PUBLICATIONS
Myth Memory and Folktale of the Wancho Tribe of Arunachal Pradesh is a collection of indigenous stories of the Wancho people that has been produced as a collaboration by British researcher and film-maker Tara Douglas, with Jatwang Wangsa and storytellers of the community. The book, which is published by Niyogi Books (June 2024), is in English, was released at the inaugural function of the Arunachal Literature Festival with the authors, Tara Douglas and Jatwang Wangsa on 13 November 2024, by the Chief guest, Hon'ble Governor Lt Gen Kaiwalya Trivikram Parnaik unveiling the book.
The 32 stories translated from Wancho are accompanied by an introduction chapter, beautiful illustrations and QR codes that lead the reader to listen to some of the folk songs. Tara’s relationship with storytellers in the Wancho villages of the upper region began with her first visit to record their memories, prior to the covid pandemic. The friendships in Kamhua Noknu village, and in particular, her collaboration with Jatwang Wangsa who has become the proficient translator for the projects, has led to extensive documentation of the unique oral histories spoken by the elder people, and to film-making activities with younger participants of the community.
The project, managed by Adivasi Arts Trust and Wancho Literary Mission (Longding, Arunachal Pradesh), is to produce a Wancho language version of the bookMyth Memory and Folktale of the Wancho Tribe of Arunachal Pradesh in the new Wancho script for local readers. It will be the first literature to be published in the Wancho language. Permission is granted for the publication: however, Niyogi Books do not bear the cost. To date, 50% of the cost of the publication (£1200) is provided by a small grant from the Impact, Engagement & Entrepreneurship Fund from the London Arts & Humanities Partnership. The Adivasi Arts Trust must raise the balance amount for the publication to go ahead.
Please support this important initiative to sustain and promote endangered vernacular language by a contribution to the cost of the publication.
Contact: Tara Douglas (Secretary to Adivasi Arts Trust, UK) tarapurnima1@gmail.com
Adivasi Arts Trust Patreon donation site: https://www.patreon.com/c/AdivasiArtsTrust
LIST OF PUBLICATIONS
Douglas, T., and Wangsa J., 2024. Myth, Memory and Folktale of the Wancho Tribe. The Stories of our Ancestors. New Delhi: Niyogi Books.
Douglas, T., 2024. The Wancho Animation Workshop: Interpreting local folklore for animation in North East India. In: The Oriental Anthropologist, Vol. 24 (1), pp 66-89. Sage.
Douglas. T., 2023. The Stories of Our Ancestors: Retelling tribal tales in the medium of animated film. In: Animation Practice, Process and Production. Vol. 12, Issue Decolonizing Animation,
p. 37 – 58. Available at: https://intellectdiscover.com/content/journals/10.1386/ap3_00042_1?originator=authorOffprint&identity=33350057×tamp=20250904155809&signature=3004da174413f387f299cb7b088f0735
Douglas., T., 2020. Collaborative Animation Film-making as a Method to Connect to Indigenous Cultural Knowledge. In: Journal of Adivasi and Indigenous Studies (JAIS), Vol. X (2) pp72–90.
Douglas., T., 2021. Wancho – Upholding the Tribal Traditions of Arunachal Pradesh. In:Articulate [online].Available from: https://articulate.org.in/wancho/
Douglas, T. 2019. Indigenous Knowledge, Participatory Filmmaking and Postcolonial Reinterpretations for Local Audiences. Journal of Educational Planning and Administration (JEPA), NIEPA, New Delhi.
T., 2018. The Animated Mythologies of Tribal India: From Tales of Origination to Multimedia Technology. In: Journal of Film and Media Arts Vol 3(1).
Douglas, T., 2018 Exhibiting the Past in the Present: Verrier Elwin’s Photographs of Tribal Cultures in Central India, London SOAS South Asia Institute Working Papers. Available from: https://www.soas.ac.uk/south-asia-institute/events/seminars/file126893.pdfDouglas
Douglas, T., 2017. Towards a Research Collaboration with Indigenous Communities in India publication on Eastern Himalayas II. India: Routledge.
Douglas, T. 2017. From traditional tools and local spirits to digital tools and new interpretations: reflections on artistic practice in Nagaland . South Asianist.
Douglas, T., 2016. Verrier Elwin as the presenter of the Tales of the Tribes films South Asianist. Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 143-158.
Douglas, T., 2013. The Tales of the Tribes, Folklore from Nagaland. New Delhi: Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH).
