‘Fireside Tales’ Seeks to Keep Tawang’s Storytelling Tradition Alive
Authored by Tawang SP Tasi Darang, Fireside Tales seeks to preserve traditional stories, cultural memories and the age-old practice of passing knowledge from one generation to another.
TAWANG- Fireside Tales, a collection of stories authored by Tawang Superintendent of Police Tasi Darang, was released in Tawang on Tuesday, with the publication seeking to preserve local stories, cultural memories and the traditional practice of storytelling for future generations.
The book was released by Deputy Commissioner Tawang Namgyal Angmo, IAS, at the SP Residence in Tawang in the presence of ZPC Tawang Leki Gombu, ZPM Kyidphel Tenzin Monpa, Additional Deputy Commissioners Jang Hakraso Kri and Rinchin Leta, Assistant Commissioners Tenzin Jambey and Thutan Wangchu, DVO Tawang Dr. Avang Tamin and other guests.
Carrying the message “Stories that warm the heart. Roots that connect us,” Fireside Tales focuses on the richness of local stories, culture and heritage while seeking to pass treasured narratives and memories to younger generations.
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The book carries a foreword by Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu and has been illustrated by Mich Tarung.
Speaking at the release, Tasi Darang recalled a time when families would gather around fireplaces and elders would narrate stories, share experiences and pass knowledge and wisdom to younger members of the family.
Darang said those memories and the traditional culture of storytelling inspired him to put the stories into written form. He also informed that further editions of Fireside Tales are proposed and invited members of the public to contribute stories. Selected contributions, he said, would be published with due acknowledgement to their respective contributors.
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The SP also expressed concern over the declining habit of reading and emphasised the need to revive and encourage reading, particularly among children and young people.
Deputy Commissioner Namgyal Angmo appreciated the creative initiative and described it as an inspiring example for other officers to pursue literary and creative interests alongside their official responsibilities.
She said books such as Fireside Tales could be valuable for future generations by preserving memories of the past and connecting young readers with the lives, traditions and experiences of earlier generations.
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Reflecting on changing reading habits, Angmo noted that people today spend considerable time on screens and are gradually moving away from books. She expressed hope that publications such as Fireside Tales would encourage children and young readers to rediscover the joy of reading.
DVO Tawang Dr. Avang Tamin also congratulated Darang on the publication and expressed hope that the stories would travel from one reader to another, helping keep cultural roots, memories and the age-old storytelling tradition alive.
The publication is positioned as an effort to preserve stories rooted in the land, its people and traditions through the written word. By transferring memories traditionally shared around the fireside into a published collection, the book seeks to ensure that the wisdom, values and voices of earlier generations remain accessible to future readers.
In that sense, Fireside Tales goes beyond being a collection of stories. The publication seeks to maintain a cultural connection between the past, present and future, while encouraging a new generation to engage with local narratives and reading.
