Land and identity in poetry from Northeast India: an ecocritical reading

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article explores how contemporary poets from Northeast India articulate the profound connections between Indigenous communities and their natural environments through literary expressions. By analysing works by selected poets, the study highlights how they address ecological and cultural transformations driven by modernity and globalisation. Nature-centric imagery and symbolism form the core of their resistance against forces like capitalist development and resource extraction, lamenting the erosion of traditional ways of life while defending Indigenous epistemologies. The study utilises thematic analysis to explore how these poets convey the intricate relationship between land and identity, and reflects on the politics of representation, stressing the inclusion of marginalised voices. It argues that these poetic works not only represent cultural loss but also bear witness to the resilience of Indigenous identities, firmly tied to the land. These literary depictions expose the ruptures between capitalist progress and place-based identities, evoking emotional attachments to threatened lifeworlds.