Meghalaya’s rich culture comes alive in six new storybooks for young readers

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaOctober 21, 2023

Sauramandala Foundation, in partnership with the Government of Meghalaya and in collaboration with Pratham Storyweaver and the Department of Educational Research, Government of Meghalaya proudly announced the launch of six captivating storybooks on October 20. These books are launched as part of The Forgotten Folklore Project of the organization designed with the vision of delivering contextually relevant content for the children of Meghalaya.

Marking a significant milestone, these six books represent the initial batch from a grand collection of 45 storybooks meticulously curated as part of the project. Each of these books seek to capture the intricate cultural nuances, diverse lifestyles, rich flora and fauna, and the fascinating history of Meghalaya’s various communities. They are designed to provide young learners in Anganwandis and Primary Schools with the opportunity to delve into the rich tapestry of Meghalaya’s heritage, contributing to early childhood development in the state.

The launch event, held in collaboration with the Department of English at St Anthony’s College in Shillong, brought together a diverse gathering of like-minded individuals and organizations from the region. Notable attendees included representatives from the Government of Meghalaya, St Anthony’s College, distinguished guest speakers, local storytellers, artists, and the dedicated team members of the Sauramandala Foundation.

Among the distinguished guests were Swapnil Tembe, IAS, Director of School Education & Literacy, CD Lyngwa, Director of Social Welfare Dept., Dr. Frederick A. Lamare, Head of Dept. of Zoology, Coordinator, Internal Quality Assurance Cell, SAC and Jacob Shylla, Assistant Professor, Dept. of English, Coordinator, RUSA and Design Innovative Centre. 

Speaking as a special guest for the event Swapnil Tembe, Director of School Education & Literacy said “With the new gadgets and platforms like social media, we find ourselves drifting away from our culture. Reviving these stories is a win-win situation for everyone. It’s crucial to emphasize context, especially in the realm of education.”

After the successful book launch, young students in attendance were treated to a captivating story reading session led by Mebanda Blah Dkhar, featuring two of the newly published titles, ‘Ambi’s Little Things’ and ‘The Tunes of Kongthong.’

The event reached its culmination with a stimulating panel discussion centered on the theme, ‘Preserving Cultural Identity Through Storytelling: The Significance for Early Childhood Development.’

Nagakarthik MP, Founder of Sauramandala Foundation, expressed the mission behind this initiative: “We identified the problem of the lack of contextualized content in Meghalaya a few years back. While there have been previous efforts to translate existing storybooks into regional languages, we understood that those books still lacked the essence. The communities here are already rich in culture and heritage; we wanted to capture that and provide heroes, characters, and stories to the children that they can relate to.”

These six published books and the 39 more in the pipeline are the result of a year-long journey. The team invested a substantial amount of time and effort in visiting communities, comprehending the cultural nuances, and collaborating with storytellers and artists from the region to ensure that every character and every book is tailored perfectly for the children.

“We understand the sensitivity in creating books for children, and we have taken every step toward crafting books that are authentic, informative, and entertaining,” emphasized Lanuangle Tsudir, Project Lead of The Forgotten Folklore Project.

“The partnership with Sauramandala marks one of the greatest needs of the hour for our communities in Meghalaya as a whole. Our goal is to create a generation of young people who are more invested, knowledgeable, and proud of their roots and traditions. This collaboration is a celebration of the shared goals between like-minded institutions for the well-being of our community and the state at large,” said Auswyn Japang, Dept of English, SAC

The project aims to bring a shift in the early childhood education of children in Meghalaya, offering them the opportunity to connect with their rich heritage through engaging stories and characters. The Sauramandala Foundation and its partners are committed to preserving and celebrating the unique culture of Meghalaya for generations to come. With 39 more stories yet to be revealed, the future looks promising for Meghalaya’s young readers.