The Keepers of Knowledge: Writings from Mizoram

An old Mizo proverb holds that a woman’s wisdom takes her only as far as the village stream. Such proverbs and beliefs have weighed heavily on the journeys of Mizo women such that even today, more than a century after the introduction of the written alphabet in Mizoram, there are barely any narratives by women in the existing body of published texts. Women’s limited access to speaking out in the time or orality sadly did not transform into opportunities to write and publish. And yet, when the editors of this volume—perhaps the first ever such anthology in the state—set out to search for writings by women, they were delighted and surprised to find a wealth of stories, narratives, personal accounts, poems, art and more. These now grace the pages of this remarkable first-of-its-kind book.

Contributors: Babie Remi | Baby Lalsangzeli | Catherine Lalhruaitluangi Chhangte | Cherrie Lalnunziri Chhangte | Cindy Zothanpuii Tlau | Dawngi Chawngthu | Debbie Rinawmi | Diddo Khiangte | Hannah Lalhlanpuii | Hmingthanzuali | Jacqueline Zote | Janet Lalremsangi | Jerusha Lalremruatfeli | Kristina Z. Zama | Laldinpuii | Lalhlimpuii Pachuau | Lalhmangaihi Chhakchhuak | Lalhming Mawii (Amoii) | Lalhriatchhungi Ralte | Lalramnghaki Ralte | Lalremruati Ngente | Lalrinmawii (Mamawii) Khiangte | Lalrofeli | Lalropari (Pari) | Lalruatkimi Jongte | Lalsangpuii | Lalthangmawii Chhangte | Lalthansangi Fanai | Lalthansangi Ralte | L. V. Lalsangkimi | Malsawmi Jacob | Mary Vanlalthanpuii | Rebecca Lalhmangaihzuali | Rosaline Varsangzuali | Zirtei Mangpa | Zohmangaihi | Zualteii Poonte

HMINGTHANZUALI teaches at the Department of History & Ethnography, Mizoram University where she has spent over a decade. She has a PhD from Hyderabad Central University. She has published a number of research papers on gender and women’s history in northeast India and has presented her work at academic conferences in India and abroad. She is a recipient of the Zubaan-Sasakawa Peace Foundation Grant for Young Researchers from the Northeast (2019-2020).

MARY VANLALTHANPUII has been a research fellow at the Asiatic Society, Kolkata (2017-2021) and was a part time lecturer at Loreto College, Kolkata. She completed her PhD from Calcutta University. Her areas of interest include the role of women in formal politics and the informal politics of the Church, and she has published and presented nationally and internationally on these. She is a recipient of the Zubaan-Sasakawa Peace Foundation Grant for Young Researchers from the Northeast (2018-2019).