Reclaiming Lost Narratives: Cultural Memory, Historical Transformation, and the Quest for Authenticity in Angami and Naga Literature

‘Any individual within a culture is going to have his or her interpretation of the collective cultural code; however, the individual’s worldview has its roots in the culture—that is, in the society’s shared philosophy, values and customs’ (Saul 194). But what if the passage of time significantly influences our shared philosophy, perception, and retelling of histories? The lack of evidence and the malleability of human memory can transform real events into stories, myths, or folktales. This research paper, by textually analyzing two novels, The Black Hill and A Respectable Woman by Angami and Naga writers, Mamang Dai and Easterine Kire, respectively, aims to explore how histories change over time and how factors like cultural hegemony and social memory contribute to their transformation. It throws light on the fact that it is also important to promote a clear, crisp, and authentic understanding of history by encouraging people to question sources, recognize biases, and appreciate the complexity of the past.