What do you hope to learn through this fellowship?

I’m hoping to learn how to tell stories with more care, depth, and responsibility. Through the sessions so far, I’ve been thinking a lot about the relationship between the storyteller and the people whose stories are being told. While I already work closely with communities, I want to learn how to approach that relationship more ethically and thoughtfully—how to listen better, build trust, and represent people more honestly without simplifying their lives or experiences.

What film or writing would you recommend we read to understand more about women farmers in your region, and what did you love about it?

I would recommend the article The Keepers of Seeds and Land: The Khasi Women of Meghalaya by Rucha Chitnis. It speaks about Khasi women not just as farmers, but also as seed keepers, knowledge holders, and people deeply connected to land, food, and ecology. The story struck a chord because many of the ideas around food, inheritance, community knowledge, and women’s role in everyday life are what I’ve grown up seeing around me in Meghalaya.

What is an ingredient and an associated recipe from your region that you hold dear?

Tungtap, a smoked fermented fish chutney from Meghalaya, is something I hold very close. I associate it with my childhood—evenings spent by the fire, and my mother mixing rice into the stone grinder after making tungtap for us. I still remember the tingling effect of the Sichuan pepper and how, even though it was spicy, my siblings and I would rush home to eat it the moment our mother called us in. What I also love is how differently tungtap is prepared even between the Khasi and Pnar communities; the methods and ingredients can vary from home to home.