Item details
Item ID
KK1-0722
Title Nat ni tsa bat wa shan bat n mai ai lam (Why spirits follow humans who smell of booze and pork) with English translation
Description Translation (Rita Seng Mai)
The event I would like to tell you is about nats who had died because of violent death. When they got the smell of raw pork and alcohol, they couldn't stand it and followed you. Once upon a time, there lived an old, loving couple in a village. They were wealthy. They raised many pigs too. The old woman made fermented rice and liquid. She had got many traditional costumes as well. She kept all of their money and valuable costumes in a wooden box. One evening, she suddenly fell onto the ground and died while she was making fermented rice. When the old man came back home, he saw his wife was lying dead on the ground. He didn't know what to do. After a few minutes, he played the gongs and called the villagers. He told the villagers, "My wife is dead." Then, they held a funeral and treated the guests the pork and fermented liquid. The corpse was buried on the fourth day after she died. At night, there were many people at the funeral house. Some were playing cards, and some were comforting the old man. They were eating pork and drinking alcohol. When they buried the old woman, they didn't put her traditional costumes and gold in her coffin. So, she was not satisfied and didn't feel at ease. In the past, we were animists. Her soul was just wandering on this earth. At night, she came back to her house and banged on the door. And she opened her box. When the villagers heard the sound, they were scared out of their wits. They said to the old man, "We are scared. Maybe the old woman is in the house and haunts us. Why didn't you put anything in her coffin?" He replied, "You misheard it since you are drunk. It's fine." At that time, they heard the sound of closing the box again. And they heard the clinking. The old man was sure that it would be his wife. So, he was angry and shouted, "Why can't you be satisfied even when you are just a ghost? I have put many things inside your coffin. I can give this costume to anyone I want. It doesn't concern you anymore. It doesn't suit you anymore since you are dead now." Then, the sound was louder and louder. The villagers were frightened, so they quickly ran away. The old man said, "Don't go back home yet. If I am left alone, I am scared. But this old woman can't act like this." Then, he took the rifle and shot at the place near the box. He shouted, "Do you want to die two times? I will shoot you even though I can't see you." He shot three times. Then, the clinking sound was further and further. She ran away with the gold and traditional costumes. But she couldn't take her pigs and fermented liquid. So, she was unsatisfied. Seem like they buried her just beside the road. She thought, "If I am still alive, I can get money after selling my pigs. I will get lots of money if I sell my fermented liquid." And she thought, "If my husband remarries, all of my belongings will be for that new wife." She was greedy. There was a woman who often went to the market through the road where the old woman was buried. One day, she bought a viss of pork and some fermented liquid from the market and went back home. When she walked past the grave, the old woman, who became nat, got the smell of pork and fermented liquid. So, she followed her. As soon as she arrived home, she had a terrible toothache and was bleeding. Her family called the shaman and asked what was wrong. The shaman said, "An evil spirit followed her. It's all because of pork and alcohol. Feed that nat, then she will be fine." The family offered the offerings to the nat. The woman was totally fine after that. There are many people which died because of violent death, and they became evil nats. When a person gets drunk and goes back home, that kind of evil spirit will follow him. When they get the smell of raw pork, they will follow people who carry it. It's because the old woman didn't satisfy. The evil nats follow people when they get the smell of raw meat and alcohol till today.

Transcription (La Ring)
Ya ngai tsun dan na gaw ndai ya du hkra tim i ndai nat ni ngu gaw lam hkan e dam nga ai sa wa ngu tsun na nga i anhte Jinghpaw hku nga yang dai ni gaw tsa bat hte dai wa shan hpe wa shan katsing bat hpe manam yang i gara hku nan nlu nga ai shanhte ni ndai hkan ai ngu ai dai hpe tsun dan na hku re. E moi shawng e da mare langai mi kaw na dinggai yan dingla grai tsawra na nga ai da. Grai tsawra na nga rai yang she shan lahkawng gaw kashu kasha gaw nlu ai da. Ja gumhpraw ma lu ai da dai hku na wa ni wa ni ma grai rem da ai da. Dai gumgai jan gaw da ding yang tsa shadu ai da shi gaw Jinghpaw htunghkying hte maren tsa jap shadu ai. Tsa pyi ni tsa pa ni dai hku galaw ai da. Wa ma rem da ai da dai hku na nga rai yang she da dai dinggai dai gaw da Jinghpaw hkying ni grai lu ai da shi gaw. Moi na hte maren shi gaw Jinghpaw hkying ni grai lu na she dai hpun sutdek langai kaw she dai shi na Jinghpaw hkying ni shi lu ai ja rai ni hpa ni dai kaw bang da ai da. Bang da rai yang she bang na shi gaw dai hku galaw taw ai da. Dai she lani mi shi tsa shadu taw ai shaloi baw grai sin wa na shi gaw dai kaw kadang na shat gawk kaw kadang na dai kaw nan nsa hti mat ai da. Dai kaw si mat ai da shi si mat ai shaloi she madu wa gaw da yi na wa yang she madu jan si galau taw jang she kaning nchye di i si sai ngu na mare masha ni hpe bau dum ai da. Moi gaw bau dum ai da. Rai na bau la na she bau dum ai da. Bau dum na mare masha ni hpe shi shaga ai da "Nye na madu jan nnga mat sai" ngu na shaga yang she da dai kaw shanhte daw sha sai da. Dai madu jan rem da ai wa ni ma sat dai madu jan galaw da ai tsa ni ma dai hku na lu dai sa ai shawa masha ni hpe daw jaw daw ya na dai hku nga ai da. Dai hku na nga re shaloi she masum ya tawn da ai da shi hpe nta kaw masum ya tawn da na she shi hpe mali ya ngu na jahpawt e shi hpe sa lup kau ai da. Sa lup kau rai yang she da shanhte ni gaw shani gaw hpa nra sai da ndai shana da yaw shana she masha ni mare masha ni mung grai sa chyawm ai da. Hpai ginsup ai ni gaw sa ginsup i madu wa hpe sa shalum ai hku na le sa shalum ai hku na ndai hku sa ginsup ai da. Dai hku na masha ma law law nga taw ai da. Dai shaloi she gumgai dai gaw shi na rai ni i shi rem da ai wa ni sat sha shi shadu da ai tsa ni ma hkra lu kau nna ndai shi si ai shi na du-u kaw she ndai shi na Jinghpaw hkying ni ndai shi na ja rai ni nbang dat ya ai da. Nbang dat ya jang she shi dai myit ndik na hku rai nga. Rai jang moi gaw nat jaw prat re nga yang she e shi hpe mung ndai hku ndumsa kau shi ai i ndumsa kau shi yang she shi gaw wa ai da. Nta wa na she chyinghka dung dung dung dung nga lung wa na she sutdek wa hpaw ai da. Sutdek wa hpaw na she dung dung dung dung nga na she sutdek wa hpaw ai da. Sutdek wa hpaw yang she sutdek hpaw ai nsen na ai majaw masha ni gaw hkrit wa sai da. "Yi ndai gaw wa jahkrit sha ai rai nga ai anhte gaw hkrit ai lo dinggai ndai hpe anhte hpa wa nbang dat ya ai kun" ngu yang she madu wa gaw "E nanhte ni nang na na ai rai nga hpa mi nrai lit" nga jang she sutdek ngu "Hpung" nga hpaw ai da. Hpaw na she soi ni ngoi wa ai da. Shi na soi ni wa la na hku nga soi ni dai shi na soi palawng soi soi soi soi nga soi nsen ni na jang she madu wa gaw "Ndai gaw rai na sai ndai gaw dinggai ndai myit ndik nna rai nga" nga na she matsa da madu wa gaw madu jan hpe she "Dinggai na si tim mung naw myit ndik shi ai i nang. Nang hpe bang ya ai hte mung bang dat ya sai ndai Jinghpaw hkying soi palawng ni gaw ngai kadai hpe mi jaw yang jaw le ngai num kaji la na mi shakap yang shakap le nang hte nseng sai. Nang si jang gaw dai ni nla mat sai nang dai nhpa di na ngu rai" ngu na matsa ai da. Rai jang she dai hku matsa jang she grau na ngoi wa ai da. Dai ni grau na ngoi wa na she dung dung dang dang sutdek ni mung grai ngoi wa jang she masha ni gaw hkrit yawng hprawng mat wa ai da. Hprawng mat jang she madu wa gaw "Nanhte nkau mi hkum wa mat shi mu" nkau mi gaw hprawng mat sai da nkau mi hpe she "Nanhte hkum wa mat shi mu ngai hkrai rai yang mung hkrit ai raitim dinggai ndai gaw ndai hku gaw i nta kaw ndai hku na wa zingri ndai hku wa galaw taw ai gaw nmai ai" ngu na she htung hpau la ai da shi di da ai htung hpau la na she htung hpau shachyen la na she gap ai da. "Hpung" ngu gap yang she naw ngoi ai da naw ngoi rai jang she "E nhkrit ai i nang nang hpe ngai kalang bai gap sat nang kalang mi si ngut sai ya nang hpe nmu tim gap ai sha re nang grai si ntsawm ai hte si mayu i" ngu na masum lang gap ai hte sinat hte pung pung nga hkan gap jang she soi ni mung lang ai da yaw seng seng seng nga na wo yu mat wa ai da. Lakang hku yu mat wa na she hprawng mat i dai dinggai dai hprawng mat wa na hku nga. Hprawng mat wa rai jang she shi gaw ya shi dai sutdek kaw bang da ai i soi ni dai shi na ja rai ni dai ni gaw shi lu la mat sai. Madu wa shi hpe sinat hte htung hpau de gap tim shi dai la na hprawng mat sai. Dai majaw lu la mat rai jang she shi gaw dai shi rem da ai wa ni sat sha kau ya shi shadu da ai tsa ni ma hkra lu kau ya shaloi gaw shi myit ndik na hku nga. Shi gaw myit ndik jang she dai hkrai myit taw ai da. Shi hpe lup da ai gaw wo lam makau da de lup da na hku nga. Shi gaw grai jahkrit sha ai da grai jahkrit sha rai jang she shi gaw dai myit ai da "Yi ngai asak naw hkrung yang gaw ngai rem da ai wa ni hpe ngai dut sha yang gumhpraw kade lu na ndai tsa ni hpe ngai dut sha yang gaw ngai gumhpraw kade lu na" ngu dai hku myit yang "Ya dingla ndai num kaji la bang kau tim alaga sha re ngai tam da ai ni gaw" nga shi gaw si ai kaw na pyi naw shi dai hku myit taw ai da. Dai hku nkaja ai hku myit taw yang she e dai hku na myit yang she dai kaw she i masha ni ndai ndai dai mare kaw na sha re da dai gaw grai mung ngumgai shi ai loimi hpawmi dai wa she shi mung dai de gaw gat sa lam mung rai na hku nga. Shi gaw gat sa na wa ai kaw she dai wa shan joi mi ma tsa palin mi ma mari gun wa ai da. Mari gun wa na wa rai yang she dai gumgai dai mung dai myit taw dai kaw sha shi na myit wa dai wa shan hte tsa kaw sha myit du taw na hku nga. Myit du taw jang she dai kaw dai manam ai na dat ai da shi gaw. Shi gaw manam ai na dat na shi dai kaw hkan ai da. Hkan yang she hkan ai hte she dai dinggai dai gaw nta du ai hte gaw wa machyi mat ai da. Wa machyi mat rai sai ni htaw ai da sai ni htaw na wa machyi yang e dumsa dingla ni shaga la na nat dai hku shaba wawt yu yang she "Ndai kaw i nat hkan ai ndai wa shan hte tsa na majaw re. Ndai hpe atsawm sha jaw mu wa langai sat tsa ni bai shadu na dai hku na shi hpe bai jaw nau kau mu" ngu dai hku na tsun ai da. Dai hku ngu tsun jang she um E ding nga jang gaw dai hku jaw nau kau. Dai hku jaw kau dumsa sa na nat galaw na jaw kau jang gaw hpa bai nra mat ai. Gumgai dai mung mat mat ai da. Rai jang she dai kaw na i dai gumgai na majaw byin mat ai rai na hku nga ya du hkra tim i ndai lam hkan e gaw sa wa ni hpa ni grai nga ai. Dai hku rai jang gaw tsa nang na lai n-gup kaw sha tinang lu lang tim mung manam jang gaw ding re sa wa ni hkan ai da. Dai wa shan bat manam shan katsing bat manam yang mung lam hkan na sa wa ni hkan ai ngu gaw ya du hkra tim dai dinggai jan myit ndik ai a majaw ya du hkra tim lam na sa wa ni gaw ding rai manam jang hkan hkan re ai gaw dai majaw re ai da.
Origination date 2017-02-10
Origination date free form
Archive link https://catalog.paradisec.org.au/repository/KK1/0722
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 10.4225/72/5989e3932cb30
Cite as Keita Kurabe (collector), Keita Kurabe (depositor), W. Hkawn Nan (speaker), 2017. Nat ni tsa bat wa shan bat n mai ai lam (Why spirits follow humans who smell of booze and pork) with English translation. EAF+XML/MPEG/VND.WAV. KK1-0722 at catalog.paradisec.org.au. https://dx.doi.org/10.4225/72/5989e3932cb30
Content Files (3)
Filename Type File size Duration File access
KK1-0722-A.eaf application/eaf+xml 39.9 KB
KK1-0722-A.mp3 audio/mpeg 5.34 MB 00:05:50.615
KK1-0722-A.wav audio/vnd.wav 193 MB 00:05:50.593
3 files -- 198 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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