Bimala Tumkhewa on women, indigenous identity and the power of poetry
Summary
Bimala Tumkhewa reflects on her decades in journalism and poetry, the struggles of women, and the place of indigenous identity in Nepali literature. She says her white attire once served as silent resistance against discrimination and argues that Nepali literature must portray women and marginalized communities more powerfully.
Key Points
- Bimala Tumkhewa, a poet and journalist from Tehrathum and Morang, has spent about three decades in journalism and is the immediate past president of Sancharika Samuha.
- She says her poetry is shaped by childhood grief, nature, women’s struggles, and the experiences of indigenous communities.
- Tumkhewa describes feminism as the demand for equal human existence and says women’s rights have advanced, but implementation and social attitudes remain major challenges.
- She argues that indigenous cultures and multiple ethnic experiences have expanded Nepali literature, while modernity has weakened folk traditions.
