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IMAGES OF THE RI KHASI
KHASI P0ETRY |
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| A groupof Khasi poets, writers and musicians visiting the grave of Evan James and James James (father and son) at Pontypridd, Wales, who were the co- composers of the Welsh National Anthem which is sung to the words 'Ri Khasi, Ri Khasi' by the Khasi people. |
| Khasi poets write in both the Khasi
Language and English which is widely written and spoken to a high grammatical
standard, although some write exclusively in only one of these languages.
Having no written language until the translation of the Bible into the
Khasi tongue by the Welsh missionaries in the mid nineteenth century, the
Khasi people had nevertheless enjoyed a lively and powerful tradition
of storytelling and verse making. Dr, John Roberts ( 1871 ) a former Welsh
quarryman, introduced in translation both poetry and prose works to the
Khasi readers, thereby earning the title of ' the father of Khasi literature',
It was he who was responsible for adapting the Welsh national anthem to
produce the Khasi national song ' Ri Khasi ' or ' Khasi Land.' The resulting
indigenous poetry understandably followed the English Victorian verse form,
at its worst both flowery and sentimental, though Soso Tham (1873 - 1940)
a pupil of Dr. Roberts and both a schoolteacher and lawyer, was to break
away from this tradition. Writing in the Khasi language he dealt with everyday
themes, much of it touching on the erotic and political life of the Khasi
people.
The late twentieth century has brought to the fore a new and talented group of Khasi writers whose English language work is the subject of this presentation. ( With acknowledgment & thanks to the Deputy Director, Publications, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong. Poems first published in the " Anthology of Contemporary Poetry from the Northeast." ) |
| PAUL LYNDOH
- FOR SALE ROBIN S NGANGOM
DONBOKLANG
RYNTATHIANG
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ALMOND D.
SYIEM
- ON TOP OF A HILL ESTHER SYIEM
BEVAN L. SWER
INDARI SYIEM
WARJRI
DESMOND L.
KHARMAWPHLANG
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