Of Beginnings and Convergences: Contemporary Women’s Poetry in Manipur

Abstract

Anglophone women’s poetry in Manipur in the last decade critiques the norms prevalent in patriarchal societies. This article focuses on six contemporary women poets whose works highlight the woman, her subjectivity, and her truths. Collectively, their works constitute an emerging feminist poetic tradition in Manipur. Despite the multiplicities of location and creative idiom of each poet, their poetry converges upon seminal issues and amplify one another’s voices, giving us an intimate glimpse of women’s trysts with everyday structures of patriarchy. The respective poets attempt to rewrite previously inscribed taboos and cultural practices—some by reimagining tropes that have weighed against fair representation of women such as the body, female desire, and myths; and others by breaking the cycle of abuse and shame through testimonial poetry.

Keywords:

• Women’s poetry
• Manipur
• Anglophone
• feminist
• convergences
• patriarchy
• shame

Acknowledgments

My sincere gratitude to Rakhee Kalita Moral and Amit R. Baishya for their guidance and incisive comments on the paper. I also thank the anonymous reviewer for their useful suggestions.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Some of the Anglophone women poets are Susma Sharma Gurumayum, Juliana Phaomei, Sapam Sweety, and Bharti Yumnam.

2 Even when Manipuri poetry was taking confident strides into the domain of romantic poetry (1940), followed by the modernist wave (1960s–1970s), women’s poetry was yet to announce itself (Aruna, 14).

3 They include Memchoubi, Lairenlakpam Ibemhal, Sorokhaibam Gambhini, Ranjita Konthoujam, Naorem Romina, Haobijam Chanu Prema, and Akhom Yandibala, to name a few.

4 Based on the eponymous Meitei folktale about two half-sisters.

5 Lairenlakpam Ibemhal’s poems also show the intricacies involved in the consolidation of patriarchal structures (2002).

6 See for example, Manipuri Sheireng (An Anthology of Manipuri Poems) (1995), ed. Elangbam Nilakanta Singh, New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi, 2017 (reprint); Crystals: An Anthology of English Poetry Translated from Manipuri Originals, The Seawaves, Manipur, ed. Salam Tomba, Imphal: Lamyanba Printers, 2006; Thunder: An Anthology of English Verses Translated from Manipuri Originals, The Seawaves, Manipur, ed. Y. Indira, Imphal: Lamyanba Printers, 2007; and Delta: An Anthology of Manipuri Poems Translated into English, The Seawaves, Manipur, ed. M. Priyobrata Singh, Imphal: Lamyanba Printers, 2008.

7 Aruna refers to Memchoubi’s works as one of the few poets to show political consciousness (24).

8 Nivedita Menon identifies this expansion of categories as the “mainstreaming” of intersectionality theory (42).

9 Telephonic conversation with Shreema, 26 May 2021.

10 Telephonic conversation, 26 May 2021.

11 Telephonic conversation with Haripriya, 26 May 2021.

12 Telephonic conversation, 27 May 2021.

13 Telephonic conversation, 27 May 2021.

14 The TSL was set up in response to the brutal rape and subsequent suicide of Rose.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Loiya Leima Oinam

Loiya Leima Oinam is an Assistant Professor in the Department of English, D.M. College of Science, Dhanamanjuri University, Manipur. Her research interests include identity formations, and intersections of culture and power. She has published her essays in South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies and other edited volumes.