Decolonizing Reverence
The International Journal of Critical Cultural Studies July 17, 2026 DOI: 10.18848/2327-0055/cgp/a270 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Shamanism |
| Keywords | Reverence Spirituality Consciousness Narrative Tribe Colonialism Anthropology Ethnology Reading process Decolonization Traditional knowledge Aesthetics Indigenous culture |
| Key points | Argues that Easterine Kire's novels employ shamanic spirituality and oral traditions to delink indigenous Naga eco-epistemology from colonial legacies, highlighting the marginalization of peripheral epistemologies. |
Abstract
The article discusses the abandonment of shamanic beliefs among the Naga indigenous tribes, reflecting a cultural stigmatization inflicted by colonialism. The article contextualizes two select novels, “Spirit Nights” and “Son of the Thundercloud” by Easterine Kire, situating the narratives within the Indian decolonial discourse. Employing a close textual reading method, the article reassesses how Kire employs the indigenous tribes’ oral tales and rituals, which tie humans to eco-epistemology through shamanic practices in her novels. The article studies indigenous shamanic traditions and ecological consciousness in the novels, highlighting the marginalization of peripheral epistemologies. In the selected texts, the shamanic spirituality woven into the narratives also discloses indigenous ways toward nature; the tribe treats the forest as a living entity, respecting and adhering to its rules. Drawing on the concept of “indigenous eco-epistemology” and Walter Mignolo’s theory of “decolonial epistemology,” this study also analyses the intercorporeality between humans and the environment among the tribes, while investigating how Kire delinks indigenous Naga eco-epistemology from colonial legacies.