The Role of Spirituality in Shaping Human Experience: A Purview of Easterine Kire’s Spirit Nights

Mary Roslin Ashika¹, Dr. T. Mangayarkarasi²

¹Reg. No. 2421117022001 M, Research Scholar, PG & Research Department of English, Rani Anna Government College for Women, Tirunelveli.

²Associate Professor, PG & Research Department of English, Rani Anna Government College for Women, Tirunelveli.

Abstract

Spirituality takes a profound role in shaping human consciousness, morality, identity, and communal relationships in folkloric fiction or novels rooted in oral tradition. This present study examines the role of spirituality in shaping human experience in Easterine Kire’s Spirit Nights. The novel is rooted in the Naga oral tradition and indigenous cosmology, which sees spirituality not merely as tradition or belief but as a lived experience and cultural reality that structures memory and community life. The presence of spirits and ancestral memories show that the human experience is not only physical but also spiritual. This novel also highlights how the indigenous spiritual beliefs provide a sense of identity and cultural belonging. The spirituality present in this novel shapes the preservation of tradition and helps people face their fears and uncertainty. Through this spiritual view, Kire shows how humans are deeply connected with nature, tradition, and community. This study highlights how spirituality plays an important role in shaping human emotions, thoughts, and social behaviour.

Keywords: Spirituality, Folkloric fiction, Indigenous cosmology, Cultural belonging, Tradition, Nature.