I am pleased to come across Yendai and the journal’s work in examining the Northeast from several novel angles. This issue is the strongest yet, and I look forward to reading more in the future.
The two highlights for me this issue were the poem “Gunhill” by respected Manipuri poet Ibopishak Thangjam and the piece “Raas Vignettes” by the researcher Debanjali Biswas. The former is a satirical look at the intimacy of violence in a place where that violence is quotidian and almost banal. The speaker of the poem bargains over his injury like someone might bargain at the market. It works within the specific circumstances of Manipur’s past, but it could also be relevant for any conflict zone where the killers are your neighbors, your coworkers, your former friends.
The latter piece charts some interesting directions for the anthropological field. Besides being interesting topically, the article—with its format in “vignette”—relieves pressure from both the author and the reader to search for an overarching argument in these stories. Instead, the piece works because it allows these moments to speak for themselves, and underlines the importance of multimodal attempts at fieldwork and research. It is a reminder that the primacy placed on a very specific kind of product—the monograph—is somewhat contrived. How can we upset our false and harmful researcher/research object dichotomy?
I’m very happy to come across Yendai. I was instantly put in mind of what the very reclusive British author, Nick Papadimitriou, says about extracting a lost treasure from the past or nature, not to make it gazed at. I found the poems of this issue very unassuming though wonderful. The magazine itself is perfect and a gift to northeast’s and the country’s literature.
Liam Greenwell
I am pleased to come across Yendai and the journal’s work in examining the Northeast from several novel angles. This issue is the strongest yet, and I look forward to reading more in the future.
The two highlights for me this issue were the poem “Gunhill” by respected Manipuri poet Ibopishak Thangjam and the piece “Raas Vignettes” by the researcher Debanjali Biswas. The former is a satirical look at the intimacy of violence in a place where that violence is quotidian and almost banal. The speaker of the poem bargains over his injury like someone might bargain at the market. It works within the specific circumstances of Manipur’s past, but it could also be relevant for any conflict zone where the killers are your neighbors, your coworkers, your former friends.
The latter piece charts some interesting directions for the anthropological field. Besides being interesting topically, the article—with its format in “vignette”—relieves pressure from both the author and the reader to search for an overarching argument in these stories. Instead, the piece works because it allows these moments to speak for themselves, and underlines the importance of multimodal attempts at fieldwork and research. It is a reminder that the primacy placed on a very specific kind of product—the monograph—is somewhat contrived. How can we upset our false and harmful researcher/research object dichotomy?
Arup K. Chatterjee
I’m very happy to come across Yendai. I was instantly put in mind of what the very reclusive British author, Nick Papadimitriou, says about extracting a lost treasure from the past or nature, not to make it gazed at. I found the poems of this issue very unassuming though wonderful. The magazine itself is perfect and a gift to northeast’s and the country’s literature.
Dr HK Das
Grt beginning for YENDAI….a literary magazine for reader’s of all ages. Keep up the good work.
Kshetri Prem
All the best.