| Description |
Translation (Rita Seng Mai)
The story I am about to tell is about why the gong was played. A long time ago, there was a wedding in a village. When the bride was sent to the groom's house, a man was assigned to play the gong. On their way, the man who played the gong led the group. The bride and the group followed after him. Some people had diarrhea because they ate something spicy or bad, so they went back. Some had their work, so they went back as well. However, the man who played the gong kept walking without looking back. When it was dark, he looked behind him, thinking, "Are they still following me?" When he looked back, there was no one. He looked around, but he saw no one. He couldn't go back home at that time either. He kept walking and found a house. There was a beautiful lady inside that house. He was curious whether it was her wedding. When he walked inside the house, he saw a corpse near the gorgeous lady. The lady didn't even glance at him. She didn't speak a word either. Later, about four beautiful girls came and danced there. The man thought, "They dance not only at happy events but also at sad ones. They try to stay happy." Then he also started playing the gong along with them. They were dancing the Manau dance. After that, he fell asleep there. When he woke up the next morning, he found out that the girl whose hand he had been holding while sleeping was actually a frog. He was shocked and went back home. When he arrived at the village, the bride and the others were angry with him and asked, "Where were you all night?" He said to them, "I happened to sleep in a cemetery. The nat spirits celebrated and danced even at funerals, not just at happy events. They play the gongs and dance. Let's be like them." Therefore, we Jinghpaw people have the culture of playing gongs not only at happy events but also at sad ones.
Transcription (Htu Bu)
Ya ngai tsun na lam gaw Hpa Majaw Bau Dum Ai? nga ai lam rai nga ai. Ya, moi shawng shaloi da, mare langai kaw, mare langai kaw hkung-ran poi langai nga ai da. Dai kaw she, la nnan na nta de num nnan hpe sa sa ai shaloi da, shanhte bau dum ai masha langai hpe dum shangun ai da. Dai, shanhte dai la nnan na nta de num nnan sa sa ai shaloi, bau dum ai wa gaw, bau dum na shawng kaw na sa ai da. Num nnan ni gaw hpang kaw na hkan nang ai da. Dai wa she shanhte sha shut na kan, kan mase ai ni, kan machyi ai ni nga ai da. Dai nga majaw wa mat, nkau mi gaw i, wa mat ai. Nkau mi gaw bungli shuk na wa mat ai. Dai hku ni re, bau dum ai masha wa dum na sa tik tik re ai da. Sa tik tik re, sa tik tik re na, jan du wa re ten hta shi gaw "Ngai na hpang kaw num nnan ni naw hkan nang ai kun?" ngu na bai nhtang yu dat ai shaloi kadai bai n nga taw ai da. Shi du ai dai kaw loi mi, shi bai yu na, shi nta kaw bai wa yang ma bai, n mai ai i, nta wa yang ma bai n mai ai. Dai hku rai mat ai da. Dai, dai, dai kaw she shi sa da sa da nta langai mi hpe bai mu ai da. Nta langai kaw she num sha tsawm ai langai nga taw ai da. Dai shi na poi rai kun ngu na sa san yu ai da. Dai shaloi dai num sha na makau kaw ma masha si ai mang langai ma nga taw ai da. Shi gaw dai makau de sa mat ai. Dai num sha wa gaw shi hpe hpa n yu ai sha dai hku sha, hpa n tsun ai sha yu taw ai da. Ya hkring nga yang gaw, num sha tsawm tsawm re mali manga ram le wa na, ka taw ka kaw ai she, shanhte, dai la wa, dai la wa she, shanhte pyaw yang she bau dum ai n re sha, yawn yang ma shanhte pyaw ai, pyaw ai hku, i, pyaw hkra nga ai hku rai na re ngu na shi gaw bau dum na bai bau bai dum nang di na she shanhte gaw Manau, Manau ni nau na ka, ka ngut na shi wa she dai kaw shana yup pyaw mat ai da. Yup pyaw mat ai she, yup pyaw mat na hpang jahpawt wa ai ten hta shi, ta lang da ai, ta lang na yup pyaw mat ai num sha gaw Shu bai tai taw. Shu tai taw ai majaw shi gaw, Shu bai tai taw, mau na, nta de bai wa mat ai da. Dai mare de du yang wa dai mare kaw na num nnan ni gaw shi hpe hkap tau na, shi hpe pawt ai da. Dai pawt ai wa she, "Nang mana gara sa taw ai rai?" hpa ni dai hku ni san ai da. Shi gaw dai kaw, aw shi lupwa kaw she, nat ni ma shanhte masha na zawn, masha si yang, pyaw tim yawn tim, pyaw tim ma, pyaw ai lam kaw ma, yawn ai lam kaw ma bau dum na ka ma ai da. Anhte ma dai hku kasi la na bau hpe dum ra na re nga, Dai majaw ya a ten du hkra, anhte Jinghpaw amyu kaw dai hku yawn tim pyaw tim ma bau dum ai htunghkying nga wa ai re. |
