Understanding Naga Lullabies: Translation, Documentation, and Feature Analysis

Dr. Kethokhrienuo Belho; Dr. Adenuo Shirat Luikham

doi:10.22161/ijllc.5.3.7

Indexing and Abstracting

Understanding Naga Lullabies: Translation, Documentation, and Feature Analysis

Dr. Kethokhrienuo Belho , Dr. Adenuo Shirat Luikham

International Journal of Language, Literature and Culture (IJLLC), Vol-5,Issue-3, May - June 2025, Pages 42-49, 10.22161/ijllc.5.3.7

Download | Downloads : 11 | Total View : 1464

Article Info: Received: 15 Apr 2025, Received in revised form: 13 May 2025, Accepted: 18 May 2025, Available online: 24 May 2025

Abstract:

Lullabies are a genre of music predominantly used for lulling children and infants to sleep. Traditionally classified under ‘Folklore’ studies, lullabies are part of folksongs and are closely associated with the transmission of cultural knowledge and traditions. The Nagas, a tribal community, transmit their culture and literature orally, as they did not have a written script before British colonialism and the advent of Christian missionaries. Consequently, most of their lullabies are scarcely documented. This paper documents selected Naga tribal lullabies and presents them with English translations, highlighting the rich linguistic diversity and cultural significance embedded in these songs. The study primarily focuses on three aspects of its survey of lullabies: (i) Documenting Naga lullabies from selected tribes. (ii) Translating the lullabies into English, ensuring the preservation of their original meaning and cultural context. (iii) Studying the features of Naga lullabies, focusing on the linguistic elements.

Keywords:

Lullaby; Non-Lexical Vocables; Naga; Stylistics; Musical elements

References:

[1] Ameen, T., Samad, A., & Ali, M. (2001). Stylistic analysis of the poem Lullaby for a Palestinian Child by Faiz Ahmad Faiz. Turkish Online Journal of Qualitative Inquiry, 12(7), 4258-4272.
[2] Evered, R. T. O. (2020). Sing me to sleep: A history and analysis of lullabies from around the world (Doctoral dissertation, Whitman College).
[3] Hasanuddin, W. S., & Zulfadhli, E. (2020). Text of oral tradition of lullaby songs: Mainland region of the Minangkabau collective, format, content, and functions. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, 485, 147-159.
[4] Hemati, N., & Nazari, S. (2014). Lullaby in Kallhor’s culture. International Letters of Social and Humanistic Sciences, 21, 69-77.
[5] Okrent, A. (2023, March 13). 12 creepy lullabies from around the world that will keep you up at night. Mental Floss. Retrieved from https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/67896/12-creepy-lullabies-around-world-will-keep-you-night
[6] Perry, N. (2013, January 21). The universal language of lullabies. BBC News. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-21035103
[7] Pester, H. (2016). Songs of Rest: An intervention in the complex genre of the lullaby. The Restless Compodium, 113-118.
[8] Rajkhowa, C. (2020). A note on Assamese lullabies. Strad Research, 7(10), 850-854.
[9] Seyietsu, S. (2023). Nuo Kepfü Pfhe Pederüchü (MA dissertation). Nagaland University.
[10] Zhimo, V. H., & Gupta, S. (2022). Understanding lullabies as a source of women's voice in the Sumi Naga tribe of Nagaland. Emerging Trends in Development Research, 29(1&2), 13-18.

International Journal Of Language, Literature And Culture(IJLLC)

For Authors

Issues

Downloads

Indexing and Abstracting

Understanding Naga Lullabies: Translation, Documentation, and Feature Analysis

Abstract:

Keywords:

References: