EXPLORING THE LIVES OF MIZOS: INVESTIGATING HEGEMONIC CONFLICT SUBTLETIES THROUGH MALSAWMI JACOB’S ZORAMI: A REDEMPTION SONG

Abstract

Malsawmi Jacob's debut novel Zorami: A Redemption Song explores a rich Mizo heritage, with the plot set amid the Mizo insurgent yearsduringthe 1960s.The subject matter of the novel revolves around a little girl named Zorami and how political unrest affects her. Every individual community takes an interest in its constant existence. Mizos are one of the communities in Northeast India and their grievances during the Mizo insurgency are brought up in the novel.The purpose of the research paper is to speculate on the causes of the Mizo insurgency and India's actions to maintain hegemonic stability in the face of surgency.The hegemon in the novel's case is India which is always prepared to utilize itsmilitary force to ensure the system's security.This work expresses the Mizo land's culture quite vividly and one may argue that North East India is purportedly overlooked. It is always the historical narrative that has been corrupted by strong positions. Despite having fairness and rightfulness, the weak are not given the chance to tell their story. Zorami clearly examines all angles of the controversy and it contests the glorifying history. In general, we hear about the Indian government's viewpoint or the effects of insurgency on regular citizens. The Lal system also called as chieftain system, a residue of British colonial policy, treated Mizo-inhabited areas as "excluded areas," which resulted in separatist tendencies, a lack of basic civic facilities, economic stagnation, and regional hegemony of Assam and its apathy were some of the major causes of the Mizo conflict. The Mautam Front was founded by the Mizo culture society to challenge the government's disregard for the Mizos' needs, and it led the way in voicing those needs. The history of the Insurgency years is as important as the 1947 Partition because one can witness the agony of Mizo inhabitants. Zorami indeed stands as a souvenir of the victimized people. This paper accounts for the truth being told during the insurgency and India’s attempts to hold hegemonic stability by outlining the subjective history of Zorami. On-stream North East writers like Malsawmi Jacob are interested in revealing reality through fiction. The paper also sincerely efforts to investigate the hegemonical struggles that triggered trauma infliction among Mizos.

Keywords: Mizo, Northeast, Insurgency, Hegemony, Conflict, Trauma.