Volume VI Special Issue VI September 2026

Name of Author : Kanika Bohra

Title of the paper : Decolonising Knowledge: Indigenous Epistemologies in The Black Hill by Mamang Dai

Abstract: This paper examines the representation of Indigenous epistemologies in The Black Hill by Mamang Dai through the lens of decolonial theory. It argues that the novel challenges colonial knowledge systems that marginalise Indigenous traditions by foregrounding oral histories, collective memory, ecological consciousness, and cultural practices. Rather than relying on colonial archives, The Black Hill reconstructs history through storytelling, spirituality, and the intimate relationship between people and the land. Drawing on the theoretical insights of Walter D. Mignolo and Linda Tuhiwai Smith, the paper demonstrates how the novel functions as a decolonial text that reclaims Indigenous knowledge as a valid epistemological system. Through its emphasis on memory, landscape, and cultural continuity, Mamang Dai contests colonial narratives of history and identity, highlighting the significance of Indigenous literature in advancing contemporary debates on decolonisation, knowledge production, and cultural resistance.

Keywords : Decolonisation, Indigenous Epistemologies, Mamang Dai, The Black Hill, Oral Traditions.

DOI :

Page Number : 40-49