Glenn C Kharkongor
Our fragile heritage of tribal folk tales, loved by wide-eyed children, and full of ancestral wisdom, is now nestled in the safe hands of the Sauramandala Foundation. A young team of talented and tireless artists, writers, and researchers based in Shillong have committed themselves to the cause of keeping folklore alive for the children of this and future generations.
The first set of six children’s books were released on Oct 20, 2023. These stories were created in collaboration with multiple authors and illustrators; and the book launch was organised in collaboration with the Department of English of St Anthony’s College. The professionalism of this effort is demonstrated in the age-appropriate levels of reading and comprehension ability of children. This first set includes two for Level 2, children who recognize familiar words and can read new words with help, three for Level 3, children ready to read on their own, and one for Level 4, children who are fluent readers.
Some of the books have activities at the back that children will find interesting. It will reinforce learning in a joyful way. A glossary is provided in the books that use local language words. There are some delightful frills, bookmarks with scenes from the stories with QR codes and picture stickers that adorn the envelopes and packaging.
According to excerpts from their website, “The Forgotten Folklore project aims to bring 45 indigenous stories from the Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo regions to life for Anganwadi and primary school children in Meghalaya. Early childhood education focuses on children from birth to age 8, as it is a critical time for learning and development that can have a lasting impact. The goals are to promote physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development through engaging activities such as play, art, music, and storytelling.”
The Anganwadi system in India is a wonderful concept in preschool care, unequalled in scale anywhere in the world. Children are provided a safe place, nutritious food and health monitoring. What is missing is adequate cognitive stimulation. Sauramandala has taken a key step in this direction. The government of Meghalaya is a partner for this project.
Need for culturally-embedded books
Controversies in education are raging in the state. Topics like the National Education Policy, quality of MBOSE, and dropouts are a few of the flashpoint issues. Amidst the swirling noise and dust, Sauramandala is quietly leading the way, creating books for young children. Perhaps the Foundation could take up the creation of other learning materials for early childhood education and maybe even for older school children. Our state desperately needs culturally-appropriate books for tribal children. This would be a major contribution for a state with abysmally low education indices.
As far back as 2005, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) Working Group on SC/ST students had observed, “The present school curriculum has been central to the reproduction of caste, class, cultural and patriarchal domination. There has been a devaluation of “lesser” cultures, traditions, and folklore of dalits and tribals. The cognitively ethnocentric demands of concentration on memorization prove problematic for SC/ST children. Testing procedures are based on urban middle class values – the competitiveness and system of rewards of examinations are often culturally anomalous to Scheduled Tribe children who are brought up in an atmosphere of sharing. The school curriculum fails to take account of tribal cultures as autonomous knowledge systems with their own epistemology, transmission, innovation and power. The knowledge and linguistic and/or cognitive abilities that ST children possess are ignored.”
The NCERT observations capture the critical inadequacies of the content and pedagogy in the schooling of tribal children. It also points to tribal traditions, folklore and culture as powerful sources of knowledge, but so long neglected by our educational system. We have to fill this yawning gap. Sauramandala has begun this quest with a wonderful array of books.
A psychologist’s review
I asked Amayda Eden Syiem, a master’s student in counselling, with an interest in child, adolescent and youth psychology, to take a look at the books. She is also a poet, writer, and artist, and read the books to her young cousins, observing their reactions. We discussed the emotional, social, moral and cognitive development of children in the age group for whom these books are intended. Here is what she said.
The children’s book, “The Magic in Pottery,” is a heartwarming exploration of the intimate bond between generations, exemplified in the crafting of pottery in a Garo community. This beautifully written and illustrated book is centred around the loving relationship between a grandmother and her granddaughter, demonstrating the family ties which are so central to tribal communities.
In a fast-paced world that often emphasises modernity, “The Tunes of Kongthong” reminds us of the timeless beauty of tradition, culture, and the enduring bond between a mother and her infant. The story’s charm lies in the portrayal of the mother’s creation of a melody for each child, giving every one of them a unique name.
“Ilari’s Jainsem” captures the enchanting emotions of a young Khasi girl as she dons a jainsem for the very first time. This is a meaningful rite of passage for a Khasi girl, celebrating the rich cultural heritage of the Khasi community. It wonderfully illustrates the universal excitement of a daughter imitating her mother’s dressing, making it a highly relatable event for Khasi girls and children from all walks of life. This book has been translated into Khasi.
“Ambi’s Little Things” delicately addresses the complex topic of death in a way that is both understandable and comforting for young readers. This book can help children comprehend a difficult subject, and the activity at the end of the book helps them explore the spectrum of basic human emotions.
“Scatter the Rice Clouds” is a testament to parental mentoring in family relationships, stimulating the magic of imagination in a child’s life. Spotting animals in the clouds is a captivating element of the story plot and a splendid activity has been incorporated into the book. This activity encourages children to express their creative perceptions, sparking imagination, and inviting them to see the world in a different way. It’s a wonderful way to nurture a child’s ability to find wonder in the everyday world around them, and it complements the story so well.
By not shoehorning morals into the stories, these books recognise that children at this stage are not yet able to fully grasp and apply moral lessons. Instead, the books prioritise other essential aspects of early childhood development, such as imagination, vocabulary expansion, social growth, and emotional expression.
Open access
The books are uploaded on Storyweaver, an online platform in collaboration with Pratham Books. Under an open licence Attribution-Share arrangement on Creative Commons, the books are freely available for anyone to read. Storyweaver describes itself as a “playground where children, parents, teachers and librarians can get creative”.
Sauramandala aims to be a catalyst, co-creating solutions with the community, using local culture and context. They bring together local artists, content creators, institutions, and resource persons to provide local context and wider perspectives.
Glenn C. Kharkongor is a former professor of paediatrics at Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University. He has a deep interest in the growth and development of infants and children.