 19–22)- Janet Hujon
4. Ki Symboh Ksiar – Grains of Gold
(pp. 23–26)- Soso Tham
5. Ka Persyntiew – The Flower Garden
(pp. 27–30)- Soso Tham
6. Pyrthei Mariang – The Natural World
(pp. 31–34)- Soso Tham
7. U Lyoh–The Cloud
(pp. 35–42)- Soso Tham
8. U Rngiew – The Dark One
(pp. 43–50)- Soso Tham
9. U Simpyllieng – The Rainbow
(pp. 51–56)- Soso Tham
10. Ka Ïing I Mei – Home
(pp. 57–64)- Soso Tham
11. Ka Meirilung – Gentle Motherland
(pp. 65–70)- Soso Tham
12. Lum Lamare – Lamare Peak
(pp. 71–78)- Soso Tham
13. Ka Aïom Ksiar – Season of Gold
(pp. 79–84)- Soso Tham
Preface
(pp. 1–4)- Mark Turin
Acknowledgements
(pp. 5–6)- Janet Hujon