Item details
Item ID
KK1-0849
Title Nat hte masha ga n shaga mat ai lam (Why spirits and men do not talk with each other) with English translation
Description Translation (Rita Seng Mai)
The story I am going to tell you is 'why Nats and people can't understand each other's language and can't talk to each other'. They didn't share the same language. And they didn't know each other at all. I would like to tell you why. A long time ago, there was a naughty boy in a village. His mother was dead when he was very young. So, he lived only with his father. His father loved him so much and bought everything he wanted. One day, he told his father, "Dad, my friends are going to another country to learn martial arts. I want to go there with them." Learning martial is not easy, you have to endure the pain. The father told him, "My son, you haven't worked any hard work before. If someone hits or beats you while you are learning martial arts, you will get injured. You can't endure the pain. So, don't go. If you really want to learn that, I will take the master home and let him teach you." He told his father, "Dad, you don't stand in my shoes. My friends' fathers let them go to learn martial arts. Why don't you allow me to go there? Don't you love me anymore?" The father told him, "No, it's not because I don't love you. I am afraid that you will be sick and feel the pain. That's why I don't allow you to go there and learn martial arts." He told his dad, "You don't need to worry that much. Just allow me to go there." Then, the father told him, "Since you are so eager, go and learn it. But don't forget to write a letter to me once every three days." He promised to write to his father and went to another country to learn martial arts. After a few years, he could do martial arts very well. Since he was a naughty and playful boy, he became more playful after he had learnt martial arts. Then, he went back to the village after learning. There was no one in the village who didn't know him. The villagers were saying, "That boy is really naughty." When the father heard it, he didn't want people to say like that to his son. The father told his son, "My son, play in our compound. Now, you know how to do martial arts. I let you learn not to fight with other people. I let you do it to share your skills with other people." The boy was angry at his father when his father said that to him. So, he killed his father. He didn't kill his father with his hands. When his father was ill, his father told him, "My son, can you please get me that medicine?" But he didn't get the medicine for his father. Then, his father was dead. If he had gotten the medicine for his father, his father would have been alive. At first, he regretted his action toward his dad. He thought, "I could have got the medicine for my dad, my father might be alive then." But he didn't feel upset three or four days after his father died. The father became a nat after death. When he died, there were abscesses, bad-smell saliva and foaming at his mouth. It was disgusting. In the past, if people died because of violence or other bad cases, they became nats. In the past, a child couldn't fall asleep during the funeral. If he did, he would be a nat. That old man became a nat because he didn't die peacefully. He loved his boy too much even after he became a nat. So, he gave him a dream, "My son, go to a place where we used to fish. You will see a pot there. Take it home. You can ask anything you want to that pot. After three days you have wished, you will get that thing." But the boy didn't believe that dream. He thought, "My father didn't let me stay alone even after he died. He appeared in my dream! He just wants me to get tired." The next day, he wanted to go there although he didn't believe his dad. So, he went there. He really found a pot. He asked that pot to give him many things he wanted. Since he did martial arts, he never sat still. One day, he accidentally dropped that pot. Unfortunately, he couldn't catch it. It was broken. His father didn't tell him what in the pot was. Inside the pot, there were all the powers that nat spirits had. When he said something he wanted to the pot, nat spirits heard his word and fulfilled his wish. Nat spirits didn't have the power to talk to humans. They believed that humans were greater than them. Since then, humans and nats can't talk to each other. Humans can't see nats and can't talk to them too.

Transcription (La Ring)
Ya ngai tsun na maumwi maubyin a mying gaw ndai i mying gaw nat ni hku na nat ni hte anhte ya anhte ni sak hkrung ai shinggyim masha ni hku na nhpa na ga nhkrum mat ai rai na she nhpa na nchye mat ai i ya na jang tsep kawp nchye sai i ndai hpabaw na tsep kawp nchye sai hpabaw na ndai hku byin mat ai ngu ai hpe azin ayang tsun dan mayu ai law. Moi shawng de da mare langai mi hta da grai myit nsu ai la kasha langai mi nga ai da. Dai ma kasha dai gaw da kawa hpe mung da kanu chyawm me nnga mat sai re majaw da e kawa hte sha rau nga ai re ai da. Kawa gaw da shi hpe grai tsawra ai majaw da hpa mung hpa hpa ra yang mung mari ya ai da. Lani mi hta kawa hpe shi tsun ai da "Awa anhte na manang ni gaw wo kaga mungdan de jau hkyen ni sharin sa ai de ma mung sa mayu ai" ngu na tsun ai da. "Jau hkyen ni sharin ai de ma mung sa mayu ai" ngu tsun jang she i jau hkyen sharin ai ngu gaw i tinang na jau hkyen sharin ai ngu gaw hkam sharang ai myit nga ra ai. "E shawng sharin hpang wa ai shaloi masha wa htwi ai ni hpe i ndai hku htwi ra ai nga hpan hpe tinang gaw htwi hkam ra ai. Dai majaw ma gaw nmai ai ma gaw hpa mung ngalaw ai she re wa ndai hku sha nga taw ai masha ni htwi yang ma ndang hkam ai. Ma dai kaw machyi makaw ni nga wa na ra ai ma nmai sa ai" ngu. "Ma gaw jau hkyen chye mayu jang awa gaw i kaga mungdan de na jau hkyen sara hpe shaga na ma hpe ndai nta kaw sharin ya na" ngu tsun ai da. Dai shaloi shi gaw hpabaw nga tsun ai i nga jang "Awa nang gaw masha hpe nchye myit ya ai kawa she rai nga ai le. Anhte manang na kawa ni nga jang jau hkyen sharin na nga jang she sa wo sa she sa shangun sa she sa shangun. Kasha ni nkam sa shangun ai pyi e grai tsun na sa shangun ai re. Ma hpe gaw hpa na njaw sa ai rai wa gaw ma hpe ntsawra ai i" ngu tsun ai da. Dai shaloi she shi gaw hpabaw tsun ai i nga yang da e "Ma e ma nang gaw shut taw nga ai le. Awa gaw ma hpe njaw sa ai ngu gaw wa ma hpe ntsawra na nre gaw. Ma nang machyi makaw hkrum na hpe awa gaw hkrit ai. Dai majaw awa ma hpe njaw sa ai she re" ngu tsun ai shaloi shi gaw da "Ma machyi na gaw awa nhkrit ra ai ma i ma sa mayu ai awa dai sha jaw sa rit" ngu jang shi gaw hpabaw ngu tsun ai i nga jang "Um ma dai ram ting kam sa jang gaw ma sa u raitim mung ma e i masum ya hta kalang mi wa hpe laika shangun u" ngu tsun ai da. "Masum ya hta kalang mi kalang mi wa hpe laika shagun u" ngu yang shi gaw "Um" ngu yau la sai da. Raitim shi gaw da wo kaw jau hkyen ni sharin na grai chye sai da. Grai chye grai chye grai chye shi gaw i moi gaw i kadap chyawm me kadap ai raitim kadap nau nhpyau ai i. Shi gaw ya jau hkyen bai chye yang gumhtawn ai baw jau hkyen ni bai chye yang dai hku grau na sawng sai i. Dai hku na mare de du sai da. Mare de du na kadap kalap re ma re da shi gaw kadap kalap re ma re da. Ga ndai mare kaw ndai ma hpe nchye ai i nga ai masha gaw nnga ai da. Chye ai da "Koi ma dai me dai ram ting hpyang taw nga ai" nga na amyu myu i dai hku tsun ai da. Dan na shi wa gaw grai nkam na ai da. "Ma e ma nang ginsup yang mung nta wang kaw ginsup u, ma gaw jau hkyen ma chye sai. E jau hkyen chye ai ngu gaw ma awa gaw ma hpe jau hkyen sa sharin shangun ai ngu gaw ma masha ni rau gali galaw na matu nre. Ya ma hpe awa jau hkyen sharin shangun mayu ai gaw i nhkru nshawp ai ni a shawng kaw i dai ni hpe ma hku na sharin shaga ra ai re majaw awa gaw ma hpe jau hkyen sharin shangun ai she re" ngu tsun ai da. Dai shaloi da ndai ma gaw pawt ai da ma gaw pawt na kawa hpe sat kau dat ai da. Sat kau hkrum ai da sat kau hkrum ai ngu gaw i tinang na shi na lata rau sat kau ai nre sha kawa machyi taw ai shaloi shi hpe i "Ma e awa hpe ndai kaw na tsi naw wa la ya rit" nga yang shi nla ya ai da. Nla ya ai shaloi si mat ai da. Si mat ai shaloi ngu gaw si mat ai shaloi shi hku na ndai tsi hpe shi la kau ya yang gaw kawa gaw naw asak hkrung na dai kaw gaw shi sat kau ai hku byin mat ai. Byin mat ai shaloi i dai hku na i shi na shi myit malai lu ai "Aw nye wa hpe ngai ndai hku di kau ya yang pyi rai sai wa" nga dai hku chyawm me myit ai raitim shi na myit kaw masum mali ya sha dai hku hkum sha ai hpang e gaw bai prai mat sai. Prai mat na shi gaw ginsup hkawm ginsup hkawm raitim mung ndai kawa gaw i nat tai mat sai. Nat tai mat jang shi gaw hpabaw rai na i nga jang si shi si ai kaw jahtum gaw shi si ai lam mung ntsawm taw nga. Ntsawm taw nga shaloi shi gaw gara hku si ai i nga jang dai shi na n-gup hkan e na matswi ni pru wa ai matsat shabat rai na si ai. Dai majaw shi hku na ma si ntsawm ai majaw dai shanhte na prat hta gaw si ntsawm jang nat tai ai. Ndai hku i moi jiwoi jiwa ni ma la ma na ma kasha ndai hpe i e shi na poi galaw ya yang ma e hpabaw ngu na i Jinghpaw hpa ni hpa ni dum yang ma nmai yup nga ai. Yup nga jang ma ma dai gaw nat tai ai. Dai hku i amyu myu nga ai re nga ma dai gaw e dingla dai gaw si ntsawm ai majaw naat tai ai hku re da. Nat tai ai shaloi shi gaw da nat nga timung shi na ma hpe shi gaw moi kaw na grai tsawra ai. Ma gaw dai langai sha re majaw gaw da shi gaw grai tsawra ai majaw da dai lamu kaw na ma dai hpe i yup mang jaw ai da. "Ma hpawtni rai jang ma hte ma hte awa galoi mung nga hkwi taw ai shara kaw ma sa u. Sa na dai kaw di bu langai hpe mu na ra ai. Di bu dai hpe atsawm di ma gaw hkang zing u. Hkang zing na ma ra ai ra ai rai ni hpe ma dai di bu kaw marawn dat u. Masum e i ndai marawn na masum ya nga nhtoi kaw ndai kaw na pru wa na ra ai" ngu tsun ai da. Shi gaw nkam ai "Ala awa ndai gaw nye ya gara de pyi du taw satim ngai hpe hpabaw bai tsun taw ai kun. Ngai hpe dai de ding sang sang lagaw shatsu shangun mayu ai rai sai" ngu raitim mung shi gaw shi na n-gup hta gaw shi nkam ai raitim mung shi na ndai myit kaw wa shi gaw sa mayu ai. Dai shaloi shi jahpawt du ai hte shi dai de sa mayu ai majaw shi sa ai da. Kaja wa di bu e ahtoi nsam hte nga ai di bu hpe mu ai. Shi gaw dai di bu hpe la na shi gaw moi kaw na jau hkyen ni grai chye ai re majaw grai kadap ai. Grai kadap ai majaw i hpyi ai hpyi na lu ai hpang e gaw ndai di bu hpe kabai dat ai ngu wa kabai dat ai hte shi nlu rim la ai sha npu de hkrat mat ai. Hkrat mat ai shaloi gaw dai di bu dai gaw ga mat ai. Ga mat ai shaloi ndai di bu kaw nhpa baw ni rawng ai i nga jang kawa gaw ma dai hkrit na tsang ai majaw ntsun dan ai re da. Ndai di bu ndai kaw gaw da di bu ndai kaw gaw da shanhte na ndai nat ni na shanhte na ndai nat ni na atsam marai yawng hpe bang da ai di bu re ai da. Dai kaw shaga kau ya ai majaw da ndai shaga kau ai hpe i ndai nat ni hku na chye ai shaloi i nat hte masha ngu gaw nmai shaga sai. Shaga na nat ni hku na anhte i ndai masha ni hku na anhte hpe shaga na atsam marai shanhte kaw nrawng ai. Shanhte ndai ram ting i n-gun ni i dai ram nhpring tsup ai. "Anhte ni gaw shanhte hta ntsa kaw nga ai" ngu dai hku myit la nna dai shani kaw na ndai masha hte nat ngu gaw ga galoi mung i tsep kawp nshaga hkat ai. Daini du hkra tim nang ngai na prat hta timung ndai nat ni hte anhte masha ni ngu gaw e nlu shaga hkat ai nlu mu hkat ai ngu ai hpe tsun mayu ai hku re.
Origination date 2017-02-12
Origination date free form
Archive link https://catalog.paradisec.org.au/repository/KK1/0849
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
L. Lu Lu Awng : speaker
DOI 10.4225/72/5989e59be2f0f
Cite as Keita Kurabe (collector), Keita Kurabe (depositor), L. Lu Lu Awng (speaker), 2017. Nat hte masha ga n shaga mat ai lam (Why spirits and men do not talk with each other) with English translation. EAF+XML/MPEG/VND.WAV. KK1-0849 at catalog.paradisec.org.au. https://dx.doi.org/10.4225/72/5989e59be2f0f
Content Files (3)
Filename Type File size Duration File access
KK1-0849-A.eaf application/eaf+xml 42.8 KB
KK1-0849-A.mp3 audio/mpeg 5.79 MB 00:06:20.55
KK1-0849-A.wav audio/vnd.wav 209 MB 00:06:20.43
3 files -- 215 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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