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Harmony Unveiled: Human-Nature Dynamics in From the Land of Green Ghosts

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Maitreyee Borthakur   
Ph.D. Scholar, Assam Women’s University, Assam, India.

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 16, Issue 1, 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n1.19
[Article History: Received: 31 December 2023. Revised: 22 February 2024. Accepted: 24 March 2024. Published: 30 March 2024]

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Abstract

In the realm of our circadian rhythm, discussions about nature unveil a myriad of contrasting dimensions. Living beings are an integral component of the natural order, akin to other creatures on Earth. Often labelled as both environmental degraders and nature protectors, humans exist within the interconnected web of nature and the environment. The significance of the environment has been vital throughout history, and the deterioration of the natural world raises concerns for all living entities. The surge in environmental awareness has become apparent with the widespread adoption of technology in society. This paper aims to shed light on the rural framework of the contentedly residing Padaung ethnic group within a village, exploring how their lives are intricately intertwined with nature, serving as their primary sustenance source. Pascal Khoo Thwe’s 2002 memoir, From the Land of Green Ghosts, underscores the importance of the landscape and natural forests in showcasing the culture of the Padaung Hill ethnic group. These forests, functioning as both sources of green vegetables and hunting grounds for wild animals, depict the community as environmental stewards. The memoir emphasizes the community’s cultivation of crops not readily available in the surrounding forests, highlighting their resilience in the face of border-related challenges. Despite the pervasive influence of Western culture on the author’s experiences, the analysis aims to underscore the paradox that those who alter their environment can also assume roles as its guardians. Bridging this divide is crucial, emphasizing the need for collective efforts to preserve the natural world.

Keywords: Co-existence, Culture, Eco-gastronomy, Environment, Food.

Sustainable Development Goals: Climate Action, Life on Land

Citation: Borthakur, M. (2024). Harmony Unveiled: Human-Nature Dynamics in From the Land of Green Ghosts. Rupkatha Journal 16:1. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n1.19 

The Sacred Groves of the Serpent Gods: ‘Sarpakavus’ of Kerala as Indigenous Ecology

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179 views

Devika B    
Senior Research Fellow, Christ University.

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 16, Issue 1, 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n1.16
[Article History: Received: 30 December 2023. Revised: 14 February 2024. Accepted: 20 March 2024. Published: 22 March 2024]

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Abstract

The worship of nature and natural entities has a rich and profound history in most ancient cultures that thrived on the planet. However, as civilizations advanced with technological and scientific innovations, the interconnectedness between nature and human beings gradually declined, and mankind separated itself from its natural habitats. But in many cultures across the world, communities still embody pantheistic traditions, thus showing a sustainable way of living with nature to the rest of the world. This paper explores the tradition of serpent worship and the practice of maintaining sacred groves known as ‘sarpakavus’ in the South Indian state of Kerala. ‘Sarpakavu’, translated as ‘the sacred grove of serpent gods’, are small but dense pockets of biodiversity that are believed to be the abode of serpent gods. Beyond cultural significance, these groves serve as hotspots of ecological diversity. This research delves into the cultural, ecological, and performative aspects of serpent worship within these spaces. focusing on the elaborate rituals of performance and worship associated with the serpent deities, the paper positions ‘sarpakavus’ (sacred serpent groves) of Kerala as an example of indigenous ecology that shows a model of a symbiotic way of living with nature. As Kerala is currently undergoing a rapid urbanization process of building highways, railways, and ports, this research highlights the need to protect and conserve the tradition of maintaining the existing ‘sarpakavus’ and their importance in sustaining the ecological balance of the region.

Keywords: Serpent worship, sacred groves, performance ecologies, cultural ecology, ritual performance.

Sustainable Development Goals: Climate Action, Life on Land

Citation: Devika, B. (2024). The Sacred Groves of the Serpent Gods: ‘Sarpakavus’ of Kerala as Indigenous Ecology. Rupkatha Journal 16:1. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n1.16 

The Ecology of Body Memory in Heisnam Kanhailal’s Theatre

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213 views

Anannya Nath      
Assistant Professor, Department of English, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Adarsha Mahavidyalaya, Behali, India.

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 16, Issue 1, 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n1.15
[Article History: Received: 31 December 2023. Revised: 18 February 2024. Accepted: 19 March 2024. Published: 21 March 2024]

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Abstract

Performance arts provide an ontological framework that enables memory to be performed in ways that make private memory public. ‘Public’ here refers to the spatial component where groups meet and share memory. Theatre, a component of performance arts, is a cultural practice carried out in public arenas. Heisnam Kanhailal’s theatre, popularly known as the “Theatre of the Earth,” rooted in a culture empowered by the earth questions the edifice of Indian dramaturgy and revolutionises performance through the enactment of suffering on stage. The actor in his theatre becomes an embodiment of ‘organic memory,’ the medium through which ancestral teachings of a community and sensory knowledge of being find an outlet. The focus on the actor’s body rather than the conventional emphasis on the psyche suggests that acting is sustained and relayed as an active force. This paper aims to understand how the physical body in Kanhailal’s theatre transforms into a collation of communal memory which creates a space for communication between the deliverer (actor) and the receiver (spectator). By studying the body dynamics shown in his plays, Pebet, Memoirs of Africa, Dakghar and Draupadi, the assessment traces the affective as well as discursive modes of sustaining identity codified in the ecology of the community. Therefore, by making theatre evocative of their history of powerlessness and the bodies of actors representative of these sensitivities, theatre rooted in the community’s ecology creates sites of remembrance, the mental loci of which could be imaginatively accessed and explored.

Keywords: Theatre, Ecology, Actor, Catharsis, Sustainability.

Sustainable Development Goals: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions 

Citation: Nath, A. (2024). The Ecology of Body Memory in Heisnam Kanhailal’s Theatre. Rupkatha Journal 16:1. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n1.15 

Kajari Folk Songs: Mechanism for Emotional Regulation

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153 views

Milan Chauhan1*  & Swasti Mishra2
1Research Scholar, Indian Institute of Technology, BHU, Varanasi. *Corresponding author.
2Assistant Professor, Indian Institute of Technology, BHU, Varanasi.

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 16, Issue 1, 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n1.06g
[Article History: Received: 23 November 2023. Revised: 21 February 2024. Accepted: 04 March 2024. Published: 06 March 2024]
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Abstract

This paper investigates Kajari folk songs as a coping mechanism, shedding light on their role in providing therapeutic support to women in North Indian society. Traditionally sung by women during the Sawan month (monsoon season), these songs serve as vital tools for women to navigate and cope with the constraints of society and gender norms. Despite the extensive research on North Indian folk songs, Kajari has received limited attention through this emotional lens. This article utilizes a secondary data analysis approach to examine Kajari songs from five different books, translated from Bhojpuri to English and subjected to thematic analysis. The focus is on unravelling the emotional turmoil experienced by rural women, attributed to factors such as male migration, the social issue of second-wife, unpredictable forces of nature, unfulfilled sexual desires, and mental and physical suffering. The paper delves into the intricate interplay of women’s emotions, highlighting their resilience and resistance. Ultimately, it underscores the pivotal role of Kajari songs as safety-valve for women in North Indian society.

Keywords: Folk songs, Safety-valve, Left-behind women, Therapeutic Impact, Emotional Identity.

Sustainable Development Goals: Gender Equality, Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Citation: Chauhan, M. & Mishra, S. (2024). Kajari Folk Songs: Mechanism for Emotional Regulation. Rupkatha Journal 16:1. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n1.06g 

Savage Desires: Afghanistan as a Site for Othering in Dharmatma and Khuda Gawah

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143 views

Marjuque Ul Haque  
Independent Researcher, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 16, Issue 1, 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n1.05g
[Article History: Received: 06 March 2023. Revised: 05 March 2024. Accepted: 06 March 2024. Published: 06 March 2024]
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Abstract

This paper aims to explore how Afghanistan is represented in two mainstream Bollywood films from the pre-9/11 period using Orientalism as a theoretical framework. While much literature exists on Afghanistan being Orientalized in Hollywood films, Bollywood representations of Afghanistan have not been studied from similar critical lenses. With the recent takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban after a twenty-year-long war, it is more urgent than ever today to examine Bollywood representations of Afghanistan given the crucial importance of India as a key geopolitical entity in the region. The paper shall study two films from the pre-9/11 period in order to understand if Bollywood has Orientalized the region like mainstream Hollywood films. Bollywood films well known for taking their influences from Hollywood productions, make it likely to be the case.

Keywords: Afghanistan, Noble Savage, Orientalism, Othering, Bollywood, Hollywood, Dharmatma, Khuda Gawah, 9/11, US Media.

Sustainable Development Goals: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Citation: Haque, M. U. (2024). Savage Desires: Afghanistan as a Site for Othering in Dharmatma and Khuda Gawah. Rupkatha Journal 16:1. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n1.05g 

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The Unconscious as Cinematographic Form: A Psychoanalytic Reading of Inception

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Deniz Çelik1*   & Tugba Elmaci2  
1Research Scholar, Media and Cultural Studies (Interdisciplinary) Programme, The Faculty of Communication, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, PA 17020: Turkey. Corresponding Author.
2Associate Professor, the Chair of the Department of Radio, Cinema and Television, The Faculty of Communication, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, PA 17020, Turkey.

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 16, Issue 1, 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n1.04g
[Article History: Received: 14 January 2024. Revised: 11 February 2024. Accepted: 24 February 2024. Published: 06 March 2024]
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Abstract

Freud’s “unconscious,” a lauded seminal psychological contribution, has transitioned into an efficacious narrative device in cinema, evolving into a paradigmatic relationship. This article scrutinizes Inception (2010), a quintessential psychoanalytical film written and directed by Christopher Nolan. It explicates the director’s linkage to psychoanalysis and reveals how he demystifies the unconscious through its utilization both as a cinematic form and thematic device, manifested in discernible dream layers. It is ascertained that these layers perform a bifunctional role as cinematic and narrative elements. Intriguingly, this multifaceted structure extends to character development as well, exploiting the complexities of the characters’ pathologies. Since the filmic structure leverages the pathologies exhibited by the characters, they constitute secondary data for the analysis. The pathologies are aligned with the mental disorder classifications the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TRTM) (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Pertinent character data are analysed in the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings, subsequently subjected to psychoanalytic film analysis, enrich a deeper understanding and fuller appreciation of the representation of the unconscious in the cinematic domain.

Keywords: Christopher Nolan, Inception, Psychoanalysis, Unconscious, Film Criticism.

Sustainable Development Goals: Quality Education

Citation: Çelik, D. & Elmaci, T. (2024). The Unconscious as Cinematographic Form: A Psychoanalytic Reading of Inception. Rupkatha Journal 16:1. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n1.04g 

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The Role of Traditional African Festivals in the Sustenance of the Ecosystem: Ikenge Festival in Utagba-Uno, Southern Nigeria as a Paradigm

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229 views

Augustina Ashionye-Obah Obamwonyi1*  & Joyce Austen Onyekuru2   
1,2 Lecturer Department of Theatre and Film Studies: Faculty of Humanities Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa State. *Corresponding author.

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 16, Issue 1, 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n1.14
[Article History: Received: 30 December 2023. Revised: 25 February 2024. Accepted: 29 February 2024. Published: 05 March 2024]

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Abstract

This study examines the role of indigenous African festivals in the sustenance of the ecosystem. It aims to demonstrate how Ukwuani/Utagba-Uno indigenous festivals, cultural taboos, and sanctions have played a crucial role in preserving the environment and preventing its degradation. It explores the imperative of Ikenge festival in Utagba-Uno, in South-South Nigeria in environmental sustainability. Indigenous festivals are of special importance in the collective existence of a people because they represent their way of life and help them understand their natural environment. The conservation of biodiversity, therefore, calls for the integration of indigenous festivals in curbing the destruction of the ecosystem. The paper argues that an indigenous festival like the Ikenge in Utagba-Uno plays a significant role in the peaceful coexistence of the Utagba-Uno people and their immediate environment. The study employs the ethnographic research design which is a valuable tool for understanding the cultural practices, beliefs, and traditions of a particular community. In this case, the research design explores the natural resources conservation potentials of the Ikenge Festival in Utagba Uno.

Keywords: Festival, Culture, Ecosystem, Utagba-Uno, Ikenge, Sustainability.

Sustainable Development Goals: Climate Action, Life on Land

Citation: Obamwonyi, A.A. & Onyekuru, J.A. (2024). The Role of Traditional African Festivals in the Sustenance of the Ecosystem: Ikenge Festival in Utagba-Uno, Southern Nigeria as a Paradigm. Rupkatha Journal 16:1. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n1.14 

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Richard Schechner Tisch School of the Arts, New York University  Download PDF Version Because performance studies is so broad-ranging and

Preserving the Feitao Ritual in an Era of Globalization: The Heritage Ecology of Maonan Ethnic Minority in Modern China

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240 views

Liu Yixing1*  & Chow Ow Wei2   
1Music Department, Faculty of Human Ecology, Universiti Putra Malaysia.
2Music Department, Faculty of Human Ecology, Universiti Putra Malaysia.

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 16, Issue 1, 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n1.13
[Article History: Received: 31 December 2023. Revised: 20 February 2024. Accepted: 24 February 2024. Published: 24 February 2024]

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 Abstract

This article examines the dynamics of the Feitao ritual, a traditional practice of the Maonan ethnic minority, within the broader context of globalization and heritagization in China. It addresses the challenge of preserving the cultural identity and memory of ethnic minorities amidst economic development imperatives, a dilemma common to many late-developing countries. By focusing on transforming the Feitao ritual from a communal practice to a performative spectacle, this study unravels the intricate process of heritage ecology within minority rituals. Utilizing a combination of ethnological fieldwork and interviews, this article explores the perceptions and approaches toward the post-heritagization of the ritual among the Maonan community members and policymakers. It also emphasizes on the evolution of the ritual into a significant tourist attraction, showcasing the performative transformation of religious practices by an ethnic minority in China. The central argument of this article is that this ritual is formed in ecological interactions; it also symbolizes a self-defense for the rights and a pursuit of recognition for a minority group. It has been a vital medium for the Maonan people to construct and uphold a positive self-perception. This study endorses a faith-aware and community memory-focused approach to preserve the cultural heritage of ethnic minorities. The authors contend that this approach is essential to safeguard the cultural memory and identity of minorities in developing countries like China against the homogenizing forces brought by globalization in China.

Keywords: Maonan minority group, Feitao ritual, heritage, ecology, globalization.

Sustainable Development Goals: Climate Action, Life on Land

Citation: Liu Y., & Chow O.W. (2024). Preserving the Feitao Ritual in an Era of Globalization: The Heritage Ecology of Maonan Ethnic Minority in Modern China. Rupkatha Journal 16:1. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n1.13 

Locating Empire and Capitalism in Amitav Ghosh’s The Living Mountain: A Fable for Our Times

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Amit Kumar1*  & Vikas Sharma2 
1PhD Scholar, Department of English, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, India & Assistant Professor of English, Kamala Nehru College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India. *Corresponding author.
2Department of English, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, India

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 16, Issue 1, 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n1.11
[Article History: Received: 24 November 2023. Revised: 02 February 2024. Accepted: 12 February 2024. Published: 24 February 2024]

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Abstract

Amitav Ghosh entitles the opening section of his nonfiction on climate change The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable (2017) as “Stories.” Here, Ghosh highlights the significance of stories and storytelling practices in re-imagining our age of global warming and climate change. He displays how stories function as stimuli for the resurgence of our imaginative power to re-cognize the “unthinkable”, the non-human world and the intricate relations between humans, nonhumans and the natural environment. Drawing upon the insightful studies of the ecological aesthetics of stories and storytelling in the age of Anthropocene, the paper discusses how environmental storytelling as part of indigenous orality is reinvented by Ghosh in his latest fiction The Living Mountain: A Fable for Our Times (2022) which tends to look at the Anthropocene through the prism of empire and capitalism.

Keywords: Storytelling, Anthropocene, empire, ecocentric, ecological imperialism, capitalism.

Sustainable Development Goals: Climate Action, Life on Land

Citation: Kumar, A. & Sharma, V. (2024). Locating Empire and Capitalism in Amitav Ghosh’s The Living Mountain: A Fable for Our Times. Rupkatha Journal 16:1. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n1.11 

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The Capitalocene Versus Indigenous Eco-justice in Helon Habila’s Oil on Water

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273 views

Trina Bose
Assistant Professor: Brainware University.

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 16, Issue 1, 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n1.12
[Article History: Received: 15 December 2023. Revised: 19 February 2024. Accepted: 20 February 2024. Published: 24 February 2024]

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Abstract

Capitalistic disruptions on the face of the earth and the consequent climatic changes appear as serious global threats in the contemporary era caused by uncontrolled materialistic quests. Helon Habila’s Oil on Water depicts the saga of the perpetual predicament of the dehumanized Indigenous people in Nigeria, who inhabit a land of contaminated water, soil, air, and food induced by inconsiderate oil mining of the British oil companies which colonize and hegemonize both the human and the non-human world. Habila juxtaposes an unyielding decolonizing movement through the revolt of the Indigenous people against the oil extracting companies for eco-justice, which causes decay and death in the vulnerable Indigenous communities. The human-nature dichotomy triggered by capitalism translates into the massive destruction of the livelihood of the poor Indigenous people who rely on natural resources for survival and are not responsible for the detrimental environmental metamorphoses leading to their unemployment and displacements. Using the theoretical framework of eco-Marxism, this study examines the conflict between the commodification of nature and indigenous environmental justice in the Niger Delta. It investigates the politics of oil extraction and how it impacts the people of the region.

Keywords: Climatic changes, eco-justice, Indigenous people, oil mining, Niger Delta.

Sustainable Development Goals: Climate Action, Life on Land

Citation: Bose, T. (2024). The Capitalocene Versus Indigenous Eco-justice in Helon Habila Oil on Water. Rupkatha Journal 16:1. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n1.12 

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