These Hills Called Home: Stories from a War Zone

by Temsula Ao

More than half a century of bloodshed has marked the history of the Naga people who live in the troubled northeastern region of India. Their struggle for an independent Nagaland and their continuing search for identity provides the backdrop for the stories that make up this unusual collection. Describing how ordinary people cope with violence, how they negotiate power and force, how they seek and find safe spaces and enjoyment in the midst of terror, the author details a way of life under threat from the forces of modernization and war. No one the young, the old, the ordinary housewife, the willing partner, the militant who takes to the gun, and the young woman who sings even as she is being raped is untouched by the violence. Theirs are the stories that form the subtext of the struggles that lie at the internal faultlines of the Indian nation-state. These are stories that speak movingly of home, country, nation, nationality, identity, and direct the reader to the urgency of the issues that lie at their heart.

Genres: India, Short Stories, Indian Literature, Politics, Fiction, War

150 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Temsula Ao was born in October 1945 at Jorhat, Assam. She received her B.A with Distinction from Fazl Ali College, Mokokchung, Nagaland. She received her M.A in English from Gauhati University, Assam. From Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages (presently English and Foreign Languages University,) Hyderabad she received her Post Graduate Diploma in the Teaching of English and Ph.D from NEHU. From 1992-97 she served as Director, North East Zone Cultural Centre, Dimapur on Deputation from NEHU, and was Fulbright Fellow to University of Minnesota 1985-86. She is a retired Professor of English in North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), where she has taught since 1975.

She received the honorary Padma Shri Award in 2007. She is the recipient of the Governor’s Gold Medal 2009 from the government of Meghalaya. In 2013, she received the Sahitya Akademi Award for her short story collection, Laburnum For My Head, given by the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Literature. Ao is widely respected as one of the major literary voices in English to emerge from Northeast India along with Mitra Phukan and Mamang Dai.

Reviews

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

For someone who has witnessed this turbulent era that happened when I was a kid seeing and hearing about the violence and cruelty forced upon by power towards the civilians and those involved in activities during the tumultuous times for an independent state of Nagaland.

💫Ten short stories

💫Themes common in all these stories: cruelty towards the native people by those in power as well as those who inflicted harm and inhuman acts in the name of self made justification

☑️trigger warnings for descriptive violence and assault, sexual assault, gun violence, gory descriptions of the dead

I would like to recommend this book only to mature readers and for those young readers who want to read this book, please have parental guidance before you read it.

The writing is flawless and the character descriptions unique and evolving.

My most favourite stories from this collection would be The Jungle Major, The Curfew Man, The Night, The Pot Maker, An Old Man Remembers and The Journey.

I feel so proud of having read this book as it writes in perfection what the people had to go through those days of terror.

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

We often forget that India didn’t come into being as an unified whole. That different parts of the country were brought into the Union in different ways, many of which involved violence. For most of us, Nagaland is nothing more than a name we learn in geography; we take it for granted that it is one of the 28 states, without making much of an effort to know very much more.
The state, however, has a bloody past. It was built on the foundation of a violent struggle for a unified homeland, which was suppressed by the Indian Army. There were accounts of atrocities, common people who just wanted to get on with life were caught in the cross fire between the various forces, and almost everybody lost.
The stories in this book are about the people who survived and the people who didn’t and the burdens that those who survived continued to carry. The personal and the political- they all come alive in the book.

[Bookishbong Moumita · Rating 4 out of 5]

The hills called Home: Stories from a war zone by Temsula Ao is a collection of short stories . Most of the stories are based on the struggle of common people who are mostly the victims of civil War .

Each stories are different . But they are all represented easily.T he language used here is comprehensive. Not all the stories are mind blowing but some of them stay in heart forever. The author successfully creates an atmosphere where a reader can visualize the hills through his story telling.

I suggest you all to read this book 😊

[Chittajit Mitra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5/5

Published by zubaan books & penguin india , this book is a collection of short stories from Nagaland, about it's people. Each story introduces us to a different facet of their lives, their armed struggle to get an independent land and the different kinds of conflicts which arose from it. Stories from North Eastern states rarely do come out and when they do, it's already too late hence the least we can do is to educate ourselves about their struggles & try to understand it. The author has collected these stories with great care & presented to us the best way possible. Highly recommended.

[priyanka · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gave me mixed feelings. This book will be an eye opener for anyone who have not read about the atrocities and sufferings in North East. On the one hand it was very interesting when I got little glimpses into the Naga culture but on the other hand I felt something missing in the story. Maybe it is the fault of the short story format or maybe the author's writing style is just not for me. I would have liked a full fleded and cohesive story set in these hills that is able to describe the beautiful culture of Nagas in detail. The tiny glimpses I got instead just wasn't enough to satisfy my curiosity. I even found some typos in the book which might be the fault of the publisher.


Even though the sub title is "Stories from a war zone", not every story was about the war. It was also about the people who are caught in the crossfire, people whose way of living is affected. Some stories also dealt with the aftermath of the war - people overcoming their sufferings.

When I read the stories about the war, I struggled with the idea of how much horror a human mind is capable of. When we are part of a system, are we not the benifitters of the crime even if we did not commit it?


One of the most heart wrenching stories was "The last song". The sensless violence in it was just horrifying. Sometimes when I read a story, I get a vague foreboding. In this book, when I read the line - 

"She was happy that all those years of loneliness and hardship were well rewarded by God through her beautiful and talented daughter.", I knew then everything was going to go horribly wrong.

I have seen so many times how happiness is rewarded. It is with pain.

[Just a dreamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read only 2 short stories from the book and both were very very impactful to me. I don't think I can carry on though. But still an amazing book!

[suradha · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a hard book to read because every story is written with a quiet resignation to violence and fear of several unknown enemies. It gets hard to read even though the writing is excellent, some stories are about love and provide levity- the understanding that they're not the norm is inescapable.

[Anupama C K(b0rn_2_read) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Smita Magar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very relatable bits and pieces of stories from war zone and post war societies.
The book could have been better edited. Nonetheless, it does bring some slice of Naga and tells the day to day life of common people.

[Trisha Ghosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stories are unbiased, raw, simple, yet impactful.

They depict, how war torn areas give birth to brutality, where dignity of common people gets trampled by people possessing arms, irrespective of their status, be it an army chief or rebel chief.

The collection of stories are not entirely fictional if you are familiar with the history, you'll know that it's inspired from true events.
They highlight the plight of ordinary Naga villagers of the Ao tribe, caught in the war between the underground movement and the Indian army.

It gives an insight on the social attitude of common people towards exaggerated agendas of the 'nation', and the 'rebels'.

Such stories of struggle, and sacrifice, don't reach us often. That's why they must be read, shared, and told. 'Lest we forget '.

Recommended read for mature readers.

[Ananya Layek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating 3.5

These hills called home by Temsula Ao is a collection of short stories. The struggle of Nagas for an independent Nagaland and their search for finding peace amidst all fight, frames the background of the stories.

Weaved beautifully, it brings out the tortures and grapples of common people, torn between government and an underground army of rebels, and their strive for survival. A nice stepping stone before peeping more into the Naga history.

[Boipoka · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was more of a 3.5 star.

I liked the first half of the book (centred around the armed conflict for Naga self determination) much more than the second (centered around the emerging corruption in the state of Nagaland). The stories were compelling - bringing to life the traditional way of life for some of the Naga tribes, and their troubled history with the Indian Union.

There's a Bengali proverb which loosely translates to 'When Kings fight, it is the grass which dies' (রাজায় রাজায় যুদ্ধ হয়, উলুখাগ্রার প্রাণ যায) - this book demonstrates that to perfection. It is the story of people caught in the middle of a conflict, thrown headlong towards their doom, trying to find a way to survive. And miraculously, they do.

I agree with another reviewer who said the dedication/prologue titled 'Lest we forget' was the best part of the book. Reading the book, I was ashamed to realize I know so little of the history of Nagaland (and for that matter of the rest of the region - except Assam) that I can't judge the historical accuracy of this book. An eye-opener indeed. Time to find a non-fiction historical account I guess. Lest we forget.

Read for the challenge prompts -
PopSugar 2018 - A book set in a country that fascinates you (North Eastern India is general fascinates me, with it's unique history and often troubled relationship with the central government)
Around the Year in 52 books - A book about surviving a hardship (the major theme of this book is how the commoners survived a rebellion)

[Ankita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Around 20 tribes in Nagaland have been known to be at war for supremacy within, for leading the state. The Naga insurgency is something we weren't taught and that didn't come to my notice until I met someone from that region. It, as usual, got me thinking how less we know our own history. We tend to think 'it doesn't matter' mostly because it doesn't affect us directly.

Within 10 short stories, Temsula tries to capture the traditional Naga lifestyle against the backdrop of then 'development' and the 'war'. Certain scenes were visually daunting to me whilst some made me smile. In conflicts such as these, trauma manifests beyond the realms of lacerations, the mind and soul remain scarred forever.

[Sakshi Pawar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite insightful when it comes to understanding the lives of the Naga people during the 1950 Naga Nationalist movement. The stories are thought provoking and unbiased in their approach of describing the political situation. However, it could have provided a deeper understanding of the historical background somewhere in the book. I mostly loved the book for the introduction, "Lest We Forget". It was very beautiful and painted a perfect picture of the myriad emotions of the people she has written about.

[Geetika Mehta · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book to read about Naga history.

[Vaishali Gupta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of stories either set in Nagaland or about people in Nagaland. 'For anybody who wants to understand a bit about Naga life, away from the headlines in the press.'

One gets a peak into the culture, lifestyle and the social changes the land has undergone through the early half of 1900s. With armies entering their mountains and jungles from all sides during the world war 2, the land saw a rise in Locally created rebel armies. Later these very outfits continued to work against the Indian army for independence (Naga separatist movement).
Caught in the violence between the rulers and the army, those who suffered were the civilians. Many moved to cities in the valleys, now infested with problems of large urban dwellings that had grown at an acutely rapid pace. Curfews, corruption, unemployment (sometimes change of employment) - new jobs of house help, peons replaced the traditional vocations of traditional weaving, pottery, metallurgy.
The basic thread of the society changed. The traditional values had placed immense respect for the elderly and believed in placing collective good above individual gain. It was mandatory to pass one's skills to the next generation in order to ensure independent sustenance of each village. Village itself was the most dominant social identity - not just as a tribe, it was also a currency for gaining important trade positions and marriage proposals.
Simple words, even simpler characters take you to the lands unknown for so long!
(A girl's journey from school hostel to home and back - walking in groups, river crossings, sharing meals, train ride etc. A young girl who likes to be Potter, an old man remembers the haunted years of violence, a young boy runs away to be a freedom fighter)

[Jignasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Temsula Ao's stories about the unreal experiences of ordinary Naga people always strike a chord.

This collection presents stories during the Naga insurgency in the 1950s, highlighting the plight of ordinary villagers caught in the war between the underground movement and the Indian army. There are no winners in this war of death and destruction, only scarred bodies and minds are left behind.

The stories bring forth unspeakable acts of violence and inhumanity - forcible taxes by the insurgents, looting and raiding of entire villages for food and livestock, or in retribution for one villager’s treason, forced evictions from one’s own land, acts of torture by the army, and for the women, always molestation and rape.

Most of the stories are dark, depicting tales of lost innocence, identity crisis, suffocating patriarchy, changing political landscapes and affiliations, and unwilling victims of a war they did not choose, but there are also stories of love, discovering one’s sexuality, ambition, and hopes for a better future, as the war-torn elders pass on the stories of how they loved, lost, and survived to the next generation.

Naga folklore survives through oral tradition, and the insurgency, or even general Naga history isn't something we are ever taught, which is why writers like Temsula Ao deserve to be read and read widely.

[Priyanka · Rating 4 out of 5]

'India', the name tastes of familiarity on my tongue, and why not? It is the country where I was born and raised. But reading these stories made me realise what I know about this country. about its making? about its people? about its history? especially the one that has been forcefully suppressed to give birth to our idea of an undivided Nation.
Another term this book makes me think about is 'Diversity'. India is known for being one of the most diverse countries in the world, but so far, my idea of it has been limited to our cultures, traditions, religions, and languages. But what about the diversity of memories that we have of the formation of this nation? And the diversity of emotions those memories evoke? For some, it's pride; for others, it's pain. And it's only after understanding the entire spectrum can one claim to "know" the true history of INDIA.

[Itswhilereading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Memory is like seedling of peepal – it can sprout from anywhere but it doesn't end up growing everywhere. This book is a compass drawing a circle for memory (of pain). With characters recounting, telling, speaking, sharing, journeying, shedding, remembering, one is compelled to think of what we choose to remember, how we choose to tell, and why we forget. This collection of stories is crisp with its sentences and straight forward with the emotions and feelings of characters. My favourite story was "The Journey" mainly because of the danger that continues to grip the reader and the danger that is finally revealed to us.

[Kaushiky Hazra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a required reading for my course. Apart from the significance these stories carry, I quite liked it as a lay reader. There were some stories which i really loved and some felt quite unsophisticated and basic. However these are stories of resistance and one should read it accordingly. Stories such as these need to be told. Overall it was a good collection of short stories from Nagaland by the author Temsula Ao

[Mru Natu · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a compilation of 10 short stories set in the 1950s from Nagaland. These are stories of their struggle for self-determination and fervent nationalism. But they were somehow transformed into disappointments as they became the very things they sought to overcome.

Nevertheless, all these stories introduce readers to a faraway culture, the beautiful northeastern landscape and most importantly they convey messages of true humanity.

[Rishi Sahgal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some touching stories about life in Nagaland during the years of conflict, as well as some that focus more on everyday life and it's changes over time. I was , however hoping for a little more depth about the Naga people to better understand them, thier history and their culture. Its not a bad collection of short stories and certainly worth a read.

[Rakshita · Rating 3 out of 5]

This lovely book wonderfully highlights the plight and struggles of the Nagas which infuriatingly goes unheard and is not emphasised much in the general politics of the nation.

I leave this book with a better understanding of the struggles of Nagaland

[Anwesha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm still reading this book, but "The Last Song" will haunt my dreams for years to come.

[Neeraj Mishra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting collection of short tribal stories from the hills of Nagaland

[Abhiranjan Deori · Rating 5 out of 5]

hmmmm

[Audrey Zinyü · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every line takes me back loud and clear, as though I was apart of it. It was frightening and cold.

[ritupon deori · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stories are written raw form and are inspired from true events that followed during the course of Nagaland’s political and insurgency crisis.

[Aparajita Gurung · Rating 4 out of 5]

Touching Short stories of Nagaland ..
The Jungle Major
An old man remember
Are my favourite

[pratiksha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars

favourites:
the curfew man
shadows
an old man remembers