Folk Literature of the Misings

Abstract

The present work of Dr. Jawahar Jyoti Kuli has been highly appreciated by the Mising Agom Kebang and considers it to be a pioneering work in the field of Folk Literature of the Mising people. It has shown the literary beauty and richness of the Mising language. The Misings have been living in the plains of Assam amidst the non-Mising population ever since they migrated from the hills of present day Arunachal Pradesh. They have their own traditions, customs, religious beliefs and practices and language which distinguish them clearly from the rest of the non-Mising people. The Misings, have a rich folk literature which reflects their sentiments and feelings, social norms and values, historical events associated with their migration from the hills to plains as well as socio-political events experienced in their life. Their folk literature can be described under the broad headings of: Folk Song and Folk Tale. The folk songs can be again sub - grouped into i. Devotional song ii. Love song iii. Song of lamentation iv. Lullaby and v. Nursery rhymes. The present study is a documentation of the same and covers the entire Mising population of Assam. The folk tales and folk songs were collected from different parts of Assam and from different individuals having knowledge on folk songs and folk tales, by regular field visits. Some of them have also been collected from secondary sources like books, periodicals etc. The book therefore is a lucid and coherent description of the Mising folk literature along with a cogent collection of folk songs and tales.