Book review by Glenn C. Kharkongor
Indigenous Habitat: Vestiges of Ancestral Life in India’s North East
Ronojoy Sen and Shyamal Datta
The North Eastern Council, Government of India
The Directorate of Art & Culture, Government of Mizoram
2021, 345 pages
Price not stated
Shyamal Datta’s sharply-framed photographs and Ronojoy Sen’s pencil-point architectural drawings bring the pages and pictorials of this magnus opus into vibrant life. For the tribals of the North east, the book takes us back on an atavistic journey to our early origins. But more than that, the book provides an existential prism that questions our resolve to conserve what gives us rootedness and identity.
Every page is a tapestry of tightly interwoven text and graphics. The full-page pictures and thumbnail sketches vividly illustrate the text. The panoply of information includes geographic, climatic, and demographic data, and the cultural descriptions provide stories of origin, social formations and evolutions, and much, much more. One tends to turn the pages with reverence, out of respect to the intense motivation, deep passion, and devotion to detail, that shines through this visual anthropology of our heritage.
As the title implies, the book focuses on the habitations and habitats of the tribes of the North east. It covers all eight states, each with its own chapter. Every house is described in its context of village, community, and culture. For example, in the Garo village of Gondenggre, the story of the Dirot Ch Marak House is told in 15 pages. These pages detail the floor plan, construction techniques and materials, the function and social significance of various spaces in the house, the art and decorations, and the compound and immediate surroundings. Twenty-eight dwelling places have been described in the book.
Thus, the word “habitat” comes to life in this book. Datta and Sen take care to articulate the intricate equilibrium between these communities and their environment, shedding light on traditions that are rapidly fading into obscurity.
An intimate familiarity
Over tea Shyamal told us that the book took six years of concentrated work. Much of this was spent in travelling to remote villages over difficult terrain, building rapport with village elders and house owners, obtaining approvals and cooperation for photography. These visits were intrusions into private dwellings and necessitated re-arrangements of household routines. Tribal hospitality overcame reticence with strangers. According to the authors, “Good cheer, open arms, courtesy and warmth have been the norm”.
On their part, the authors kept faith with their hosts. Formal approvals and consents were obtained. “Once underway, village folk, especially the youth – would be invited to join in the field work. And, finally, every village would be promised a full set of its own data, as its rightful owner.”
Datta has a personal connection with these communities. His familiarity with the tribal groups of North east India begins from the early 1960s. He has photographed the Nyishi tribe, who now welcome him as an honorary member.
Enduring value
It seems strange to review a book that was published four years ago. Somehow this book has remained elusive, unseen. A browse through the internet revealed very few mentions and not even a picture of the cover. That this splendid book has been shrouded in some dusky mist is a failure that needs to be remedied.
All the same, it is creditworthy that the North Eastern Council (NEC), Meghalaya, and the Directorate of Art & Culture, Mizoram has sponsored this remarkable work. But they should have disseminated this book more widely. It is apparently not available for sale at the NEC, nor on any online vendor.
In an era where urbanisation threatens traditional lifestyles, Datta’s work becomes a vital tool for cultural preservation. His photographs document architectural styles, agricultural practices, and rituals that are at risk of being lost. By capturing these elements, he not only preserves them for future generations but also educates a broader audience about the richness of North east India’s indigenous cultures.
Reading the book, one cannot escape an uneasy reflection on the cataclysmic changes in our region and the importance of conserving our cultural heritage. This respectful representation of tribal communities demonstrates the resilience of these cultures, but also calls on us to reclaim and restore our unique ways of life.
In showcasing these vestiges of ancestral life, Datta raises a lament about cultural erosion, implying not only the loss of architectural traditions, but languages, rituals, social formations, and ecological knowledge. In this appeal to nostalgia; he underscores the urgent need for documentation, protection, and respect for indigenous knowledge systems.
This magnificent compendium is far more than a coffee table book. It is a heartfelt work of stirring beauty, emotive appeal and enduring value.