BECAUSE OF HIS LOVE

(Written in 1995, while serving in Africa)

We do not come here out of mere zest

Life here is not easy at best

Dust, dust everywhere

Suspicious eyes here and there

Scorching heat, desert storm, malaria

False accusation, opposition, filarial

The cup we’re drinking is a bit bitter we feel

When we think of others enjoying their sweet music reel

HY KHAZOH, MANIAH CHHIHTHA MAH Y

Hy Khazohpa,

Maraland pakhaihtuh Beipa,

Na moh chhâzaw reithai ta y mawh sy!

Râh chô liata khâ ryureih la,

Nâ beina râh khâ châ lymâ mawh sy!

Na thisaih ta khâ pathai la,

Na moh phana râh châ lymâ mawh sy!

PACHI HLYCHHO BIETAPA

Hla nata bie liata Marapasawzy hmahsie via n’awpa hluhpi eima hnei chy na, tahpa he chyhsa hluhvia hmô dâh a châ nota, eimâ kaw sosâh n’awpa nata hmahsie n’awpata a hriatuhpa deikua chyhsa chyhta ama châ. Literature Board zy a vaw duah ta, seminar zy chhao MTP, MSO zy pachhuahpanoh pata hnei tyhpa châ ta; a hria pazituhpa deikua chyhsa chyhta ama châ tyh. He chyhsa chyhta, Mara literature hmahsie n’awpata a hriatuhpazy hry liana heta Pastor Laiu Fachhai (Vânoh Paw) he pakha a châ hrapa ta ei pahno. Ano he chyhsa reih hluh leipa hria hluh kawpa, a chhaohdaohlaoh leipa hmia a sapa, hmô theipa liata râh kyhpachâtuhpa hmeihseih pakha a châ pata ei pahno.

HLAPHÔH BIEHMIA

Ahmiatua chai ta hla nata biezy nâ pie tyhpa ei Khazohpa hnohta alyna bie reih nahta, hlaphôh pahâna chi ei hro liata a tutuhpa ei puhpa Laisa Hlychhoh (chhâzaw râh lâ maniah a siesai hawpa) hnohta chhao alyna bie ei reih hra.

He ei blog liata hlaphôh hluh via zydua he a bu ta ei vaw papua chiehpa CHHÔSO RÔS PAW (Siaha: MTP Hqrs, 1998) nata he he mopado heih ta baichhi via heihpa EI CHHÔSO RÔSPAWZY (Siaha: Maraland Publishers, 2010) liatahpazy ama châ. Châ nata bie (literature) kyh liata hmahsie viapa chi nata phozy liata cha, a sa ta sapa hlazy deita phi thlah ha leipa ei ta, a rei ta reipa hlaphôh (poem) zy chhao ama phi lymâ hra. Eima râh liata deikua a rei ta rei awpa, a bievaopa (recitation) chhao taihta noh peimawhpazy liata rei awpa, hlaphôhzy phipa hluh mâh vei. Keima dyutlai leipa ta a bu ta ei papuapazy kha a y tua chaipa a châ thlah ha ei aw. Atahmâ deikua cha thyutliazy ta hlaphôh liata vaw pahâh pathao ei ta, alypa a châ ngaita kaw. Hmialâ liata cha Mara hlaphôhzy lapakhy ta a bu ta papua awpa chhao byuh â chhih kaw aw.

TU IN NGE VENGTU CHU VENG ANG?

(Who will watch the Watchman?)

(This article was published by The Aizawl Post)

Vawikhat chu international conference ah ka tel ve a. Sweden atanga rawn kal palai, radio ministry-a hotu pakhat nen kan inkawm a. Ram pakhatah chuan an radio production leh broadcasting hmunpui  sakna tur bungruate a bo  hnem thu leh a veng tura an rawih (chawkidar) chu ringhlelh theih dinhmunah a awm avangin, chu vengtupa chu vengchhawng leh turin vengtu dang pakhat ruat angai ta a ni, a ti a. Nui deuh chungin, anih leh, vengtupa leh amah vengtu chu inthurual ta se, vengtu dang ruat a ngai leh dawn a, in project chu vengtu hlirin a khat mai dawn a nih chu, tia ka comment chu, “Ni a, vengtupa leh amah vengtu inthurual chu thil awmthei a ni a, chutiang dinhmun kan thlen chuan a hmaa vengtu pakhat chauh kan neih lai ai  khan a vanduaithlak zawk ang,” tiin min chhang a. He a thusawi hian kan ram dinhmun min ngaihtuah tir nasa a ni. Kan ram hi Corruption awmlohna ram, emaw, corruption tlemna rama siam turin “tu in nge vengtu chu veng ang?” tih zawhna hi kan chhan theih a pawimawh ta a ni.

LINGUISTIC ECOLOGY OF MARA

LINGUISTIC ECOLOGY OF MARA 

(Note: I wrote this article for an edited book on "Linguistic Ecology of North East India," edited by a NEHU Professor through Ms Zamtei, a research scholar at NEHU in 2012. But I have not heard about the publication. This is an unedited version. I am working on making it a full book under a different topic. Criticisms and suggestions for improvement are welcome. Laiu Fachhai)

1. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

The bulk of the materials in this article is taken from the writer’s previous research, “A Brief Introduction to Mara History, Culture and Identity” in Rediscovering Mara History, Culture and Identity, edited by Bobby Beingachhi and M Vabeiryureilai and published by the Mara Research Society, Saiha, Mizoram, 2010, cut and paste verbatim in most cases. The writer is indebted to the Mara Research Society for the permission to reproduce the materials for the present book.

It is impossible to present a complete factual record of one’s (past) history, linguistic ecology included. The so-called historical records usually are only fragmented stories within the overall history of a person, family, clan, tribe, nation, or empire. Therefore, in this writer’s opinion, writing a history or doing historiography is a science of interpreting and reinterpreting myths, legends, stories, genealogies, and events of a person, family, clan, tribe, nation, kingdom and empire. This article is no exception. It is this writer’s interpretation and reinterpretation of myths, legends, stories, genealogies, and events surrounding the Mara people, with special reference to their linguistic ecology.

ZUNEIH KI PHAO TA PHAO

(He châpaw he Deiva Mara Daily liata papua hawpa a châ)

 “Zuneih ki phao ta phao” (a châh ta “sasu-zuneih ki phao ta phao”) tahpa Mara bieso he, tovyuh nata châna eimâ pachâ papha leipa topa nata piepa hawhta eimâ pahno tita a panawhna reihkâh châta hmâ tyhpa a châ. Khi kha liata awnanopa chhihtuhpa pakha cha a daihti hneina châhki ta he bie he biehmia châta reih tyh thlyu aw ta, ano ta daihti a vaw châ nahta satlianah ta a “zuneih ki phao kyh avaw reih heih aw lah y” tah tyh ei ta, he satlianah chhochhilina bie he a vaw tlô thlah ha tyh thlyu aw. He bieso he zuneihpa, a kiphao pha ta a rôh ngâsâ thlah hapa, châhrasala a kiphao cha a hmâ awpa hawhta hmâ thai leipa ta nata hmâ thei leipa ta chakeih nata sahrâh hropazy â pasiesa thlah ha tyhna tawhta a vaw puapa châ sala pangiasa â chhih. Ramawh thih â to kawpa liata a chatlie thei chaipa hawhta â râ awpa a ki ta pakhâ haw ta, chavâta sahrâhpazy ta nao tata ama sie theipa, ano kiphao cheingei ta ano a paraotuhpa lâta â lie theina lâ chhâh reina a chakhi thei hra.