Exploring the Ambivalence of Tribal and Gender Narratives in Mamang Dai’s the Black Hill

Abstract

Ecology as a component of sustenance of life is complex, multi layered and interconnected, where the author ideating from the space of being ‘human’, tries to emerge as ecologically responsible in the articulation of identity construction. It is in this context that the present paper seeks to analyse how Mamang Dai in her novel, The Black Hill envisages on the task of blurring out the ecological self and the other through her characters in a post-colonial context. Such ecological vision in Mamang Dai’s work provides as a mouth-piece for her personal philosophy which is also entrenched in the mythical folklores of the Adi community. The novel has also highlighted the ideological enrapture of colonialism which resulted with the advent of Christianity and how this led to the change of the pagan culture. An attempt shall also be made to analyse the novel along the lines of deep ecology and the author’s attempt to develop an ‘ecosophy’ of preserving the native tradition while living harmoniously with the intrinsic values of nature.