Is indigenous literature scarce at fair?

The indigenous communities have distinctive lifestyles and cultural traditions. But if you go to the Amar Ekushey book fair, you will find only a few literary works portraying their lives. The number of books authored by indigenous writers is also very few there.

Readers only get to know about the books written on indigenous communities by Bangalee writers.

However, indigenous writers and publishers do not see the lack of content, except for a lack of support and publicity. There are a few writers who are trying individually to familiarise their works to the readers in the book fair.

One poet, Mithun Raksam, has composed "Gandha Chor" (The smell thief), a poetry book depicting the life of the ethnic minorities.

Member of Garo community, his another publication is a research book, "Garo Jatir Modda o Panio", (Drinks of the Garo Community).

Both were published by Teuri, a new publishing house founded in April 2016.

However, the publisher, Sadhan Maibam, a Monipuri, has not been allocated a full stall because as a new publishing house, he does not fulfil the conditions of Bangla Academy.

He is displaying his publications at stall no. 39 where the magazine "Chibima" put up its issues for sale.

Talking about his challenges, the Garo poet said, “Since these books are not publicised, publishers shy away from these as they consider the financial matter.”

The poet plans to publish books in his mother tongue in the next book fair with Bangla translations. 

Sadhan Maibam, owner of Teuri, said, "There are a good number of indigenous writers creating good writing but their books sell less compared to Bangalee writers'.”

If the textbooks of the mainstream education have a fair amount of content on indigenous lives, students will be more attracted to the literature, he added.

The publisher said the academy could relax rules for indigenous publishers to facilitate their participation in the fair.

There are a few magazines by indigenous writers and publishers at the Little Mag corner on the academy premises.

Most indigenous writers are writing individually for different publishers and struggling to publicise them properly. The works of some writers include "Baboharik Garo Obhidhan", a dictionary by Himal Ritchil; “Nill Foring Kabba”, a poetry book by Shawnaei Debi Shanu; and “Bohujatir Bangladesh”, a research book by Prosanta Tripura.

Writer Himel Ritchel said, “Bangla academy can provide funding to the indigenous researchers and publishers to publish books to create more writers.”

He also said separate stalls for indigenous literature supported by the academy would create a new dimension to the fair.

Jalal Ahmed, member secretary of the fair conducting committee, said, “Rules for participating in the fair for indigenous publishers could be relaxed if the committee considers it necessary to promote the indigenous writers or publishers.” 

He said the academy tried to promote literature of diverse cultural communities and it would look into it. On the sixth day of the fair, 90 new books arrived.

Among them, “Jole Khuji Dhatob Murdra” by late Mahbubul Haque Shakil, special assistant to the prime minister, was launched at Kabi Shamsur Rahman Seminar Hall at the academy where Dipu Moni, MP, poet Helal Hafiz, and poet Habibullah Siraji were present.