Item details
Item ID
KK1-0304
Title Hka la wa ai maumwi (How men got water) with English translation
Description Translation (Seng Pan)
This story is about how men got water. Long time ago, men could find the river only in the valley of deep forest. It was not easy for them to go and fetch water from there every time. So, they planned to move it near their place. They looked for someone who could move it. Then, a bee said, "I can carry it. But you need to give me a saliva cup for fee. I will fetch the water with that cup." The men also gave what he asked. The bee carried the river by putting in the saliva cup. As he flew, the cup was stuck on the cloud. And he said, "This the best I can do. I carried it out from the valley. But I am not able to take it down." So, the men chose eagle to accomplish the work. "Eagle, you are the only one which can fly so high. You are also strong. Thus, scratch down the saliva cup from the cloud! Let it fall down," the man said. "I cannot do it for free. I want golden nails. My nails are not so strong but with the golden nails I think I could scratch it down," the eagle requested. The men also agreed and gave the golden nails. That's why eagle's nails can claw better than other birds. As the eagle clawed the saliva cup, it fell down on a tree. The eagle said, "I pulled it down with my nails from a very high place, the cloud. It's on the tree now. I cannot take it down anymore." Again, the men looked for another to take the saliva cup down from the tree. They could think only monkey to do it because he could climb the tree better than any other animals. When they asked the monkey, he said, "It won't be fallen down just by shaking the branches. It seems I have to sit on the tree properly and do with effort. So, give me a golden stool!" So, the men gave him what he asked. That's why nowadays, when the male monkey sits, he sits on his balls. After the monkey had got a golden stool, he climbed and shook the tree. But it fell into the big shrubs which no one was able to get into. Therefore, the men let a leech get into the shrubs and take out the saliva cup. The leech also asked for a fee. But it was unusual one that he would draw blood from humans on the way to the fields. The men also accepted his request. Because of that promise, the leeches draw blood from human. The leech went into the shrubs and pushed the saliva cup. But it rolled down and entered between the rocks. So, the men asked a crab to go in between the rocks. When he went in, the water spurted out from the gap between the rocks. But the water got muddy and the men couldn't recognize the source and basin of the river. They couldn't distinguish the parts of the river. Then, they let a white crested laughingthrush bird drink the water. After drinking the water, he said, "The feather on my head turned white because you let me drink the muddy water." So, the men asked a goat, "You have beard and you are the oldest among us. Drink this water!" After he drunk the water, he couldn't talk anymore. He only could bleat "beheheh beheheh". At last, a loach said, "I will be able to separate the parts of the river. The part that I am headed will be the source and the side I put my tail will be the basin of the river." Certainly, the water became clear as he swam and the men also could see the parts of river. After that they looked for a gaur to drink the water. After the gaur drunk the water, he said, "The water is so clean now. You all can drink. Look! even my legs became white." All creatures accepted that the water became pure because of the gaur. Therefore, nowadays when Kachin people offer sacrifices to nats, they kill the gaur and offer because they believe the gaur is the best of all. In that way, the men got the water.

Transcription (Lu Awng)
Hka la wa ai maumwi rai na re. Ndai moi gaw hka nlu ai hku rai nga, anhte shinggyim masha ni hka nlu reng she hka ndai gaw hto manu mana tsan ai karaw krung sinwam manu mana krung ai kata de she hka lu ai. Dai majaw anhte dai kaw aten shagu anhte sa di la na nloi ai dai majaw ndai hpe kade wa nang de hpai sit la na hka ndai hpe hpai sit la ra hku nga moi kawn anhte kade hpai sit la na kadai nbyin sai. E reng gaw kadai hpai na ta nga, lagat gaw gat neng gaw ngai hpai jin ai ngai hpai jin ai nga da. Ngai hpai gaw dai gaw ngu hku nga shi panyen e makai sai hku nga, dang she ngai hpe panyen kawk panyen ndai anhte mahtaw ai panyen kawk mi sha jaw dat rit nye dai hte makai di hpai wa gaw ngu da. Jaw sai da shinggyim masha ni jaw di makai di hpai wa hpai hpai hpai hpai reng she, du wa ni mahka kaw she shi pyen yang she hto pyen pyen wa wa ai wa she wam wam sumwi kaw she ra rap da, dai kya e lagat gaw ngai gaw dai kaw na gaw n shayu jin sai loh ngai gaw n jin sai dai ram gaw hkaraw kaw na gaw nye shaw sai ga re sai dai hkaraw na ntsa de lung hkra gaw ngai shaw shalun sai dai majaw dai kaw na gaw ngai njin sai nga da. Dang kade jin na reng gaw galang hpe tsun ai da, e galang e nang gaw ntsa malen u hta tsaw dik n gun ja dik ntsa de tsaw dik pyen dik mung nang sha re gaw nang i dai wam wam sumwi hpe ah hkye jahkrat dat u hka dai anhte shinggyim masha ni nga ai de lut wa u ga lagat e gaw dai de na shalun sai re majaw rai sai ngu, ngai mung gaman gaw nbyin ai, dai majaw ngai hpe ja lamyin jaw myit ja lamyin e nye ma hkyit shaja dat yang gaw hkrat na nye lamyin hte sha gaw oh ra nlu mahkyit ai grai, nye lamyin kahpat na ra ai ngu hku nga. Mai ai ngu shi hpe ja lamyin jaw dai majaw galang lamyin gaw laga lamyin hta grau na manai mai ai hku nga ja re majaw, jaw sai da. Shi mahkyit dat ai lut da, shi mahkyi dat ai lut hkrat wa yang she manu mana hpun tsaw tsip sumwum kaw bai ra rap da, wa dai kaw bai mara mat sa, lagat mung tsun sai da, aw chye galang mung tsun sai, e ngai gaw le matsaw ningtsa ding re tsaw ai kaw na lagat mahkit dat sai le ngai dai majaw ya lut sai le ning re hpun ndung tsip numru kaba sumwum ai ntsa kaw mara mat sa, dai kaw chaw ngai gaw n ganawn shayu jin sai nga da. Deng gaw kade di, a hpun ntsa de lung ai gaw woi sa nga ai woi la gang sha nga ai, woi hpe ngu ga ngu, woi gaw bai woi nang e dai kanawn shayu su hku nga, woi gaw tsun ai da, e nye dai kanawn shayu di sha gaw nbyin ai ngai dai ah tsawm dung di she galaw di she jahkrat ra sai dai gaw dai majaw ngai hpe gaw ja dunghkum she, ja dunghkum she jaw myit ngu da, taw kaning re ja dunghkum dai kaw she ngai dunghkum ah tsawm kaw dung nna she dai she ngai a manu ngu di shayu hkrat yang she mai ai woi hpe ja dunghkum ja di langai mi jaw dai majaw woi la ni dai ni dung yang shanhte ja shanhte na di kaw dung di dai hpe she dunghkum sha tai ai hku nga ah hkyeng re dai kaw dung garu dat ai deng woi la ni gaw dai shani gaw ja dunghkum shatai ai shi na di hpe dang ngan lut npu de lut sai da. N pu de lut hto namtsip sumwum de kade mung mayun shang pyi nmai ai de war reng gaw shinggyim masha ni gaw shang nmai ai reng gaw kade shang na i dai kaw e dai de gaw wawt sha mai shang ai loh ding re ju sumwum kata de gaw wawt sha mai shang ai dai majaw wawt hpe shangun ga wawt mung myi na zawn lagat zawn manyen hpyi sai da, e ngai gaw dai hte sha mung nram ai dai majaw nanhte hpa baw naw jaw na ngu tsun ai deng gaw wawt gaw hpyi ai da, nanhte shinggyim masha ni yi wa yi sa lai ai hkan e nanhte hkawm nga nit ngai hpe nanhte a sai kachyi mi sha gaw chyup na ah hkang jaw myit reng gaw ngai taleng jahkrat dat ga nanhte nmai kumun shang gaw ngai kumun shang gaw ngu, e mai ai chyup sha u ngu hku rai nga, deng wawt e taleng jahkrat dat sai hku nga dai majaw wawt gaw dai ni namde sa yang anhte hpe makret ai myi na dai shi hpyi la ra ai shi hpe dai sha u ngu anhte ah hkang jaw da ai majaw re hku nga, taleng sai da taleng reng she hto lung byeng kata de woi bai taleng jahkrat dat re she lung byeng kata de dawk rap da. Dawk deng ndai nlung kata de shang na gaw kadai shang jin na kadai nnga sa, jahkan sha nga , bai jahkan nang shang yu ngu jahkan shang ah hpre shang dat yang she hka madin hpawk myi manyen e makai tawn ai hpu hka manu mana le wa sai jahkan e ah shap di kanu mat yang she hka gaw lu sa, gara maga de hkahku hkanam re nchye ai da. Hkahku hkanam de yawng kanu ai kanu hka gaw yawng kamang mat ai. Gara de hkahku gara de hkanam re nchyoi ai. Deng she u ju naw nang lu dat yu u ngu hka ndai kaja n kaja ngu u ju naw e lu dat ai hku nga, u ju naw e lu dat ai hte e nhte hka dai lu shangun di ya ngai baw yawng hpraw mat sai loh nga da, u ju naw mung dai shani na baw ah hpraw rai mat ai hku rai nga. Dai kaw nang anhte hta asak wa nang e she lu yu u nhka mun mung grau galu gaw bainam nang bai lu yu u ngu bainam e lu yu ai dai shani kaw na ga shaga nmai sai da, beheheh beheheh dai bainam gaw nhte hka dai ma nsan ai ma lu shangun di ngai hpe hkahku hkanam re pyi nchye ai ngai hpe lu shangun di ya ngai ga shaga mung nmai sai loh shinglet dun sai lo paleelle hkrai nga mat sai loh nga hku nga. Dai hpang jahtum ding nga re she hpang jahtum gaw e deng gaw sumprun dun gaw ya hkahku hkanam gaw ngai ginhka gaw nga di nga sumprun du gaw ya nye baw yawng ai maga gaw hkahku re yaw nye nmai yawng ai maga gaw hkanam re yaw ngu hku nga dang sumrum du gaw chyam sai da, hka kata shang yu di chyam chyam chyam chyam, ndai ga de hkahku re ngu di dai maga de baw yawng da, nang maga de hkamai hka bai san wa zawn da e ya kadai bai lu yu ngu hku nga e u hpaw she lu yu u hpaw e lu yu dat yang gaw yawng san mat na ra ai ngu di, u hpaw e lu dat yang she uhpaw gaw u hpaw lu e hka mung san sai loh da nye lagaw lahkru ni mung grai tsawm mat sai dawmi gaw ah hpraw rai mat manu mana san mat sai yawng e lu mai sai yawng e ra sai ngu na u hpaw e lu ai kaw na hka gaw kaja mat ai da. Dai majaw dai ni anhte jinghpaw ni gaw nat jaw jaw hpa rai yang anhte u hpaw hpe nan nga zawn re re nga oh anhte bumga de nga ai dai hpe sat di na nat jaw jaw ai dai gaw dai kaw na u hpaw gaw kaja dik ai yawng e hkala ai wa re ngu nna dai shani kaw na dai hku rai mat na hka mung dai hku lu mat ai re da.
Origination date 2017-01-30
Origination date free form
Archive link https://catalog.paradisec.org.au/repository/KK1/0304
URL
Collector
Keita Kurabe
Countries To view related information on a country, click its name
Language as given Jinghpaw
Subject language(s) To view related information on a language, click its name
Content language(s) To view related information on a language, click its name
Dialect Standard Jinghpaw
Region / village Northern Myanmar
Originating university Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
Operator
Data Categories primary text
Data Types Sound
Discourse type narrative
Roles Keita Kurabe : depositor
W. La Tawng : speaker
DOI 10.4225/72/5988935d7d1db
Cite as Keita Kurabe (collector), Keita Kurabe (depositor), W. La Tawng (speaker), 2017. Hka la wa ai maumwi (How men got water) with English translation. EAF+XML/MPEG/VND.WAV. KK1-0304 at catalog.paradisec.org.au. https://dx.doi.org/10.4225/72/5988935d7d1db
Content Files (3)
Filename Type File size Duration File access
KK1-0304-A.eaf application/eaf+xml 22.7 KB
KK1-0304-A.mp3 audio/mpeg 5.67 MB 00:06:12.271
KK1-0304-A.wav audio/vnd.wav 205 MB 00:06:12.242
3 files -- 210 MB -- --

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Collection Information
Collection ID KK1
Collection title Kachin folktales told in Jinghpaw
Description Recordings of Kachin folktales and related narratives in Jinghpaw. These materials were collected by Keita Kurabe, Gumtung Lu Awng, Sumdu Ja Seng Roi, Hpauhkum Htu Bu, Labang Tu La, Gumtung Htu Nan, and Lashi Seng Nan as part of community-based collaborative fieldwork in northern Myanmar. A total of 2,491 stories with 2,481 ELAN files, 2,481 transcriptions, and 1,369 translations are currently available (March 25, 2024). Transcriptions were contributed by Gumtung Lu Awng, Pausa La Ring, Galang Lu Hkawng, Sumdu Ja Seng Roi, Hpauhkum Htu Bu, and Keita Kurabe. Stories were translated by Nbanpa Rita Seng Mai, Sumlut Gun Mai, Lazing Htoi San, Maran Seng Pan, Dumdaw Mike Tu Awng, Nhkum Htoi Awng, and Keita Kurabe.

Animated stories are available at:

https://catalog.paradisec.org.au/collections/KK3
https://www.youtube.com/@kachinfolktales
https://www.facebook.com/KachinStories

Other Kachin culture and history are available at:

https://catalog.paradisec.org.au/collections/KK2

Our research was made possible under the support of JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP17H04523, JP20K13024, JP20H01256, Linguistic Dynamics Science 3 (LingDy3) from Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (ILCAA), Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS), and JSPS Program for Advancing Strategic International Networks to Accelerate the Circulation of Talented Researchers "A collaborative network for usage-based research on lesser-studied languages."
Countries To view related information on a country, click its name
Languages To view related information on a language, click its name
Access Information
Edit access Nick Thieberger
Keita Kurabe
View/Download access
Data access conditions Open (subject to agreeing to PDSC access conditions)
Data access narrative
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