The Folktale Legend Of U SIER LAPALANG

One of the iconic Khasi Folktalesare being retold in English. It is being tried in the form of a graphic novel. By reintroducing the folktale, the art of storytelling has been held true, as told by Joshua Rynjah.

The book has only one line of dialog but instead, you see the pictures and the narration. It is more or less similar to storytelling, where the story is told and the readers construct the images.

The contentis a reinterpretation of the folktale. Mr. Rynjah tries to expand on the character of Sien“the Stag “. It started with one question, who shot U Sein Lapalang?“The Stag at Lapalang,” since in the original folktale everyone knew he was hunted. The novel dwells on the character of the hunter and expands his role in the story to give him the same importanceas Sien. In the same sense, it keeps true to the folktale but expands more or less on the role of the hunter.

How original has it stayed, I mean in terms of “Character Position” from a writer’s point of view. How do you decide a character place, the body from page to page?

For me, when I started I had to do a lot of research on how comic books are made. The process of writing a script, in that process I came about the script where in each page had a format of four panels. But it depends on the part of the story where the importance of the event and the page is subsequently divided based on the relation of the incident. The details of the character position, the script writer or story board writer gets into all the details and makes it actually easier for the artist where the artist is standing. It is from there that they start to play around with colors depending on the story.

You are trying to reinvent the folktales and are adapting to the way it is now in the modern context. Any relation to what is going on now?

Yes, inregards to media, we have come from an oral tradition and a new introduction of the written word has taken a lot of importance in terms of recording and documenting folktales and history. With modern media outlets such as YouTube, it looks like we are going back to storytelling. Today the image is more important than the word.

How is the experience with Google Play Store?

It’s very good as we have been able to gain and be a part of a global market. We have readers from not just Shillong or India but from all around the world who are downloading it. People who are reading it online are now also demanding a hard copy.

What is the difference between a comic book and a graphic novel?

The comic book has its own history. And it was only later when it assimilated with literature, folktales and other forms that they started to use the term graphic novels.

December 18th was U Soso Tham 74th Death Anniversary. He was not just a patriotic hero but a distinguished writer ahead of his time who understood the social reconstruction that was happening within the developments in his community. He as a writer understood the slow loss of the Khasi Language with the embrace of being British. But he understood, as is evident from his writings, that children refuse to read unless compelled to do soat school or at Church. The young people do not read a book, however good it may be, unless it is a Text Book.

How do you as a writer try to get them back to reading?

The book is in English. We are publishing it independently. The interest is there, but I think it’s probably nothing new as compared to the books offered to them. They lose interest very easily.

Since it’s the understanding of the digital age, where they are used to the more graphic content of the image and where the language of the content is very familiar as of now where images are as dynamic as words are. And leaving it to the reader, to read its content. It’s a good time for graphic novels or other forms of storytelling. If it’s there, then they develop the interest and demand for hard copies. As is evident with this book.

I had published two books before and I learnt a lot from my mistakes. I learnt a lot and feel comfortable to understand about the marketing of today and the distribution to the book sellers.

Can you tell us about Mangkara Comics?How open has the response been and where from here?

It’s a Khasi word. Meaning the brightest star in the sky, hope or guidance in terms of writing. When I came across old comics from writers and illustrators. I wanted something to say and pay respect by emulating and continuing their works.After Mangkara Comics, I want to republish some of the old comics from 1980 and also children books.