Published Paper Details:

Every utterance of human beings is a part of some narratives. The human existence itself is a narrative that hides many stories. The identity of each person is a narrative. For instance, the gender of any person contains a narrative that includes so many facets of that particular narrative created over a while. However, narrative creation is not an innocent practice. The creation of any narrative depends on who creates the narrative. Thinking and rethinking narratives is a never-ending practice. As long as man lives on the earth and can think, he will come up with different narratives. The historical renderings of various events come to us through stories. The historian cooks the raw factual details and converts them into the recipe of a story. He weaves them into the background of his social, political, and cultural lineage. In recent years different subaltern groups have emerged with narratives and discourses that challenge the dominant narratives. Adivasis of India are one among them. The oral narratives of the Adivasis were never regarded as of any worth. However, in the previous few decades, Adivasi intellectuals have emerged and are making their stories heard not only in India but throughout the world. Their worldwide recognition as representatives of Indigenous communities is testimony to their strong resisting voices that challenge the mainstream narratives. They are re(thinking) narratives regarding them which the mainstream narratives have distorted. Thinking and rethinking of Adivasi discourse is both destructive and constructive. This paper attempts to understand Adivasi identity narratives in the light of poems written by Adivasi poets and how they challenge the hegemony of mainstream narratives.