Item details
Item ID
KK1-0715
Title Jahtung nat hpe jaw jau yang lahpaw hte shat makai na jaw jau ra ai lam (Why we should pack the food with banana leaves when we give offerings to the Jahtung Nat spirit) with English translation
Description Translation (by Seng Pan)
I am going to tell about why Jahtung Nat (it's a forest guardian) harms you back when you offer the food on lunch box cloth. Long ago, women from a village went to the forest for gathering firewood. On the way, one of them who beautified herself and dressed well, wanted to pee. So, she said, "I need to take a leak. Please wait me a while!" Her friends said, "You stay here. We will make hand whistle later. When you hear it, you also reply with whistle." So, she stayed behind after her friends left. As they looked out for woods, they got into dense forest. The woman followed them but she often stopped by the place where she found firewood to gather. Since she couldn't find her friends, she just stopped at a place and gathered the firewood there. On that day, she also brought lunch which was wrapped with a cloth. After chopping the wood for a while, she felt hungry. Therefore, she unwrapped her lunch pack and had it. While she was having her lunch, Jahtung Nat passed by. He saw her and attracted her. So, he fooled her eyes and took her to his place. When they arrived at his house, he cleared her eyes. As she saw him nude, she covered her eyes with hands. Then Jahtung Nat asked, "Why do you cover your eyes?" "Because you are not wearing anything. Wear banana leaves!" the women said. "I can't wear it because people offer to me food by plating on Banana leaves," he replied. "Then I have this lunch box cloth. Make the holes and wear it as pants," the women said. Jahtung Nat also followed as she said. After that, the woman looked for the way to go back home many times but she failed. Later, she married to Jahtung Nat and settled there. And she gave birth to a child. One day, she requested him to allow her to go back home and meet her mother since it had been two years, she hadn't met her. Jahtung Nat also allowed and showed the way to her home. And he instructed her to stay only one week with her mother and come back to him. When she arrived at home, her mother was so happy and cried with joy. She told her mother that she had got a child. As she spent time with her mother, a week was going to end. And her mother noticed that she had changed because she wasn't so close to her like before and didn't talk to her much. Even though her daughter didn't show grandchild to her. And the baby's face was constantly covered with a cloth. So, the mother asked,"Can you show me my grandchild? I also want to hold my grandchild." However, the daughter refused to give her child and said the baby would cry if she let other hold it. She only put the baby in cradle. She also didn't allow her mother to take off the cloth on her baby's face. Therefore, her mother wondered why the daughter didn't bring her husband and didn't let her see and hold the grandchild. As she thought there would be something her daughter was hiding from her, she made two holes at the bottom of bamboo water container. And she told, "Daughter, water is about run out. Go and fetch the water!" "No! Mom, I don't want to go," the daughter said. "You want me to do it! I am already old and weak. And I cannot go up the hills by carrying water container. You go and fetch it. I will take care of my grandchild. Don't worry!" the mother responded. Then the daughter requested her not to hold the baby and just to swing the cradle. Her mother also agreed. After she fetched the water, she went back home. But on the way, the water was all gone. And she found out there were two holes at the bottom of container. Since the daughter went out to fetch the water, the mother took off the cloth on the baby face. She saw there were no eyes, nose, mouth on her grandchild's face because Jahtung Nats had nothing on the face. So, the baby's face was also a flat surface. When the daughter arrived back home, she saw her mother was sitting in shock. She said, "Mom, you let me fetch the water with this water container with holes because you want see my baby's face. Right? From now on, I will never come back to you again." "You don't love me!" the mother replied. "It's not that I don't love you. I told you not to remove the cloth but you did it. I don't want you to see my baby's face," she answered. Since the mother couldn't calm down her, she packed lunch with a cloth and gave it to her daughter. But her daughter didn't take it. She told her mother that it made bad noise when she carried it. Her mother forced her to take it again and again. At last, the daughter accepted to take it. When she got back to her husband, she told him she wouldn't go back to her mother again. He was happy to hear that and they lived on happily. However, her mother went to a shaman and asked what happened to her daughter. The shaman said, "Your daughter was taken by Jahtung Nat. And he was wearing your daughter's lunch box cloth. If we can make him take off that cloth, your daughter might come back to you." Therefore, she offered the food on the cloth to Jahtung Nat. But for Jahtung Nat, he couldn't eat the food on the cloth which he was wearing as his pants. So, he was so angry and kill the mother even she worshiped and offered the food to him. That is why we should never offer the food on the cloth to Jahtung Nat. If you do, you would be killed by him. Therefore, till now whenever we offer the food to Jahtung Nat, we pack the food with banana leaves and offer him.

Transcription (by Lu Awng)
Ya ngai tsun na gaw ndai jahtung nat ni i jahtung nat ni nhpa na shanhte ni hpe jahtung nat ni hpe nat jaw yang ndai hku na bang ai sumbu kaw n jaw ai, bang ai sumbu kaw jaw yang kawa wa ai nga lam hpe tsun dan na hku re. Moi shawng e da mare langai mi kaw da dai mare kaw she da ndai num ni gaw da ndai hpun hta sa ai da. Shanhte ni gaw manang ni hte re na law law hpun hta sa ai da, dai shaloi she num langai mi gaw shinggan grai pru mayu ai da, shinggan gria pru mayu na she shanhte kaw na dai wa grau shakya da i, shakya da na shi gaw shinggan grai pru mayu na manang ni hpe she nanhte ngai hpe ndai kaw jahkring mi naw la la u yaw ngai shinggan naw pru la na ngu tsun ai da. Re jang she shinggan pru na ngu tsun ai shaloi she shi na manang ni gaw e nang shinggan ndai kaw pru nga ta u yaw anhte ni nang hpe puk na woh ngu na puk yang nang mung woh ngu na htan u yaw ngu na tsun ai da. E mai ai ngu na she dai shinggan pru nga ta ai da, shinggan pru nga ta re yang shi manang ni gaw hpun ma hkawm mat sai da, oh nam maling hte maling hpun ma hkawm mat wa re jang she shi mung hkan tam ai da, manang ni e hkan tam shi mung hpun bai mu na dai kaw hpun bai hta re yang manang ni hte grai tsan mat sai da. Grai tsan mat re shaloi she da, grai tsan mat ai da grai tsan mat na shi nau tsan mat ai majaw da shi hkrai dai kaw shi mu ai kaw hpun hta taw ai da. Hpun hta taw ai shaloi she shi kaw gaw dai shat majaw bang ai bang sumbu i dai ma lawm ai da. Re na shi gaw dai kaw hta na shat nau kan si wa na dai hpyen sha taw ai da, hpyen sha taw na dai shi na bang ai sumbu dai lang na hpyen sha taw she jahtung nat gaw lai wa ai da, dai hku jahtung nat gaw lai wa hkrup ai da. Jahtung nat lai wa hkrup ai majaw jahtung nat dai gaw da kalang ta shi hpe ra di na da, shi wa she shi hpe shapoi la kau ai da. Shi hpe shapoi la kau na myi gale kau ya na oh de jahtung nat nga ai shara de woi mat wa ai da. Woi mat wa re shaloi she da, dai jahtung nat nga ai nta kaw du ai hte she jahtung nat gaw da, dai shi woi wa ai num dai hpe myi bai jasan dat ya ai da, myi bai jasan dat ya yang she num dai gaw yu dat yang she shi gaw shakrin re taw na hku nga, jahtung nat gaw shakrin rai jang she shing na duk langai mi sha lang na shakrin rai taw ai da, re jang she i gaya kahpa ngu na shi gaw myi magap da, i gaya jahpa ngu yang she dai jahtung nat gaw ngai hpe yu na i nang hpa gaya ai wa ngu, nang na hkum gaw hpa mung nkap ai, gaya jahpa she re ngu tsun ai da. Hpa mung n kap ai ngu yang lahpaw di shakap u ngu tsun ai da, dai num dai gaw lahpaw di shakap u ngu jang, lahpaw ngu gaw da shinggyim masha ni ngai hpe jaw jau ai rai re, ngai sha ai rai re dai majaw ngai na hkum kaw n mai shakap ai ngu tsun ai da. N mai shakap ai ngu tsun ai shaloi shi gaw e ding re jang ndai kaw ngai i ndai gun ai sumbu lang wa ai ngai shat sha ai kaw na lang wa ai re, ndai gun ai sumbu ndai hpe nang na labu kaw i ndai kachyi mi hku waw na ndai kaw dagraw kau u ngu tsun she shi gaw kaja dai lang ai sumbu dai hte dai jahtung nat dai gaw shi labu bu kau ai da. Labu bu na dai hku nga yang shi gaw dai num dai gaw wa lam kade tam tim nmu ai da, nmu jang shi dai wa hte dai kaw nga mat ai, jahtung nat hte nga mat re, dinghku de mat she ma langai lu ai da. Ma langai lu re she dai jahtung nat gaw, jahtung nat hpe dai num wa gaw ah hkang hpyi ai da, ngai nye nu kaw wa mayu ai ngu tsun ai da. Nye nu kaw wa mayu ai, nye nu hte nhkrum ai mung 2 ning re sai ngu da, 2 ning re sai majaw nye nu kaning re na nga ai kun ngai nye nu hpe wa jahkrum na yaw ngu tsun she jahtung nat gaw e mai ai ding nga yang ngai nang hpe lam madun dat na ngu tsun ai da. Lam madun dat na ngu jang nang bat mi sha nga yaw, bat mi sha nga na wa ndai de bai wa u ngu, e mai ai ngu tsun na shi nta wa mat ai da. Nta wa mat re yang she, nta wa ai dai kaw she kanu kaw du yang kanu gaw grai hkrap kabu ai da, hkrap mung hkrap na kabu mung kabu na kasha hpe ah hpum na hkrap yang she nu ngai ma mung lu sai ngu tsun ai da. Kanu gaw e e rai sai le ding nga jang gaw rai sai, dai hku na shi gaw kanu hte nga bat mi hpring wa sai da. Bat mi hpring wa bat mi hpring na matu 3 ya naw ra ai da, dai shaloi she shi gaw hka nnga sai da, hka nnga yang she retim kanu gaw i shi hpe shi kasha wa nnan na hte nbung mat ai da, nnan e gaw kanu hpe grai tsawra ai hpa ni galaw, ya gaw kanu hpe ga shaga lam mung nnga na she, ma mung woi wa manga ma mung woi wa na ma hpe madun ai lam mung nnga da. Ma hpe gaw dingyang myi man kaw gaw sumpan magap da ya ya re da. Sumpan hte magap da re yang she kanu gaw na kasha e jaw yu u le ma e i ngai mung nye kashu hpe pawn mayu ai mu mayu ai she me ngu, nu nang hkum pawn law nang pawn yang hkrap wa ai ngu na singgoi kaw sha shagoi da da re da, myi man nhpraw shangun ai da, kanu gaw nye kasha ndai gaw i grai lak lai ai ngu na she dinghku de ai wa madu wa hpe mung nwoi wa, ya ma hpe mung ngai hpe n pawn shangun nyu shangun ai gaw grai lak lai ai, kasha nnga ai shaloi she kanu gaw moi gaw ndai kawa kaba law, kawa ding re kaw she kawa ndum hpai na dai kaw hka ja lu ai re da, kawa n dum kaw le npu de she kanu gaw sumprang na she ah nyaw baw ai da, hku 2 ram ah nyaw baw da na she kasha hpe she hka nga ai mung ru kau na dai ah nyaw baw na nye kasha e hka nnga sai dai ni gaw hka sa ja la su ngu tsun ai da. Chye nu e nu nang sa ja su le ngu yang, chye ma e nang nu e shangun ai i, nu gaw asak mung grai kaba sai, kawng gaw lung ra ai hte karaw gaw karaw hte kadawng gaw lung ra ai hte hka gaw tsan ai hte, ma nang mahtang jang sa la su ngu yang ngai i nye kashu hpe woi da na, nu nang woi ai nga tim singgoi hkring mat jang singgoi sha ndai hku ah shun ya yaw ah nu hkum pawn yaw ma hpe hpaw ma hkum hpaw yu yaw ngu tsun ai da. Dai hku tsun yang she shi nu gaw e e mai ai mai ai, shi kasha hka ja yang hka kaw du na hka bai hpai wa, hpai wa tim lam kaang kaw du yang hka bai ma mat re da. Dai hka baw taw jang she ma mat yang she kanu gaw na taw jang dai shi kashu hpe hpaw dat yu ai da, ning hku hpaw dat yu yang myi man kaw wa she myi ni ladi ni hpa nkap ai da, jahtung ni gaw hpa n kap ai hpan re da. Hpa n kap ai da, yawng wa ara apri re da, kanu gaw kajawng mat na dai kaw nan kalang ta dung kajawng taw ai da, dai shaloi kasha du wa jang she nu nang nye kasha e hpaw yu na nang hka nhtum kaw ndai hku na baw na nang ngai e hka ja shangun ai ya kaw na gaw nang kaw galoi ma wa na nrai sai yaw ngu tsun ai da. Nang kaw ngai galoi ma wa na nre sai ngu tsun yang she kanu gaw e ma e ding nga yang nu i nang nu hpe ntsawra sai i, ntsawra ai nre tsawra ai tim nang ngai na kasha hpe hkum hpaw yu ngu hpaw yu ai majaw nye kasha hpe nmai yu ai nang yu ai, kanu gaw da chye ai da, chye jang she ndai i shat ma makai dat ya na she ndai lam kaw kan si yang sha yaw ngu na ndai shat makai ai hpan i shat makai ai hpan sumbu dai jaw dat yang she shi kasha gaw nla ai ngu tsun ai da, nla ai ngu tsun she la mat du, nla ai law, la mat u ndai gaw la mat jang gra ngoi ai ngu tsun ai da, ndai lang hkawm yang grai ngoi ai ngu jang, retim la mat u ngu kasha gaw dai la na wa mat ai da. Wa mat yang she jahtung dai kaw she jahtung dai kaw bai du wa re she ngai nye nu kaw galoi ma nwa sai, e dai hku grau kaja ai ngu na shan 2 dai hku nga ai kaw she kanu gaw dai ma hpe hpaw yang ndai gaw i myi man kaw hpa mung ladi n gup ni mung n kap ai ndai hku apri sha re majaw shi gaw dumsa dingla kaw sa na nat sa jaw ai da, nat sa jaw re she dai wa tsun ai na kasha hpe jahtung nat shapoi la kau na dai hku byin ai re ngu tsun ai da. Dai hku byin ai re, nang na kasha gun sa ai ndai i sumbu shat sumbu ndai hte shi hpe labu shabu da ai labu sharaw dat yang gaw dai labu dai lu raw kau yang gaw na kasha i nang kaw myit malai na wa yang bai wa na ra ai dai hku tsun ai da. Dai hku tsun yang she dai shat sumbu dai kaw she dai nat galaw ai shaloi dai jahtung hpe sa galaw ai shaloi dai shat sumbu dai kaw shat bang ai da, shat bang na dai hku sa jaw daw jau na dai hku dai kaw nat galaw ai da, mare kaw nat galaw taw ai shaloi she jahtung nat gaw ndai ngai bu ai ndai sumbu kaw ngai hpe shat bang na dai hku jaw ai gaw ngai gara hku timmung nmai sha ai, ngai hpe ndai gaw roi ai re ngu hku na she shi gaw grai pawt na i ndai hku na shi hpe nat galaw ai ratiim mung shi hpe jaw sha ai retim mung shi gaw jang kawa sat kau ai da. Shi na kani jan e re nga jang kawa sat kau ai da, dai majaw ndai jahtung nat ngu hpe gaw da ndai shat sumbu kaw i shat sumbu (aike) kaw bang na shi hpe galoi ma dai kaw bang na nmai jaw jau ai da. Dai kaw jaw jau yang gaw nhtang de na madu dai jaw jau ai ni hpe kawa sat wa ai da. Dai majaw galoi mung ndai jahtung ni hpe jaw yang gaw da ndai lahpraw kaw ah tsawm sha makai na jahtung nat hpe jaw yang lahpaw kaw ah tsawm sha makai na jaw jau ai ngu gaw ya du hkra dai hku re ai da.
Origination date 2017-02-10
Origination date free form
Archive link https://catalog.paradisec.org.au/repository/KK1/0715
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. Hkawn Nan : speaker
DOI 10.4225/72/5989e3744bc87
Cite as Keita Kurabe (collector), Keita Kurabe (depositor), W. Hkawn Nan (speaker), 2017. Jahtung nat hpe jaw jau yang lahpaw hte shat makai na jaw jau ra ai lam (Why we should pack the food with banana leaves when we give offerings to the Jahtung Nat spirit) with English translation. EAF+XML/MPEG/VND.WAV. KK1-0715 at catalog.paradisec.org.au. https://dx.doi.org/10.4225/72/5989e3744bc87
Content Files (3)
Filename Type File size Duration File access
KK1-0715-A.eaf application/eaf+xml 35 KB
KK1-0715-A.mp3 audio/mpeg 6.89 MB 00:07:32.545
KK1-0715-A.wav audio/vnd.wav 249 MB 00:07:32.524
3 files -- 256 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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