Why Kashmiri language matters | Onaiza Drabu on literature and identity | Frontline Conversations

In this episode of Frontline Conversations, anthropologist, translator and editor Onaiza Drabu discusses Kashmiri language, literature and cultural memory. Drawing on her edited volume, "The Big Book of Kashmiri Literature", she speaks about language loss, the stigma around speaking Kashmiri, and the renewed interest among younger Kashmiris in reclaiming the language. Drabu discusses how oral traditions, folklore, Sufi poetry and songs preserve Kashmiri history and identity. She explains why "The Big Book of Kashmiri Literature" brings together writing from the 14th century to the present through themes rather than chronology, and why translators are central to the book. The conversation also looks at the lack of patronage for Kashmiri writers, the growth of Kashmiri content on digital platforms, and the role of language in preserving memory, belonging and home. Chapters: 00:00 | What Does the Kashmiri Language Mean to Onaiza Drabu? 03:33 | Growing Up Kashmiri in an English-Medium Convent School 05:24 | Rediscovering Kashmiri Folklore, Stories and Oral Traditions 08:31 | How Kashmiri Literature Preserves Identity and History 10:28 | Four Themes That Shape Kashmiri Literature 13:48 | Kashmiri Poetry as a Record of Social History 16:06 | Translating Kashmiri Literature for a Wider Audience 21:42 | Why Kashmiri Translators Are Preserving Language and Memory 24:00 | Can the Kashmiri Language Survive Language Attrition? 24:47 | How Gen Z Is Reviving Kashmiri Language Online 28:39 | The Crisis of Kashmiri Literature and the Need for Patronage 30:55 | Women Writers and the New Generation of Kashmiri Poets 34:24 | Reclaiming Kashmiri Vocabulary as an Act of Cultural Resilience Perfect for viewers interested in: - Kashmiri language and literature - Language and identity - Oral traditions and folklore - Sufi poetry - Translation and literature - Kashmir’s literary history - Cultural memory - Language preservation - Kashmiri digital culture Credits: Host: Gowhar Geelani Camera: Idrees Abbas Editing: Razal Pareed Producers: Kavya Pradeep M and Muhammed Mukhtar T H #OnaizaDrabu #KashmiriLanguage #KashmiriLiterature #TheBigBookOfKashmiriLiterature #Kashmir #KashmiriPoetry #LanguageAndIdentity #OralTraditions #Folklore #Translation #CulturalMemory #FrontlineConversations