Speak Your Roots

Tag: bilingualpoetry

  • Syiem Latympang–The Queen of Hima Manar by Daohi Manar

    From the base of 'U loom kyndong',

    I applaud her bravery – the queen of Manar Kingdom;

    Though "suri kup snieh langbrot" tends to trap,

    Queen with extraordinary powers,

    Her real name was Latympang Shadap.

    Dei tang u khnam bad ka ryntieh ba lam lynti,

    Na ka jingdum, sha jingshai ka sngi.

    'Loom-ti-niang', Pûnthor Latuba", Loom Mu-pdang', 'Loom Letno'

    told this story of grit,

    Of how she fought like a man every bit.

    Neibhah yong pha, Miat rynsut na hali da jngai:

    A! Maya wa sakhiat, da pûnsakhi wa kylla moo ki masi blai.

    A woman fearless and defiant was she,

    Defined by no man, you are your own story;

    Amid of happiness, 'Ko Syiem phi jngai na ngi!'

    The queen of 'u khnam ka ryntieh',

    Immortal your name shall ever be.

    "Syiem Latympang–The Queen of Hima Manar" sent by @xdtnoahjupejackllthmanar 😃😃😃 Thank you for being a regular contributor to the page!

    This poem is about Ka Syiem Latympang, her courage and fearlessness. English, Khasi and Pnar have been used to write the poem and this is an innovative idea because others who do not understand Khasi or Pnar will be able to know about this wonderful Queen.

    Daohi says: "Interestingly, apart from stories of the Jaiñtia male legends or kings, the Jaiñtias also have a beautiful story about a Queen with extraordinary powers whose name is 'Latympang Shadap' of Ka Hima Manar (adjacent to Shangpung Village). From beneath the darkened valley she wears her "Muka" and "Loket" on her land. Like a rising sun she seems to be shining above us, she was the great lady! "I am Syiem Latympang Shadap and I will bow to no man" For us, Latympang was not just a queen ,but she was a daughter, a sister and a Mother.❣️She used her bow and arrows as her own unique weapon set."

    👉"suri kup snieh langbrot"—A wolf in sheep's clothing.

    👉"u khnam ka ryntieh" — An arrow and a bow.

  • “Ki Arngut Shipara” da Garmylo Pdang

    The younger took one with a prayer

    Lord make me an instrument of your peace

    "Shim bahbah, to jied hi ma phi," ong u hynmen

    Ki don ki ba stang, ki don ki ba rben.

    "Haduh katno baje phin shong hangne?" nga shu kylli

    Haduh ban da lut ong u hynmen

    "Ngi hap ban die lut, la da ka miet kan ap slem

    Lym kumta, ka pisa ban thied khaw, kam dap, ba u rem."

    "Phi shong phi sah ha ei?" Nga kylli biang

    Ha Wahingdoh u hymen u jubab

    "Ani ka jngai balei phi wan die shane?"

    "Ba bun ki khynnah riewspah ba pule."

    "Ko hep," u ong u hymen, "hatei to khie leit tyrwa,"

    "Hatei ha jan jingkhang ka dukan ja

    Wat peit shapoh ba ioh mai ki briew

    Da husiar ar tad ioh hap ka pisa."

    Slimmed they stood next to the restaurant

    Bookmarks were on their hands

    A black hat on the eldest' head

    On the younger, a sweater that's red

    Their faces shone the Bosco Square

    Amidst the gloomy, happy faces of the students' there

    Two rupees for one, and 5 for three

    To the younger child crying they gave one for free

    Their pants torn and hair unkempt

    On the younger's sweater, his mom's jainsem

    The pure floral tradition scent

    Their mom bought long before the season of sullen.

    Ko bah, "shim kawei seh tang ar tyngka

    To shim seh bah", u barit u ban

    "Lada phi shim, ngin ai san! san tyngka

    To shim ban bah," u hymen run u ban

    "Ap shwa khyndiat nga kwah ban ia kren," nga ong

    "Em bahbah," u hymen u ong, "don bun ba dang sah

    "Tang san minit, ka por, dei ba kordor bahbah,

    Tang san minit, nga kular," bad ha dew bilat ngi shong.

    "Phi leit skul ne em?" Nga sdang kylli

    Ki nguh ka khlieh, bapli ki rangli

    "Ani balei, ka jia aiu ia phi

    Ngim don ka pisa ban siew ka skul fee."

    U pa u trei kaei, nga kum lorni

    Ngim tip, lah lai snem mynta, u ieh ia ngi

    I mei pat i trei jingtrei aiu?

    I mei i thiah ha iing ba i ioh pang TB.

    Garmylo says:

    "The poem is based on a real experience with the two boys (who are brothers) who were selling bookmarks at Don Bosco Square in Laitumkhrah, Shillong. It's about how we often forget to look at the other side of us, which is the spirit of humanity. We are so busy with the clanging of the world that our sights are limited to "The Us, We and I".

    "Ki Arngut Shipara" is original bilingual poem by @_gar_my.lopdang . Thank you for this touching poem! ❤️

    It is a narrative poem about two brothers who at a very young age become bread earners for their family. This is because their mother had been diagnosed with TB and their father on knowing about it, left her and the two sons.

  • “The Sun, the Peacock and I” by Badondor Diengdoh

    Spirited like the jaiñkyrshah

    flapping with the wind.

    Noisy like the sound of

    a bolbaring indenting tarmacs.

    The girls of summer

    The boys of winter.

    The blue rubber ball.

    targeting stacked rocks.

    Now

    still figuring out my life

    with unmatched socks

    Wish I could still be that

    kid from the block

    who daydreamed of

    the sun and the peacock.

    According to Khasi folklore, it is said that the Peacock and the Sun were together in heaven as lovers. But one day the peacock, while looking down on the earth, saw a garden full of mustard flowers. To him the garden looked like a beautiful girl in yellow and green clothes. He instantly fell in love with what he saw. The peacock left the sun and flew down to earth. The sun was heartbroken and her golden tears descended on his feathers creating the golden spotted pattern we all know.

    To the peacock's utter disappointment, upon landing on earth, he realised that what he saw was only a patch of mustard flowers. Now it was the peacocks' turn to cry. Full of regret he tried to fly back to the sun but could not. That is why the peacock is flightless to this day.

    "Bolbaring" is a wooden toy vehicle made out of small wooden poles and having rotating ball bearings as wheels.

    The rubber ball and stacked rocks refers to a traditional game known as "Mawpoiñ" in the Khasi language. It is like dodgeball, while introducing a new element into the game in the form of stacked rocks. It involves one team hitting their opponents with a ball or destroying the stacked rocks while the other team either dodges or re-stacks the rocks .

    "Jaiñkyrshah" is the traditional Khasi apron which is worn as a loop from one shoulder and its design is always a chequered one of different colours.