Speak Your Roots

Tag: khasinumbers

  • Ki Dak Ñiew na Mawbynna by R.David Hamboy Kharlukhi

    1. Jylliew nga poi sha thwei Jingtip buh nam ki longshuwa,

    Ki mawbynna ba sah kynmmaw naduh ki thwei u mynbarim;

    Ba khlem pat sep ba dang shongdor, Ki neh kyrpang ki ieng hi triang.

    Nangno ngi sdang hangno ngi poi, ia ngi Jingtip ki ai;

    2. Nod, wei ar lai haduh shiphewkhub ki ieng kum ki sabut.

    U dak kyrwoh jingkhein ban pynbiang lut naduh suda haduh shiphewkhup;

    ki nang pynbiang ia shihali, shikuri ban thew ban woh ha iew ha hat,

    Khlem artatien ki dei spah bah bakhraw naduh u mynbarim.

    3. Ha lawkyntang bad lawlyngdoh ki ieng sakhi;

    Naduh na Nongjri shathie shaduh sha Nartiang Shatei.

    Ha Phyllaw shad bad kper pynngnad ki mawbynna ba itynnad:

    Ki khynnah rit ki ialehkai khlem poi pyrkhat ei ei.

    4. U Marphalangki man la ki por u thung a mawbynna ban sah kynmaw;

    U ñiew bad lum kyrpang ki mawbynna ha lad dap briew,

    Manla ki por ngi tih bad lum jingtip riti dustur u ñi u kong:

    Khaddei la dep ban pynurlong I'u dak ñiew naduh myndai kulong.

    5. "Nod" U mawbynna shongthait ba par ha sla kjat khyndew

    "Wei" U mawbynna ba kiew shaphrang u Khun phrangsngi ka Ri

    " Ar" Ki mawbynna shijur ki ieng sakhi i-a roi ka par ki paidbynriew Khasi

    " Lai" Ki mawbyrseiw rympei longing ki ieng ban kiew shaphrang khlem kyrtiang dien

    "Saw" Ki Mawbynna U Kpa Ka Kmie bad ar sakhi ki Khun kum shikynhun

    "San" Ki Mawbynna Longkni longsan khlem noh shiliang synshar ia kur ki man

    "Hynriew" u mawbynna tip briew tip Blei ba sdang ban san Rangbah bad talain stieh

    "Hynñiew" Ki mawbynna hynñiew pateng ba snoh kti lang ban iai pynbha imlang sah lang

    "Phra" Ki mawbynna jong ki Hima sawdong ki pud ki ker bad ki iada

    "Khyndai" Ki mawbynna sah jingkynmmaw jong ki pateng longshuwa manshuwa

    "Shiphew" Ki mawbynna shongthait ba dap pura ka kamai hok jong ki rta

    6. Ki dak ñiew khasi ba ioh nongkynti na ki mawbynna;

    Ki dei ki spah dak maian ba buh ki longshuwa manshuwa;

    Namar ka "ia" ka juk Sati Ksiar la dap pura;

    Ia ki dak ñiew la dei ban ri bad sumar bha.

    "Ki Dak Ñiew Na Mawbynna” by R. D. H. Kharlukhi @davidkharlukhi is an original Khasi poem.

    This beautiful and well-crafted poem brings together Khasi numbers and the different kinds of "mawbynna" (monoliths) that Khasi and Pnar culture possess, to create an ingenious symbolism. It is a significant effort to create an awareness of the deep, inextricable bond between man and nature. Most importantly, the poem highlights the lessons encrypted in nature which many of us do not perceive.

    Thank you to Mr. R. D. H. Kharlukhi @davidkharlukhi for giving the permission to post his poem! This poem is available on amazon.in.

  • Laiphew

    The connotation or the Khasi term "Laiphew" which literally means thirty, as a limit ordinal is without a successor and it is a marker of a process of constitution of a community. It is not just a representation of the number 30, but it is supposed to be an idiolect of 'all types'. For example, "Laiphew Syiem'' means many chiefs; "Laiphew Mrad" means many animals. Philosophically speaking the Khasi concept of all and many as a generic concept is simultaneously concrete and general. Concept of numbers to instantiate all or many are place markers within the structure of all or many, which is simultaneously predicative and impredicative. Such predicative and impredicative application of linguistic concepts in describing the constitution of Khasi society is a narrative construction of Khasi selfhood.

    "Laiphew" sent by @manbha.syiemlieh Thank you! An extremely interesting entry! 😄😄

    Idiolect: the language or speech pattern of one individual at a particular period of life.