Speak Your Roots

Tag: talklocal

  • Ka Sohlyngngem bad u Rynñiaw

    Ka Sohlyngngem and U Rynñiaw were deeply in love with each other and would meet in the shade of tress in the forest. Ka Sohlyngngem was a beautiful bird who belonged to a poor but hard working family. U Rynñiaw, on the other hand, was the son of a well-privileged family and the "King of the Kingdom of Shade'' (Tales of Darkness and Light by Janet Hujon). The parents of Ka Sohlyngngem did not wish that she marry U Rynñiaw because of the difference in wealth between the families. As the sorrowful end of the story goes when Ka Sohlyngngem tells him, U Rynñiaw is distraught but not wanting to cause pain to her parents, decides to say goodbye and leaves Ka Sohlyngngem. Till today the cries of Ka Sohlyngngem are heard singing of her lost love.

    "Ka Sohlyngngem" da Primrose Gatphoh

    1. Ka Sohlyngngem ka thei bhabriew.

    Ki ong naduh hyndai;

    U sim Rynñiaw ka ri dymmiew,-

    Iap mat-u 'rang kynsai.

    2. Jar-Jar ka trei ka khun ki briew,

    Ba duk ba bylla sngi;

    Ka nang ban thaiñ ban suh syntiew,

    Kam nang ki 'tien lorni.

    3. U sim Rynñiaw, u khun binong,

    Ïa ka bunsien u ruwai :
    Hajan jong u ka brai ban shong;
    Ka sngap, -ka ioh thiah thai.

    4. Ar ngut ki ïaid sha lum sha wah,

    Ki shong hapoh dymmiew;
    Harud ki um sangam dait thah,
    Sha bym ïohsngew ki briew.

    5. Ka 'lei-lapmat ka wiat samrkhie,

    Ki khun mariang bha dur :
    Ha pdeng duriaw jingieit ki kie,
    Ki Paro-blei shi jur.

    6. Ki 'tien-sai-iong, ki 'tien-sai-saw,
    Ar ngut ki teh jutang:

    Ym don u syiem, ym don i mraw,

    Ban sngap ban ap jutang.

    7. Ki kmie ki kpa ka Sohlyngngem,

    Kim mon pynhiar synjat:

    Jingieit jong ka- -ka dom, ka rhem,

    Ka iam, ka khuslai sat.

    8. "Ko Khun" ki ong "Yn lei phin kwah

    Ioh un lehbeiñ lehkhoh

    Namar ma u u khun riewspah,

    Ma phi ka khun ba poh!"

    9. "Hu-hu ka ud ka pait dohnud,

    Namar u Syiem Rynñiaw :

    Ka phet kylleng ka wad ka bud,

    "Hu-hu Hu-hu' ka piaw.

    10. "Ko Ieit,' ka ong, '"dohnud ka pang :

    Eiei, ngam nang pyrkhat:

    I mei i pa, iap-iap ki khang,

    Bad phi ban shong ryngkat.

    11. "Jingieit jong phi ia nga la biang,

    Bad phi nga hun nga suk:

    Im-im ia phi ki ring 'sai syiang:

    Ki mon para ba duk."

    12. "Oh kumta pleng | Nga ruh ngam kwah

    Ynnai, – pynsngewsih lei !

    Hynrei, ko Ieit, ia nga to shah,

    Ngan doh khadduh-Khublei!"

    13. Kumta u piam, u doh, u dait;
    Junom ka iai kynmaw :
    Te, slem u-bat, um lah pyllait;
    Ki ummat ksiar ki jaw.

    14. Te soit u siang la ki sner diar;
    Shapoh lawbah u ruwai :

    "La pait, la pait ka Khuri Ksiar,

    La wai, ko Tiew-Pathai !"

    15. Ka Sohlyngngem ka shoh bieit ngaiñ,

    Shano kan ïashem pat !
    Mano ban sop, mano ban spaiñ:
    Badno kan shong ryngkat !

    16 "Hu-hu!" ka iam, "Hu-hu!" ka ud,

    "Hu-hu!" ka win ka khlaw :

    "Hu-hu!" "Hu-hu!" ka khot pangnud,

    'Hu-hu,! ko Syiem Rynñiaw !'

    17. Ka ngiah ka ruwai, ka shad, ka kmen,
    Ka keiñ ka put ka tem :
    Ha 'Iaw sangam ka shong rieh tngen :
    Ka ud, -ka pang shadem!

    18. Ka Thei-Iap-Saw ka khuslai sat,
    Ha thwei sangam ka miet ;
    La khap ka khmat, ka dem pyrkhat,-
    Ka Khuri Ksiar Jingieit !

    "Ka Sohlyngngem bad u Rynñiaw" is a story marked by love, sorrow, loss and absence. 🖤🤍🖤🤍

    🟡 As stated in Tales of Darkness and Light (2018) by Janet Hujon, Ka Sohlyngngem is the Ashy Wood Pigeon and U Rynñiaw is the Greater Racket-Tailed Drongo.

    🟡 The Khasi poem "Ka Sohlyngngem" is written by Primrose Gatphoh in his book Sawdong Ka Lyngwiar Dpei (1977).

    🟡 Pictures 2 and 3: Google

  • U Ryngkew and Khlaphuli

    The following has been quoted and summarised from Essays in Khasi Folkloristics by Dr. Desmond L. Kharmawphlang (2016).

    In Khasi belief, the sacred forests are protected by a "spiritual tutelary deity called U Ryngkew U Basa" who makes himself visible in the form of a tiger. Thus, 'U Ryngkew' is the tiger spirit who safeguards the sacred forest. After the chaos that ensued in the felling of the 'Diengiei' the gods sent 'U Ryngkew' to "stay forever in forests, mountain tops and places of wilderness revealing himself, whenever he does, as a tiger."

    Related to the significance of the tiger in Khasi myth and folklore, is the belief in "Khlaphuli" or the Weretiger. The Khlaphuli is a man or a woman who has the ability to change into a tiger with "this power being an attribute of their 'rngiew'…The Khasi belief in the 'ka rngiew' is so strong that it is regarded as an essence, a power which shapes and determines most of man's actions, thoughts and motivation, it gives shapes to his dreams and visions and charts the course of his life. It is imperishable and immutable. In the Weretiger tradition, it is the 'rngiew' that is directly responsible for men and women to possess the power to become weretigers or 'khlaphuli' as it is known in local parlance. This transformation from human to tiger is closely associated with aspects of religious and social practices."

    The belief in "U Ryngkew" and "Khlaphuli" form intrinsic aspects of Khasi spirituality and religion. They are also necessary to understand the effort to conserve our sacred groves and forests. 🏞️🏞️🌄🌄

  • The different kinds of rivers in Khasi

    "Wah" is the usual name for a river or a stream.

    "Wahbah" is a large river.

    "Wahkaba" is a roaring and raging river which flows rapidly during the summer in Sohra.

    "Wahduid" is a streamlet or a rivulet.

    "Wahrupa" is a river whose water shines and shimmers like silver in the sunlight.

    In fact, a part of the Umngot river in Meghalaya is called "rupa tylli" as it is likened to a broad, flat silver necklace work by Khasi women.

    Our rivers are so many, so beautiful and so precious. Yet in Shillong, the most well known "Ka Wah Umkhrah" is perhaps a dying river. We made a hue and cry about the trees being cut but what will we do about our rivers in and around Shillong city? 🏞️🏞️

  • U Wah Sdai/ Sdie

    "U Wah sdai/sdie" u dei nongrep na shnong Jowai, uba trei shitom hynrei uba klet biej. Ha kawei ka sngi, u thlieh dieng baroh shisngi. Hadien katto katne por, u shong thait bad u bam kwai. Ynda u la mut ban bteng biang їa la ka kam, um lap shuh ïa u sdie jong u. U la pyrshang ban kynmaw hangno ba u la buh їa u ruh, um lah kynmaw satia. Khatduh ki paralok kiba їa trei lang bad u haba ki їohi ba u їai wad kumne kim banse ban kylli, "Phi wad aїu kumto naduh mynne khlem lap shuh?" "Nga wad їa u sdie" u la jubab. "Phi khlem їohi hangno nga la buh?" Kita ki paralok ki la їa rkhie їa u bapli namar u sdie jong u, une lydui ha ka tyrpeng jong u hi. Namar ba kane ka wan jia barabor ha une u paralok, na kata ka daw u sa ioh їa ka kyrteng sin kum "U Wah sdai/ sdie". Na kane, їa kum kine ki briew kiba klet biej khamtam haba ki klet jaka buh їa kano kano ka tiar, ka sa kylla long ka rukom ban khot їa ki da ka kyrteng sin "U Wah sdai/sdie".

    There once was a farmer from Jowai who was hard working but quite forgetful. One day he had been cutting wood for a long time. So he sat down to rest and have some kwai. When he stood up to continue with his work, he couldn't find his axe. He couldn't remember where he kept it, even though he tried hard to remember where he left it. Finally, when his friends saw him searching, they asked him what he was looking for. He replied that he was searching for his axe. "Did you see where I left it?" he asked. His friends burst out laughing because the poor man did not realise that his axe was hanging from his shoulder. So because of his forgetfulness being a regular occurrence, his friends gave him the name of "Wah sdai/ sdie". For this reason those who easily forget where they keep things, are given the name "Wah sdai/ sdie".

    "Wah" means to hang something.

    "Sdai" (Pnar) and "Sdie" (Khasi) means axe.

    The Pnar nickname "U Wah Sdai/ Sdie" 🪓🪓 Another story about a nickname sent by @laloorisa 😄😄

    Khublei Chibun wa phah phi kini ki pyrtuit siñ! You've become our regular supplier of them! 😂😂

  • Gender in the Khasi language

    The English language does not have a grammatical gender as many other languages do. This means that it does not have a masculine gender or a feminine gender for nouns. The Khasi language however, gives gender to nature and objects. The two genders are distinguished only by means of the articles "U" for masculine and "Ka" for feminine in the case of singular nouns. For example, Cooked rice is "Ka ja" (feminine), A tree is "U dieng" (masculine), A road is "Ka surok" (feminine), A bed is "Ka jingthiah" (feminine), Chilli is "U sohmynken" (masculine), Cough is "U jyrhoh" (masculine) and Fever is "Ka shitmet/ jingshit" (feminine).

    Many other languages also give gender to animate and inanimate objects. Some of these include German, Hebrew, French and Kashmiri.

    Here are some words to compare:

    Spoon: In Khasi "ka shamoit" is feminine, while in German "der Löffel" is masculine.

    Salt: In Khasi "ka mluh" is feminine, while in French "le sel" is masculine.

    Crow: In Khasi "ka tyngngab" is feminine, while in Kashmiri "کاو" [ka.w] is masculine.

    Book: In Khasi "ka kot" is feminine, while in Hebrew "סֵפֶר" I/'sefer/I is masculine.

    In the Khasi language, nature and objects are given a gender. This is present in the French language too and is mentioned by Rev. H. Roberts in his book A Grammar of the Khasi Language (1891). Thank you @naphisabet1303 for initiating this in our conversations! ♂️♀️♂️♀️

    If anyone has studied Linguistics, we welcome your thoughts and observations in the comments section! 😀

  • “Koh” “Chchaw” Maram

    In the Maram dialect, the affixes "Koh" instead of "Bah" and "Chchaw" instead of Kong are used. "Koh Ja"- my mother tells me that this particular nickname is given to someone notorious. The name is in close reference to a "Koh Ja", an infamous man who lived much before her time of whom villagers apparently suspected of being a "menshohnoh". So when boys misbehave, they say "en nan koh Ja" or "he resembles Koh Ja".

    "Chchaw Bih"/ "Kong Bih"/ "Bih Bih"/ "Ka Bih"- I've always found this nickname intriguing as "Bih" in Khasi also means poison. Additionally we even have "Bihrit", "Bihheh", "Bihdeng" if there are many female siblings. "Chchaw Mem" is also another intriguing nickname. My mother says that this is particularly used for the fair skinned girl child (considering that they call a white woman a Mem/ Ma'am).

    The Maram dialect is spoken in the West Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya. The variety of dialects spoken enriches a language giving it depth and scope. 🗣️🗣️

    Thank you @laia.naomi for this contribution! 🤗🤗

  • Ki Kyrteng Sin Part II/ Khasi Nicknames Part II

    Sympiw (rit khmat/ small eyes)

    Tun tun (sngaid/ chubby)

    Samah (sngaid bad lyngkot/ short and stout)

    Shrieh (khih ksaiñ, balaiñ/ hyperactive, mischievous, oversmart)

    Shyrjei (ima ka dur/ scary looking face)

    Sadman

    Sadmew

    Thamer

    Thohliap

    Tah (from mattah meaning snail; a reference to being slow)

    Krew krew (big eyes)

    Piduiñ (sngaid/ fat)

    Ldoiñ (heh briew bad biej/ big-built and dumb or foolish)

    Kriw kriw (rit briew bad shalak/ small, smart or sly)

    Bah Rai (raikhoh/ thin)

    Bah Kyn jait Roi (ba kynroi than/ prone to having fights)

    Priñ (Pnar) (ba ïong/ a dark complexion)

    Chru (Pnar) (Ka shriew/ Yam)

    Sti (wrinkled looking or used for someone thin)

    Mum (pronounced as Moom)

    Another round of "Ki Kyrteng Sin"/ Khasi Nicknames 😆😂😆😂

    These nicknames have been collected from the comments section of the earlier post on Khasi nicknames. Thank you to everyone who contributed! 🤡🤠🎃

  • Ka Jingsneng Tymmen Shaphang ka Akor Khasi ha ka Rukom Rwai Phawar, Part I (1902) & Part Il (1903)

    Wei phi la sdang ïa kano kano kaba bha,

    To trei haduh ban da ithuh thikna;

    Wat ju buhteng sahteng ïaei-ïaei,

    Ba ka daulait die jot ka oh thymmei;

    Na ka buhteng sahteng buh por buh ïa,

    Man ka teng ki ju jia ka laitkylla;

    Nangne keiñ wir ka spah bad duh bynrieu,

    Ba'm lap khang lap set la ka ang basnieu;

    Wei la lait ka sang la sah ka ïap-ang,

    Kat sha batheu shu siam naphang shaphang.

    Once you've started some good endeavour,

    Until its fruition you must work and labour;

    Don't avoid responsibilities that go with it,

    Or you'll lose your investment, you won't profit;

    If you keep delaying and your duty defer,

    You'll miss opportunities and will not go far;

    This is the way one loses one's wealth,

    For one has not nipped, what's wrong, in the bud;

    Once you miss the chance you'll end up gaping,

    Whatever you aim at you'll keep on missing.

    Ka Jingsneng Tymmen Shaphang ka Akor Khasi ha ka Rukom Rwai Phawar, Part I (1902) & Part II (1903) by Radhon Sing Berry Kharwanlang is a unique collection of valuable lessons and teaching on how to live a good and moral life. ⏳📝🏃

    The teachings are given in the form of "phawar” where two lines follow the same rhyme scheme, that is, aa bb.

    Both Part I and Part II have been translated into English by Bijoya Sawian @sawianbijoya in her book The Teachings of Elders: Ka Jingsneng Tymmen Parts I and II (1997).

    Picture 1: Ka Jingsneng Tymmen Shaphang ka Akor Khasi ha ka Rukom Rwai Phawar, Part II (1902)

    Picture 2: The Teachings of Elders: Ka Jingsneng Tymmen, Parts I and II (1997).

  • Biah Phongrai

    Ka "Biah Phongrai" ka dei ka pylleng ba kha u skaiñ ha ka kynja doh.

    The Khasi phrase "Biah Phongrai" literally refers to eggs a fly lays on flesh.

    Ka jingong "Biah Phongrai" ka dei ka jingpynbud nam sniew, jingpynjah burom bad ka jingleh ñiewbeiñ ïa uno uno u briew da u riewpoh, da kaba pyndonkam da ki ktien khlem akor bad ki ktien lamler.

    Metaphorically, the phrase describes an attempt to defame, dishonour, humiliate and insult someone. The guilty individual works to maliciously tarnish the reputation of someone, to create slander and commits what is stated to be character assassination.

    "Biah Phongrai" is a Khasi phrase which means to taint someone's reputation with malicious slander. Thank you @pyndap_r for bringing this up. 😊😊

  • Another list of unique Khasi words

    Constellation: Ki Hara-khlur

    Politician: U Ïarmangkalai

    Avalanche: U Thahlymbung

    Joke: Thawlir

    Bowl: Ka Pyrhoh

    Rumour: Ka Khubor Jler

    Handsome: Batyrsem

    Here is another collection of unique words in Khasi! 🤩🤩🤩 The more we dig, the more we find. So men aren't "bhabriew" anymore, you are "batyrsem" 😎😎🤵🤵

    Source: Ka Dienshonhi: The Khasi Encyclopaedic Dictionary by Rev. Dr. Ïarington Kharkongor