Vol. 6, Issue 2, Part D (2024)

This article studies the evolution of Northeast Indian tribal literature, tracing its journey from oral folk narrative to modern fiction. Folk literature is the collection of cultural, religious, and social values that give the unique identities of the region’s distinct tribes. Apart from the mainland of India, the Northeast is home to different communities with distinct customs, traditions, and practices. These oral traditions, also known as folklore, consist of myths, poems, songs, plays, proverbs, riddles, and stories that were historically passed down verbally in societies without written records. By upholding and passing along their collective knowledge and beliefs, every community or tribe has added to this storytelling tradition. Folktales were often composed and shared in native languages and have a powerful influence on the imagination of local communities, with many folk heroes being honored and glorified in various ways. The transition from oral to written literature was influenced by historical events such as colonial intervention and modern literary practices. This transformation allowed folk traditions to adapt and thrive in new forms, eliminating the gap between traditional storytelling and contemporary narratives. The combination of folklore with modern fiction has also provided a platform to address contemporary social issues while preserving the cultural vitality of these tales. By connecting with modern audiences, regional writers ensure the survival of these traditions in a rapidly changing world. This study discusses several aspects of Northeastern literature, such as the role of oral traditions, the adaptation of folklore in contemporary fiction, and the thematic continuity from oral to written narratives, in relation to the development of modern fiction in Northeast India.