Critically Endangered in Nature but Abundant in Folklore: Legends of Tigers in Manipur
This paper makes a critical analysis of how tigers are represented as evil beings in the Meitei folklore in Manipur, that further narratively produces them as a favourite prey for hunting within a historical context - local kings, and then British officers, and poachers who demonstrated their valour...
| Published in: | Nidān |
|---|---|
| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
|
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Univ.
2021
|
| In: |
Nidān
|
| Further subjects: | B
Nature
B Meitei B Wildlife B Manipur B Endangered B Tiger |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | This paper makes a critical analysis of how tigers are represented as evil beings in the Meitei folklore in Manipur, that further narratively produces them as a favourite prey for hunting within a historical context - local kings, and then British officers, and poachers who demonstrated their valour by hunting tigers. In numerous ways, this study of tigers in Meitei folklore adds to our understanding of the root causes of tiger depopulation in Manipur, as reflected in the Meitei social attitudes. The Meiteis of Manipur have a rich tradition of folklore that include stories, ballads, and riddles, where tigers play the role of the main protagonist. Tigers are a critically endangered species in Manipur, despite their substantial visibility in Meitei folklores and other documentary and textual sources. Many wildlife reports increasingly refer to Manipur as tiger-absent-state. While the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in 2018 declared eighteen states of India as Tiger regions, Manipur was excluded from this list. This current article highlights the portrayal of tigers as an enemy of human beings in Meitei folklore, contributing possibly to the cultural endangerment of the species, while at the same time, justifying and reflecting the cultural apathy to tigers. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2414-8636 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Nidān
|
| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.58125/nidan.2021.2 |