Item details
Item ID
KK1-2049
Title Sak kung hka (Salween River) with English translation
Description Translation (Htoi San)
This story is about the history of 'Sak Kung Hka.' A long time ago, a mother had only one child. The mother and child lived by themselves. The mother took care of her child to grow up well. When the child was older, he matured more splendidly than others. He was so cognizant that the people from his village were jealous of him and told his mother. "Kill your son. You can't keep your son in this village. Slay him. If you don't finish him off, it will be difficult for you to stay here. Both of you will be executed," frightened them. Mother was overwrought when she heard about this. Even though the mother loved her child dearly, she was so upset due to the villagers' intense hatred. The agitated mother did not know what to do, as the people from their place did not like her child. Therefore, she had to think about how to kill her son in many ways. A river called 'Sak Kung Hka' was so deep and wide, located near their village where the mother and her child lived. "If I don't kill my child in that water, I cannot kill him at all," thought the mother. Thus she brought her child to 'Sak Kung Hka.' "My child. I want to say something to you. I was hoping you could get the water from the bottom of this river and put it into the water bottle. Then fetch it back for me," said the mother to her son. "I have a desire to drink that water. I will feel happy and have a long life only after drinking that water." "Go and get that water from the bottom of this river," requested the mother. So, the child considered. The child questioned his mother, "This river is fathomless. Are you sure that you really need to drink that water? Is it ok for you not to sip that?" The mother responded, "My child, you are so talented, and you are the strongest person of all people from this village. I believe that you can do it." "If I drink it, I will live a longer life and become prettier. If you like to see my endurance and happiness, you assure me that you will get that water." "As you truly crave to drink that, I will definitely fetch that water," said the boy. Then he brought a big container and dived into the river. He jumped into the water and got down to the deepest place. Then he took the water, put it into the tumbler, and then covered it with its lit. In the end, he swam up to the surface of the water. After that, he gave them water to his mother. The child told the mother, "Mom, here you are. I bring the water which you want to drink the most." Then he was so happy that he could fulfill his mother's wish. The child was satisfied himself that he could get the water for his mom, but the mother was amazed. "Oh my God, my son is just a small child, but he is talented. I am wondering how he could do this," surprised the mother. His mother considered again, "What can I do to kill him? How can I finish him off?" Then she got an idea. "Whatever it takes, I will drop the needle, and he cannot find it," thought his mother, and she went to the river again and dropped the needle. She let her son follow her to the river and told him that the needle fell when she washed the clothes. "My child, I have only one needle. I did not notice that I brought it when I came here to wash clothes. It drifted in the water." "That needle might be under the river." "Help me find that needle whatever it takes," argued the mother. Her son was upset when he heard about this. "My mom did not bring it to the place like here. She might do this to do something to me. She might want to kill me. That could be why she asked me to find that needle by getting inside of this river." "It can't be possible to find that needle under the deepest and widest river for me," realized the child. So he replied to his mother. "Mom, I understand what you are thinking and planning on me. I realize it all now." The child decided, "Let it be like this." The child left after he was saying this to his mother. He went out not to search for that needle. He went to where he and his mother washed their clothes and sat there. He swore, "I tried very hard to be a useful person in this world." "But my mother and the people from my village do not like me." "That is why my mother wants me to be dead, so I have to die." "When I am drifting from here, I wish the heavy wind would blow." "And let the rain not stop until I reach the sea." "Let this river become narrower and deeper, as well as the rapids are higher so that no one can pass through this river." After cursing all these, he jumped into that river. He drifted away after diving into the river. There was a strong bluster wind and a big storm; consequently, the river changed its flowing path in seven days. It was narrower and more profound. It looked different than before and became dark and stygian. As long as he did not reach the sea in seven days, the river had strong wind and heavy waves that no one could pass through it. Since then, there have been no boats or ships passing through that 'Sak Hkung Hka.'

Transcription (Lu Awng)
Ndai kalang bai hkai na maumwi gabaw gaw sak kung hka a labau ngu ai maumwi re. Moi kalang mi hta kanu langai mi hta e kasha langai nga ai da. Dai ma dai yen nu gaw shan nu hkrai sha nga ma ai da. Dai wa mi she kanu gaw shi kasha hpe grai kaba hkra bau tawn da ai. Ma dai grai kaba wa ai shaloi gaw kaga ni hta dawn jan na lak lai ai da. Grai chye grai chyang ai da, grai byin ai majaw mare kaw na masha ni gaw salang ni du salang ni gaw manawn wa ai majaw kanu hpe tsun ai da. Na kasha hpe e sat kau, na kasha hpe ndai mare kaw hkum tawn da, sat kau, nsat kau yang gaw nan nu 2 gaw nga yak na re nan 2 hpe sat na re ngu na dai ni jahkrit ai da. Dai shaloi gaw dai ma de kanu gaw grai myit ru sai da. Shi kasha hpe shi grai tsawra ai retim mare masha ni jawm n ju ai majaw mare masha ni grai jawm n ju ai majaw shanhte ni kanu gaw grai myit ru mat ai da. Myit ru na she retim masha ni yawng nju mat sai re majaw shi mung kaning n chye di ai shi kasha hpe lam ladat amyu myu hku sat kau na hku shi myit mat wa ai da. Dai shaloi shan nu a shan nu ni nga ai kahtawng na makau kaw gaw sak kung hka ngu ai grai sung ai na grai dam ai hka langai nga ai da. Dai hka dai kaw dai kaw sha nsat yang gaw nye kasha hpe ngai lu sat na nre ngu na shi gaw myit ai da. Dan re di na she kasha hpe gaw woi sa mat ai da. Ma e nang hpe a nu lama mi tsun dan na a nu hpe le ndai le ra hka ndai a yawng a htumpa kaw na hka langai hka loi mi hpe e hka yam kaw loi mi bang na ja lung wa ya rit ngu tsun ai da. A nu dai hka dai grai lu mayu ai, dai hka dai lu yang a nu asak galu na grai nga pyaw na zawn nga ai. A nu hpe dai yawng a hka htum pa kaw na hka sa ja wa ya rit yaw ngu tsun dan ai da. Dai shaloi gaw kasha gaw myit yu sai da. Ga a ngai a hka ndai gaw grai sung ai wa, gara hku wa a nu nang teng sha lung ra ai i, hka n dai n lu yang n mai ai i ngu na san ai da. Dai shaloi gaw kanu gaw tsun ai da, ma e nang gaw grai atsam rawng ai, ndai mare kaw masha ni yawng hta nang atsam rawng dik htum ai kasha she re gaw nang galaw lu na re ngu hpe nu kam ai. A nu ndai hka lu yang teng sha nu asak ma grai galu na re, tsawm ma tsawm wa na re, nang asak galu na pyaw ai mu mayu yang gaw hka ndai hpe lu hkra la wa ya rit le ngu tsun ai da. Dai shaloi gaw kanu gaw shi kasha gaw nu kaja ja lu mayu ai nga yang gaw ngai lu hkra la wa na ngu hka yam kaba law langai mi hpai na she hka de gumhtawn shang mat ai da. Hka de gumhtawn shang mat na shi gaw hka kata sung dik htum ai shara kaw na hka hpe e hka yam kaw ja wa re na she shi magap ni magap kau re na shi la lung wa ai da. Dai shaloi la lung wa ya re shaloi gaw kanu hpe wa jaw ai da. A nu da maw a nu nan grai lu mayu ai hka ngai la wa ya sai yaw ngu na tsun ai da. Dai shaloi gaw kasha gaw grai myit pyaw mat sai da. Shi kanu lu mayu ai hka lu la ya ai majaw pyaw mat ai da, dai shaloi kanu mau sai da. Ga nye kasha gaw n te sha naw law ai wa mi gara hku na dai ram ram dan re byin, dai ram ram galaw lu ai kun ngu na shi mau mung mau ai da. Ndai wa hpe ngai sat lu na matu ngai gara hku galaw na kun ngu na bai myit sai da, dai shaloi gaw dai kaw bai myit yu wa re shaloi gaw shi gaw bai dum sai da. Um gara hku nga tim ngai samyit jahkrat bang kau yang gaw samyit hpe gaw shi gara hku nga tim shi nlu tam na re ngu bai myit ai majaw shi gaw dai de sa na rai sa hkrut masu su ai da. Rai sa hkrut masu su na she woi sa na she shi wa dai hkrut ai kaw sa myit lawm mat wa ai hku na she ma e nu le samyit langai sha lu ai wa mi ndai kaw nu rai hkrut ai kaw wa samyit wa ndum ai la sa na shayawng jahkrat kau dat sai. Samyit dai le gara hku nga hka kata de du mat na sai. Nang ndai samyit ndai nu hpe lu hkra naw tam ya rit ngu bai tsun ai da. Dai shaloi gaw shi myit ru mat ai da. Ga a nu gaw ning re shara de du hkra samyit n la sa na re, retim ngai hpe lama ma sat mayu ai majaw ngai hpe lama ma hku na myit ai majaw she ngai ndai sa myit hpe e ngai hpe kata shang tam shangun ai re. Hka ndai ram sung na dai ram dam ai shara kaw samyit ndai hpe lu tam na matu ma ngai n mai byin na re ngu na ma dum mat ai da. Dum mat ai majaw shi gaw bai tsun ai da. A nu e da nang ngai hpe e gara hku myit ai nye ntsa gara hku myit ai lam ni yawng hkra ngai chye na sai da. Dai majaw da rai sanu ga ngu na mai dai gaw myit ai da. Dan na she dai hku sha tsun kau da re na shi gaw pru mat wa ai da. Dai samyit hpe shi nsa tam ai pru mat wa na she mi shan nu rai hkrut ai shara kaw na shi dai kaw sha sa dung nga na she shi ga matan ai da. Ngai ndai mungkan ga kaw ngai a kyu nga dik ai masha langai tai na ngu na ngai grai shakut lai wa ai. Retim mung nye nu hte nye a buga masha ni gaw ngai hpe nra ma ai. Dai majaw nye nu nan ngai hpe sat na hku myit ai majaw ngai si mat wa sa na. Ngai ndai shara kaw e ngai yawng mat wa ai ten hta n bung laru ru wa u ga da. Ndai ngai panglai sha n du dingsa gaw laru kaba ndai nzim u ga. Hka ndai mung grau gyip mat na grau sung mat ai hte hka hpungla grai ja na lai yang rap yang grai yak ai hka byin mat u ga ngu na she shi gaw dai hku tsun matan na she shi gaw dai hka de gumhtawn bang mat wa ai da. Hka de gumhtawn bang mat wa na shi yawng mat wa, teng sha nan shi gaw ma dai yawng mat wa ai hpang 7 ya tup gaw hka dai kaw laru kaba, mawdaw kaba ru na she hka dai gaw mi na hka lam hku ma nre sha grai gyip mat wa na she hka dai sung mung grau sung mat na mi na zawn zawn rai n rai mat ai sha grau sung na grau chyang sin mat ai hka byin mat ai da. Ngut jang she teng sha dai shi panglai sha ndu ai 7ya laman hta laru ru re na hka dai gaw hpungla ja ai hte masha shinggyin masha rap nmai mat ai. Ngut jang she ndai hkali ni dai hku mung sanghpaw ni mung nmai lai ai hka langai mi byin mat ai da.
Origination date 2017-04-11
Origination date free form
Archive link https://catalog.paradisec.org.au/repository/KK1/2049
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
Tsiyu Ja Ra : speaker
DOI 10.26278/5fa173e5b87c1
Cite as Keita Kurabe (collector), Keita Kurabe (depositor), Tsiyu Ja Ra (speaker), 2017. Sak kung hka (Salween River) with English translation. EAF+XML/MPEG/VND.WAV. KK1-2049 at catalog.paradisec.org.au. https://dx.doi.org/10.26278/5fa173e5b87c1
Content Files (3)
Filename Type File size Duration File access
KK1-2049-A.eaf application/eaf+xml 40.2 KB
KK1-2049-A.mp3 audio/mpeg 6.1 MB 00:06:38.714
KK1-2049-A.wav audio/vnd.wav 219 MB 00:06:38.697
3 files -- 225 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 1,437 translations are currently available (November 23, 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, JP24K03887, 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 Keita Kurabe
View/Download access Keita Kurabe
Data access conditions Open (subject to agreeing to PDSC access conditions)
Data access narrative
Metadata
RO-Crate Metadata
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