Writing On Tradition And Identity: An Interview With Inakali Assumi On Her New Book Isu Le

Summary of this article

Isu Le reimagines traditional Sumi songs in a modern poetic form.

Inakali Assumi reflects on Naga identity through daily life and memory.

The book adds to the growing presence of Naga voices in Indian literature.

The newly released book of poems, Isu Le: Songs of Ordinary Days, by writer Inakali Assumi from Nagaland, published by Red River Press with an introduction by Easterine Kire, is the newest addition to the growing body of Naga writings in English—a canon that has quietly emerged across academia and the literary world in recent years.

Isu, the short form of Isuna, which means “morning,” and Le, which means “song,” reflect the Sumi tradition of composing songs in the early morning. Inakali takes this tradition forward, preserving it through writing and s