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Translation (Rita Seng Mai)
In the past, there was no death. This is the story that our elders passed down through the generations. Stories or the origins of something are really important for the Jinghpaw people. There were no deaths in the past. Humans usually went to the Sun Land and participated in the ceremonies that the Sun Landers celebrated. We humans also wanted to show off to the Sun Landers by celebrating ceremonies on Earth. Humans were thinking about what kind of ceremonies they should hold. Meanwhile, the young women went into the forest to collect banana leaves. They found a dead squirrel, so they picked it up and went back to their place. They held the death ritual. They went to the Sun Land and invited them, saying, "A human passed away. We will hold a funeral." The chiefs from the Sun Land were surprised and pulled the rope that connected to Earth, but it was still intact. Then they said, "No human has died. But go and check the situation." Then people from the Sun Land went to the Earth. However, they did not see any corpses. They said to each other, "What shall we tell our elders?" One of the women was sharp and quick-witted, so she pretended she had dropped her comb. They pretended to search for it, but in fact they were looking for the corpse. They found the dead body of a squirrel hidden under a winnowing basket. Then they went back to the Sun Land. The elders asked them, "Did a human die?" They answered, "No one has died. We only saw a dead squirrel under the winnowing basket. The humans held a death ritual for it." The elders said, "Humans really want to die that much. Then those who are in old age and those with grey hair shall die." The white-crested laughingthrush said, "Are we the only species to die?" Then the chameleon said, "My eggs were broken because of humans! I curse humans to die, whether young or old." The chiefs from the Sun Land permitted the humans to die. Death has occurred among humans since then. There was a woman named Htawt Mahti Sha Pri who had two children named Htawt Mahtawng La Marawng Shi Wi and Ting Krin num Ja Ing. The two siblings usually fetched water from the dam. Their mother wanted to die, but she couldn't die yet. She was always looking for a way to die. One morning, the elder brother, Htawt Mahtawng, told his sister to go check the dam. While she was at the dam, a cruel nat came and captured her. And he raped her. Later, the girl went back to her house and said to her brother, "My brother, that cruel nat raped me. He made a sound like Gaw gaw Kyek and took me with him." The next morning, the elder brother disguised himself as a woman and went to the dam. Like the day before, the cruel nat appeared while making a sound like Gaw Gaw Kyek. And he tried to rape the elder brother. But Htawt Mahtawng attacked the cruel nat first and tied him up with the rope he had prepared. He dragged him to the village and tried to sell him. The cruel nat said, "If you want money, I will give you sheep and cows. Don't sell me, please. Release me. Just prepare the sheds for those animals. I will give you. Release me, please." The boy said, Fine." Then he built sheds and pigsties. The nat filled the sheds and pigsties with cows, buffaloes, and pigs. The boy's family became rich. The nat told them, "Your whole family must avoid eating garlic, onion, and peppercorn. Take good care of everything." He told them like that. The boy's family became wealthy. Then a neighboring man named Zai Wa Hkai grew jealous of them. He noticed an unusual habit and thought, "They used to eat garlic, onions, and peppercorns, but now they don't. It seems that those herbs are not good for them." Then he secretly hid the herbs in the corners of the sheds and sties. As a result, all the cows, buffaloes, and pigs ran away. The old mother, Sha Pri, was very upset. She just wanted to die. She said to her children, "When I die, I will need a coffin for my body. Cut a tree and make a hollow to put my body after I pass away." The son and the daughter first cut down an odina tree, whose wood was very hard. They tried to hollow it out, but even after breaking nine axes, they still could not finish. Then the mother said to them, "Go to the place where the sun shines and find trees with soft wood." After they had cut down the tree, the mother told them, "Go to the Majoi Shingra Mountain." When they came back, she asked them, "What did you see there?" Then they answered, "We saw a great hornbill." She said to them, "Take inspiration from the great hornbill's beak and carve the head part of my coffin to resemble it. Put a cross in the middle of the coffin. Prepare items such as necklaces and hang them there as well. Hang a square mirror, too." And she continued saying, "Go to the Majoi Shingra Mountain again. Clumping bamboo grows there. Take inspiration from how they grow and make a tomb." Soon, she passed away. Then they put her dead body in the coffin and buried her at the entrance of the village. The Jinghpaw people took inspiration from the coffin of the old woman, Sha Pri, mother of Htawt Mahtawng La Marawng and Tingkrin Sha Wi Ja Ing, and made their coffin like hers. We built the tomb near the entrance of the village. We placed a circle of bamboo in front of a house of mourning, taking inspiration from the clumping bamboo. We follow exactly what the old woman said when holding a funeral. Since then, humans have experienced death. Our elders usually say that we have death since then. In the Bible, humans experienced death because Eve ate the forbidden fruit. However, in Jinghpaw cultural history, death came to humans because of their desire to die. In the past, the Jinghpaw people followed this ritual exactly and built a coffin exactly as the old woman had described, not like the coffins we make today. I am sharing this story to let you know about it. I have some photos, but I can't find them right now, so I am telling this story verbally. Thank you very much. (Question: Do you have photos yet? Answer: Wait, let me find them.)
Transcription (La Ring)
Anhte shinggyim masha ni moi gaw si ngu ai n nga ai da. Ndai gaw anhte Ji Wa ni kaw na hkai dat ai maumwi re maumwi ndai gaw maumwi Majun labau grai ahkyak ai lam re. Si ai ngu ai nnga ai wa anhte gaw anhte shinggyim masha ni gaw si ngu shawng de nnga ai. Rai jang gaw anhte shinggyim masha ni gaw htaw.. jan ga de shata jan ga de lung nna jan mahkawn jan shabrang ni hpang de poi lawm lawm sa sa rai shanhte hpang de shaga yang gaw poi sa lawm lawm rai jang gaw anhte ni mung anhte shinggyim masha mahkawn shabrang ni mung jan shata shayi ni hpe anhte mung shaga nna e.. poi galaw na gaw grai sharawng ai. "Kaning di na poi galaw na i.. " ngu shanhte gaw myit ai. Myit jang shaloi gaw htaw.. dai kaw na mahkawn ni gaw nam de nam de lahpaw htat sa ai. Lahpaw htat sa jang gaw "Jahkai" jahkrung jahkai jasi langai mi hta ai. Nam na jahkai jasi dai langai mi hta nna hta la wa nna dai hpe poi galaw ai da. Poi galaw nna wo.. jan ga de na jan ga de "E.. anhte poi galaw ai lo shinggyim masha langai mi si sai lo" ngu nna shaga dat ai. Shaga dat yang gaw jan shata salang ni gaw jan sumri ngu ai magra dat jang gaw "ting a ting ring a ring" "ah.. nsi ai jan sumri ngang a, shinggyim masha hte gindun ai sumri ni ngang taw nga" nga ai nga "raitim sa yu masu" ngu na sa yu ai. Shana tup poi galaw ai dai shinggyim masha mang gaw nmu sai. Nmu jang gaw "Ga.. ya ndai Ji Wa ni hpe Nu ni hpe gara hku tsun dan na i" ngu gaw num langai mi gaw jan mahkawn langai mi gaw zai ladat rawng ai hte jut hkan e pasi jahkrat masu nna sa abram dat jang gaw ndai mam katsap sha ai hka aw ni magap tawn ai jahkai jasi mi gaw taw taw rai jang gaw ya shanhte mung bai lung wa nna Kanu Kawa ni hpe tsun dan ai. "Shinggyim masha ni si ma i" ngu yang "Nsi ai lo jahkai sha jahkai jasi langai mi sha hka awn hte magap tawn da ma law, dai hpe poi galaw rai ma law" ngu ai da. Poi galaw rai ma law ngu jang "Aww.. dai rai yang gaw shinggyim masha ni mung si na grai shararwng ma ai. Dai majaw gaw asak kung ai baw hpraw mahpraw, wa lawng malawng ndai baw pung mapung asak kung makung si mu ga" ngu na tsun dan ai da. Rai yang gaw U Ju Nawng gaw shi gaw baw hpraw ai "anhte ni chyu si na i" bai nga rai yang gaw Sing Nyeng wa mung "Deng anhte e mung nye adi mung ga ai re le, Sing Nyeng di mung ga ai kaji kaba yawng si mu ga shinggyim masha mung" ngu nna si lama jaw tawn da ai. Si na kumla, si na lamik kumla, si na ginlan jaw da ai si na matu shanhte hpe ahkang jaw kau da ai da. Rai jang gaw ding rai nna raitim mung karai gaw nsi si kawn na si di nga rai jang gaw ndai Htawt Mahtawng La Marawng ngu a Kanu dinggai Sha Pri ngu ai Htawt Mahti dinggai Sha Pri ngu ai wa kaw Htawt Mahtawng La Marawng, Shi Wi, Ting Krin num Ja Ing ngu ai num sha la sha ma lahkawng lu ai da. Rai jang gaw dai, dai ma yan gaw dai kahpu kanau yan gaw htawt mahtawng ra marawng ngu ai hte num Tingkrin Shayi Ja Ing yan gaw madim ja ai da hka de madim ja. Madim ja n na, rai yang gaw ndai Kanu gaw grai si mayu tim si na lam mung nmu rai di ding rai nna amyu myu si na lam chyu tam di nga tim dai si nhkraw rai ten hta e, lahpawt mi na gaw Kanau num sha ma hpe madim sa yu shangun ai da dai Kahpu Htawt Mahtawng gaw. Rai yang gaw htaw.. madim sa yu shangun jang gaw, e.. htaw madim yu taw nga shaloi htaw.. hka nam maga na lep nat langai mi "Gaw Gaw Kyek, Gaw Gaw Kyek, Gaw Gaw Kyek" nga nna lung wa nna she dai num hpe rim roi dat ai. Rim roi nna shing di dat ai da lahpawt mi hta. Rai jang gaw wa nna Kahpu hpe tsun ai "E.. Hpu e ngai hpe dai hkaw sawt di nna shing di nna Gaw Gaw Kyek nga nna lung wa ai nat langai mi ngai hpe rim roi kau ai lo Hpu e" ngu na tsun dan ai da. Tsun dan jang gaw, e.. hpang jahpawt gaw Kahpu wa num zawn zawn buhpun sumraw nna bu hpun hpun ni hpe num hkying hkying nna madim sa yu ai da. Dai shaloi gaw shawng jahpawt na zawn zawn dai lep nat gaw num hpe roi na matu Gaw Gaw Kyek, Gaw Gaw Kyek nga nna lung wa na sa kamu dat ai. Rai yang gaw shi gaw dai Htawt Mahtawng gaw shi mahtang mi sumri ni yawng lawm sa nna she shi mahtang kamu nna shinggyi nna mare de woi dut hkawm ai. Dut hkawm ai shaloi gaw dai lep gaw, lep nat dai gaw "E.. nang sut gan she ra yang gaw ngai hpe gaw hkum dut u, nang hpe e sut su na matu ngai dumsu, nga sagu ni hpe nang hpe jaw na re, nang htaw..dumsu lawng nga lawng ni hpe galaw tawn u wa lawng ni hpe galaw tawn u" ngu nna tsun dan ai. "Ngai hpe gaw dat rit" ngu na htet da ai da. Htet da jang gaw "E mai sa" n gu na dumsu lawng nga lawng ni galaw wa lawng ni galaw rai jang ngut sai i ngut sa nga jang gaw nga wuloi ni dum su ni ma hkra yan bang nna e ndai ni grai dumsu wulawng she hpring nga wulawng she hpring nna sut su wa ai. Sut su wa jang gaw ndai Htawt Mahtawng htinggaw hpe gaw "Ya kaw nna ndai machyang, shakau, shaban ngu ai hkum sha yaw, sadi di nga yaw" ngu na tsun da ai. Tsun da nna htet da nna wa ai. Shaloi gaw dai ni gaw grai lu su wa sai. Lu su wa ai hte gaw shi gaw ndai lu su wa ai majaw dai htingbu kaw na Zai Wa Hkai nga wa manawn ai wa lai wa kaw "Aw ndai ni lu su ai gaw ya shawng de gaw shakau shaban machyang ni mung sha, ya ndai shakau shaban ni mung koi re gaw ndai shakau shaban lang yang nja na masa nga ai ngu na she dumsu lawng nga lawng ni hta shakau shaban ni hpe matep nna matep da ya ai da. Shaloi gaw yawng shanhte a sut gan ni nga wuloi dumsu ni sagu ni yawng hprawng mat wa sai. Hprawng mat ai majaw gaw, ndai....dinggai Sha Pri ngu ai wa kajan Kanu gaw grai..yawn wa sai. Yawn wa nna shi gaw si lam tam sai. Grau nna si lam kaning rai na si na si lam tam rai jang gaw "E ya ngai si jang gaw si yang na matu ngai hpe hpai kau na du-u mung ra, du-u mung ra ai ngu nna htet da ai. "Ya ngai si jang galaw na matu nanhte wo.. hpun krawk mu, hpun krawk mu, hpun krawk nna ngai hpe bang mi dai hpe bang mu" ngu nna "dai hte hpai kau mi" ngu na kasha ni hpe htet da ai. Htet yang gaw latsen hpun ngu ai grai ja ai baw ningwa grai hten ai baw hpun hpe shawng kran yu ai krawk yang gaw krawk nlu sai, ningwa jahku hten wa ai. Ndai wa chyaw ngu ai ningwa jahku hten tim krawk nlu re majaw gaw dai Kanu gaw "E htaw.. jang hkat maga sa yu masu, tsai dwi hpun, tsai bawk hpun kya ai baw hpun dai ni tu na re" ngu ai. Dai hpe kran yang gaw "Mai sa kran sai, ya kran tawn sai" rai jang gaw "Htaw.. majoi shingra bum de sa yu masu" ngu ai "Sa yu masu ngu jang gaw hpabaw mu myit ta" ngu yang gaw "Hkawng rang dung nga ai hpe mu ga ai" ngu ai. Hkawng rang ngu htawra baw re, hkawng rang ngu wo ra baw u i. "Dai baw dung nga ai hpe mu ga ai" ngu jang gaw "E dai ya baw hpe yu nna nye du-u hpe gaw baw hpe dai zawn zawn galaw mu" dai di na galaw mu, ka-ang tawng hpe gaw makawng makang ngu ai e..ndai.... dai si yang e chyai chyai chyai di tawn ai anhte Jinghpaw ni gaw dai ginchyai nna ding re ka-ang tawng hpe gaw dai baw mankawng mankang nga ai galaw nna dai jun mu" ngu ai. "Dai kaw e kachyi zawn re mung galaw da mu, dai mung noi mu." "Jut mai mali zawn re jam na zawn re mung noi mu" ngu na tsun da sai. Rai jang gaw "Ya bai sa yu masu htaw..majoi shingra bung de mada yu masu lagyen byap ngu ai sen sen sen sen re ai dai hpe yu nna du-u num shang na e.. lupwa galaw mu" ngu na dai numhtet da ai. Rai nna dai ni yawng ngut jang gaw shi mung si wa sai. Si wa ai hte dai kaw na bang nna num shang de sa kau ai. Dai majaw anhte Jinghpaw ni gaw ya shi a dai dinggai Sha Pri ngu ai Htawt Mahtawng La Marawng ngu ai hte num Tingkrin Shawi Ja Ing ngu ai ni a Kanu si yang na lama dai hpe lang nna daini anhte Jinghpaw ni gaw du-u hpe mung hkawng rang baw zawn zawn baw maga galaw da di na dai kaw bang nna lupwa hpe mung dai hku e.. htaw numshang de lupwa galaw nna lup kau da dai kaw yu nna lup kau da ngu ai. Karoi gaw htaw.. kawa wahpang yu nna karoi ngu ai. "Karoi hpe jun nna shing di nna makoi mayang mi" ngu na dai hku daini anhte Jinghpaw sha ni gaw dai shi htet da ai maumwi hte anhte si sharawng ai majaw si hkrung si htan ngu ai gaw dai kaw na byin wa ai...nga nna ji woi ji wa ni tsun ma ai. Chyum laika hta chyawm me gaw e..Adam yan Ewa, Ewa e namsi sha nna si hkrung si htan byin ai nga raitim anhte Jinghpaw maumwi chyawm gaw ndai hku nna jan, shata mahtum mahta ni e si na matu anhte shinggyim masha mahtang si sharawng ai majaw si shangun ai ngu na daini anhte Jinghpaw ni gaw lup makoi yang mung dai zawn mi na lamang hte hkrak hkrak, du-u hpe mung ya na zawn zawn doi doi ndi ai, wo ra hkawng rang baw zawn zawn di nna shatsawm nna lup makoi kau ai gaw ya nat jaw prat hta gaw anhte dai hku lang ai re ngu ai hpe e ndai daram mi hkai dan ai hku rai sai. Ya sumla mung ngai wo ra de ngai e mung dai baw hkai shangun nang sumla mung gaw n ga ai wa tim ya na zawn lawan ladan tam n mu ai majaw e ngup hte ndai daram mi, nan yen sara hpe n dai ram mi hkai dan ai hku rai sai. Grai chyeju kaba sai. Gasan- Sumla gaw n nga sai i? Mahtai- ya ya tam yu gaw. |
