A taungya is worked for three or four years only allowed to lie fallowed to lie fallow for six years or longer and a new field is cut.
Lo ching hkat kum htum, kum li bek a hto hi, toa zawkchiang kum luk tuahibale kum luk val lo a tul hangina a kul hi le dang lo tak a vawt hi.
First the undergrowth in cut down, then the big trees are felled and the branches lopped off. When all this has been dried by the sun, it is burned. Anything left is collected into heaps and set fire to again.
Amaisa lo a vat hi, a vat zawk chiang ching a hpuk hi, tua zawkchiang a sem hi. Hishia teampo ni sa a hko zawkchiang a hal hi. A hkang ngawl te mang a sep zawkchiang a hal kik hi.
Millet, Indian corn and beans are now sown together.
Tang a poi hi taw vaimim taw be taw a tu hi.
Beside these the Chins grow pumpkins, sweet potatoes, yams, sulphur, black and other kinds of beans.
Hishia sang Zo mihingte hmai, kaihtum, bal, ngatam, bili taw be nam chin a ching hi.
If the rains are not propitious, the villagers may have to sow their crops two or three times.
Ngua tui a hpa bale, hkuapuite anti ni ve htum ve a ching kik tu hi.
When the crops are just above the ground the first weeding is done.
Anti a po zawkchiang a solsat hi.
When the crops are about a span high the second weeding takes place, and the third weeding when the ear is forming.
Anti kap tan a pakchiang a ham bot hi le tangui laitak nu tual hi.
While the crops are in the ear, a villager sits in a machan and pulls ropes attached to clappers to scare birds away.
Tangui chiangina hkuapuite lo a hung hi. Vachim a hunna ngit ta hkan a tung hi.
First the millet is reaped. the stalks are separated by treading on a sieve. The grain is then dried in the sun and stored in big baskets in the house.
Amaisabil tang a shik hi tuazawkchian ni a chil hi, a chil zawh chiang ni sa a hpo hi, a hpo zawkchiang in a bem sunga a koi hi.
Before being pounded it is again dried in the sun.
A shuk maina ni sa sunga a hpo kik hi.
The Indian corn is then reaped and hung up from the roof of the house to dry.
Tang a shik zawhchiang vaimim a la hi. In ching a, hko natu a hkai hi.
After the Indian corn is reaped the stems are cleared away.
Vaimim a la zawkchiang, lo ham a bot hi.
Sweet potatoes are dug up, black beans are cut and other beans reaped.
Kaihtum a to hi, bili a at hi le be anam dang a lo hi.
This year for the second sowing, the Siyins had to buy the seed grain as owing to scarcity they had used up their stock for food.
Tu kum Sizangte a ngil kiel a, anti a ne shet yo hangina, a ching kik natu anti nguel dang munpan a le hi.
copy :A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF THE CHIN LANGUAGE ( SIYIN DIALECT)
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
CULTIVATION.
The lost writing. Lai mangna htu.
The people who lived at Zangpitam, posse- ssed a leather book which they carried up from Kalemyo. Zangpitam a teangte Kawlpi pan a puak savun laibu hkat ne hi.
That book was eaten up by a dog. Tua savun laibu shia ui-ina ne kong hi.
Then the elder brother called his younger brother, who was living at Kalemyo, to teach them to read and write. Tachiangina Kawlpi hkua a,a om a naupa, lai hil tu ina a upa-ina a sam hi.
At that time the Zangpitam people were cul- tivating the "Zo" fields at Tavak. Tualaitakina Zangpitam hkua mihingteina Tavak zo nak lo a hto hi.
In those fields were a water clapper and bird and rat traps used for protecting the crops (lit. fields). Tua lo lai a lo hunna-ina tui bung hkat, kawlhtang hkat, tangtil hkat taw lo a hun hi.
When the younger brother arrived from Kalemyo and saw the water clapper and the bird and rat traps, he said " Whilst 'they can make these " kinds of things, they 'cannot have forgetten "their writing and they"must be diceiving me (and saying this) he returned to Kalemyo. Kawl panna lai hil tu hong pai, a naupa ina a lo hunna tui bung. Kawlhtang, tangtil, a muchiangina " Hibangte zong "a vawt hte a hi chiang, lai am "ngawl tu hi. Hong theamna a " hi tu zam" a ti in Kawl hkua 'a a chia suk hi.
Thus the Chins lost their script. Tachiangina Zo mihing a lai mang hi.
The origin of Nat Worship. Doi beak kipatna htu.
When Ngengu's mother was ill and did not get better she said "O Ngengu, take off the -"horns of a mithun for if " I drink water from the "horns, I believe that " I shall get well. Ngengu anu a chi a na hi, a dam hte ngawl chiangina " Ngengu "aw, na shiel hki hkat va tong "in, shiel hki sung tui ne "leang, ke chidam tu ke ki um "hi" ti ina a sol hi.
When thus ordered Ngengu went and took the horns of a relation's mithun and gave his mother water to drink from them. A solchiangina, Ngengu a pai hi, a pute shiel hki hkata la hi, shiel hki sunga au-ina tui a ne sak hi.
Then his mother became much better. Tachiangina a nu a chi a dam zaw hiet hi.
He then borrowed a relation's mithun and sacrificed it. Tachiangina a pute shiel hkat le toi-ina doi a bea hi.
His mother then became well. Tachiangina a nu a chidam hi.
That is the origin of Siyin Nat sacrifices. Sizang mihingte a doi beakna kipatna htu a hihi.
Monday, December 27, 2010
SIYIN LEGENDS.
The legend of the Siyin origin. (Sizangte pien chilna tanghtu.)
In former times only the Shans lived in the Kalemyo Valley. Nidang lai-ina Kawlpi ngam a Shan mihingtevive a teang hi.
Whilst they were living there (lit.at that time) the Manipuries attacked Kalemyo. Tualaitakina Mete mihing te in Kawlpi a shim hi.
The Kalemyo people killed Hkang Ko, the Chief of the Manipuries. Kawlpi mihingteina Mete Mangpa Hkang Ko shia a htat hi.
Because they killed the Chief, the Kale- myo people won. Mangpa a htat komina Kawlpi mihing te a zo zaw hi.
The Manipur Chief's grave is still called "Hkang Ko's Grave" to the present day.
Mete Mangpa htan shia tudongina "Hkang Ko Htan" a kina top lai hi.
After that the Manipuries again attacked Kalemyo.
Tuazawkchiangina Mete mihingte Kawlpi hkua a shim kik hi.
Then the Kalemyo people were defeated because cholera broke out in the town Tashiachiangina Kawlpi mihing te a lil hi, abanghang ziam i chi le Kawlpi hkua pulpi natna a tung hi.
Therefore the Manipuries won but they did not administer ( the country). Tashiachiangina Mete mihingte azo hi, ahihangina a uk ngawl hi.
At that time a Burmese prince came from below (Burma) and governed the town, and afterwards built a wall all round the town. Tualaitakina Kawl Mangte hkat tangsangpanina hong pai to a, Kawlpi hkua a uk hi, tuazawk chiangina Kawlpi hkua akimkut a lupung a chiang hi.
During this time the people of the Kale- Myo valley were forced to work very hard indeed.
Tualaitakina Kawlpi ngam sunga mihing teampo na aham sa mama a seam sak hi.
It is said that the fingers of the workers, which were accidently cut off, filled a basket.
Tualaitakina naseam mihingte a kutme a to tan shia kum hkat adim kinga a ti hi.
Therefore the people of Kalemyo, because they suffered too heavily, migrated Tashiahangina Kawlpi mihingte a ngim le chiangina tai mang hi.
One group entered the Chin Hills by way of Yasagyo. These crossed the River and are now the Lushais.
Manipur Punglung ngam panina pawl hkat Kamtung a a ka hi. Tate shia Zo Ngun kantan a, Dulien mite a hi hi.
Later a group went up from the Kalemyo vicinity. Tachiangina Kawlpi ngam panina pawl hkat a ka to hi.
These people camped on Kennedy Peak. Up to the present time their cooking stones are still there. Tua mihingte Tuam Vum muel tuanga a ngeak hi. Tu dongina a lung tu pu a om lai hi.
From that mountain they searched for a good place to settle. Talai muel tungpanina a teang natu ngam hpatna a zong hi.
Their Separation. A kikenna htu.
From Kennedy Peak one party descended via Nawndkai spur and settled at Chimnue, near Saiyan.
Pawl hkatina Tuam Vum muel panina Nawmkai tu lu a, a tuak suk a Saizang Chimnue hkua a, a teang hi.
Another group followed down the Htung spur from Kennedy Peak and founded the village of Zangpitam.
Pawl hkatina Tuam Vum panin Muel Htung a zhui suk a, Zangpitam a, hkua hkat a sat hi.
The reunion of the two people at Chimnue Pawl ni Chimnue a, a kingawm kik na htu.
The people, who lived at Zangpitam, reunited with the people of Chimnue. Zangpitam a teang mihing te Chimnue hkua a ki ngawm hi.
The People, who had lived at Zangpitam, said that the Siyin country was good, but they re- mained at Chimnue. Tualaitakina Zangpitam a teang mihingteina Sizang ngam le hpa tu a sun hi,a hihangina talai hkua a, a om tong hi.
There were many clans living in that village. Talai hkua a nam tampi a teang hi.
Therefore that village is given as the historical birth place of the Chins .
Tua hkua shia Zo mi pienna tanghkua a pia hi.
. From that village they separated again. Talai hkua panina a kiken kik hi.
The return to the Siyin Valley. Sizangte ngam chia kik na htu.
One clan migrated from Chimnue to the mouth of the Natan Lui,and lived there for a short time.
Chimnue hkua panina Natan ka a beta hkhat a tai suk hi. Talai hkua tawmve a teang hi.
Because the people, who had lived at Zangpi- tam, said the Siyin country was good, a party went to inspect.
Zangpitam hkua a teang mihingina Sizang ngam hpa a ti komina, pawl hkatina ngam vil hi.
Those who went to inspect planted yams. Tualaitakina ngam viltein balte a tu hi.
As the ground was rich, these yams grews enor- mously. Tua Balte shia a le hpa akikomina bal pum a lien hi.
When they came to gather them, they had to prize them up with a lever, and it took two men to carry them. Tua bal a lak chiang, molpum taw a kal hi: a puakchiangina mihing ni-ina a zawng hi.
After that tha five brothers Ngengu, Vankok, Dai- tong, Hinnung, and Nongzong followed up the Na- tan Lui from its mouth and founded Tuentak village. Tuazawkchiangina Natan ka panina Ngengu, Vanglok, Dai- tong, Hinnung, Nongzong,unau nga ina Natan Lui a zhui to a, Tuentak hkua a sat hi.
Whilst founding that village they held the "tual" sacrifice in accordance with Chin custom Tua hkua sat laitakina Zo ngeinaina tual a bawl hi.
.
The sacrificing priests prayed "Let there be peace in Ngengu, Vanglok, Daitong, Hinnung and Nong- zong villages" (note, this is special sacrificial language). Tualaitakina tualpui samteina "Ngengu hkua satna chiem in, "Vanglok hkua satna chiem in" " Daitong hkua satna chiem in" Hinnung hkua satna chiem in" Nongzong hkua satna chiem in" a ti-ina pui a sam hi.
From that time to the present the Tuentak "Tual- bawl" is continueously made. Tualaitak kipan tudong Tuentak tual ki bawl tontung hi.
Every year prayer is made in the name of these five men. Kumshimina mihing nga shia taw pui a sam hi.
The descendants of the five Founders of Tuentak.Tuentak hkua sat mihing nga a suen htu.
From the five men, Ngenngu, Vanlok, Daitong, Hinnung, and Nongzong, all the Siyin people have descended. Ngengu, Vanglok, Daitong, Hinnung le Nongzong mihing nga a suen shia Sizang mi teampo a hihi.
Part of the Koset and Lope people are descended from Ngengu. Ngengu suen shia Hkuasak kim hkat le Lophei te a hihi.
Vanglok's descendents are the Toklaing, Bweman and Limhkai people. Vanglok suen shia Tuklai Bweman, Limkai mihing te a hihi.
Hinnung's descendents are the Hualngams. Hinnung suente shia Hualngam mihingte a hihi.
Nongzong's are the Taukan people. Nongzong suen shia Taukan mihingte a hi hi.
Daitong's descendents have died out. Daitong suen shia a mang hi.
COPY FROM A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF THE CHIN LANGUAGE ( SIYIN DIALECT)
နည္းပညာဆိုင္ရာမ်ား
