Ecological Grief and Indigenous Resistance in Jacinta Kerketta’s Poetry

Indigenous communities across India are facing severe consequences from ecological destruction caused by mining, rampant deforestation, and state-sanctioned development projects. The relentless nature of extractive capitalism is not only devastating the land but also displacing these communities and disrupting the delicate ecological balance in Adivasi regions. These communities, situated at the intersection of development and Indigenous identity, are experiencing significant losses of their ancestral roots, biocultural traditions, natural resources, and rightful homelands—referred to as their jal (water), jangal (forest), and jameen (land). Jacinta Kerketta, a poet, activist, and journalist from the Oraon Adivasi community, crafts a powerful Indigenous counter-narrative that passionately addresses ecological issues and embodies the spirit of resistance. Her poems express deep environmental grief, mourning not just the physical degradation of forests, rivers, and natural landscapes but also the cultural, spiritual, and ancestral disconnections that result from this destruction. Jacinta vividly portrays the harsh realities of exploitation and dispossession faced by Indigenous communities due to mining and water infrastructure projects. In the Adivasi regions of India, pressing issues such as the diversion of water resources, the construction of dams, and harmful policies threaten traditional livelihoods, disrupt access to essential water sources, and undermine rich cultural practices. She holds the neoliberal framework and large corporations accountable for this environmental destruction and cultural erasure. This paper examines how Jacinta's poetry critiques the dominant paradigms of progress and development, which often marginalize indigenous voices and result in the loss of home and identity. It specifically focuses on her two collections of poems, Angor and Land of the Roots. It explores how her verse serves as a form of resistance, preserving oral history, indigenous ecological knowledge, and collective memory. It centers on indigenous experiences and emphasizes the importance of environmental justice, sustainability, and the preservation of indigenous ways of life. By prioritizing Indigenous perspectives, her poems encourage a radical rethinking of ecological futures—futures that are grounded not in technological intervention but in justice, sustainability, and respect for Indigenous knowledge systems