Easterine Kire is an Indian poet and author who currently lives in northern Norway. The majority of her writings are based in the lived realities of the people in Nagaland in north-east India.[1] Her motivation to write is summed up in this statement by her in an interview, "I felt we needed to create written Naga Literature. We have so much oral narratives but with oral dying out, it's all going to be lost." Apart from writing, she also performs Jazz poetry with her band Jazzpoesi.[2]
Easterine Kire published her first book of poetry in 1982 titled "Kelhoukevira". This was also the first book of Naga poetry published in English. Her novel "A Naga Village Remembered" published in 2003 was the first novel by a Naga writer in English.[3] Her second novel was "A Terrible Matriarchy" (2007) followed by "Mari" (2010), "Bitter Wormwood" (2011), "Don't Run, My Love" (2017) and "Walking the Roadless Road: Exploring the Tribes of Nagaland" (2019). Her latest book "Spirit Nights" was published in 2022.[4] She has also written children's books, articles and essays. Her first children's book in English was published in 2011. Kire has also translated 200 oral poems from her native language.[5]
"A Naga Village Remembered" is about a battle between the British forces and one Naga hamlet. "A Terrible Matriarchy" highlights the internal and social strife that grips Nagaland as a state in India.[6] "Mari" is a novel based on the Japanese invasion of India in 1944 via Nagaland.[7] It is a true story of a young mother who lost her fiancé in the war and made the decision to move ahead and live her life. This is an example of how through her works has tried to bring to the fore the everyday lives of the people in Nagaland. "Bitter Wormwood", yet again brought out the human cost (effect on human lives) which was involved behind all the news that made the political headlines from the North-East.
Apart from bringing a focus on the vibrant Naga culture, Kire's work has also brought out the realities which have changed the lives of Naga women.
Awards and recognitions
Easterine Kire poem "Son of the Thundercloud" has been awarded Bal Sahitya Puraskar by Sahitya Academy in 2018. In 2011, Easterine Kire was awarded the Governor's Medal for excellence in Naga literature. She was also awarded the Free Voice Award by Catalan PEN Barcelona. "Bitter Wormwood" was shortlisted for The Hindu Prize in 2013. Her novel "Spirit Nights" won Sahitya Academy Award in 2024.
"A Terrible Matriarchy" was selected to be translated into UN languages. Furthermore, the books "A Terrible Matriarchy", "Mari", "Forest Song", "Naga Folktales Retold" and "A Naga Village Remembered" have been translated into German.
In 2015, her "When the River Sleeps" was awarded The Hindu Literary Prize.[8]
^Arnapal, Maisnam. 2023. “Gender, Indigeneity, and History: The Battle of Kohima in Easterine Kire’s Mari” in Keeper of Stories: Critical Readings of Easterine Kire’s Novels edited by VeioPou. Tromsø: The Highlander Books. 147-157.
