Item details
Item ID
KK1-1768
Title Dumsi a lam (The porcupine) with English translation
Description Translation (Rita Seng Mai)
This story is about a porcupine. GOD created not only humans but also animals. GOD created man in his own image and breathed the breath of life into him. He gives us wisdom and knowledge. If someone did the action without thinking wisely, we said to him, "You are just an animal! You didn't think about the consequences and did whatever you wanted." People thought animals are not as wise as they are. But we can see that GOD gives a special skill to each animal. There are two kinds of porcupines. The bigger one is called porcupine (dumsi), and the smaller one is called the hedgehog (du dumsi). They are righteous animals. They never use the path which is made by the others. They make their own path to find food. There is a saying in Kachin that porcupines and hedgehogs use their own ways. Not only that, they build their own burrows and live together with each own family. Young people these days haven't probably seen a porcupine in real life. Porcupines are coated with sharp spines. They use their quills as swords to catch their prey. Spines can also protect them from being killed. When a predator is around him, he bends his body a little bit. At that time, the sharp spines could fly off towards the predator. In the past, I had seen a spine stabbing on a tall banana plant when I went hunting in the forest. I thought, "Who stabbed there?" Actually, it's not something we should be wondered. GOD gives the porcupine the skill to be able to pick the banana flower bud with its spines. Porcupines and hedgehogs are medicinal. The trees with porcupines bite are all medicinal. So, if we have found a porcupine, we need to take its stomach out because it's useful and medicinal. We apply its stomach on a swollen face, hands or legs. We still use it that way. Many people know about porcupines. But they might not know every detail. Now, I'd like to tell you a special fact about porcupines. When a porcupine is caught in a trap, it never bites the rope off. It just bites its leg, which is stuck in a net, till the leg is completely torn apart. This is a remarkable fact about porcupines. I will tell you a story. Once upon a time, there was a woman in a village. She grew many cassava plants on her farm. But a porcupine always came to steal that root every night. So, she wanted to catch him and set a trap. She made the loop with her fabric belt. That night, an old porcupine was caught in the woman's trap. At that time, he thought, "It's because a grown-up like me stole food from an old woman. I didn't find food with my effort. Stealing food from her is more than enough. I shouldn't destroy her belt too. I will just cut my leg off although I might die. It's my fault." He regretted and cut his leg off. After his leg was torn, he looked for herbs to cure his wound. Luckily, he found the medicinal herb near him. He quickly ate it and went back to his burrow with a crippled leg. When he got back to his burrow, his family and friends were hurriedly searching for food and medicinal herbs. They found food for him until his wound got better. They helped each other a lot. One week after he cut his leg off, the wound was cured and he felt much better. One day, when he was about to go outside to find food, his children and grandchildren said, "Grandpa, you are very old now. And you have a crippled leg. Don't go out to find food. You just stay at home and make us feel warm. We will find food for you." Then, he didn't go out to find food anymore. He just stayed in their burrow. Since then, the porcupines didn't let the crippled ones go out to find food. They let that one stay in the burrow. This is the end of the story. Even an animal knows to show love to each other and to look after the elders. Then, why don't we? We should reflect on ourselves. Even animals know how to take care of each other. But, we shouldn't compare ourselves with animals, right? We know more than them. Thank you very much.

Transcription (Lu Awng)
Ndai gaw dumsi a maumwi re. Karai kashang gaw shinggyin masha ni hpe sha nre dusat dumyeng hkum sumhpa hte mungkan ga kaw nga ma nga pra mapra yawng hpe hpan tawn da ai madu re. Dai zawn shi hpan tawn da mada mahkra hpe yu reng madu tai na ahkang hte jaw n jaw sawn ginhka myityu chye na matu mung anhte shinggyin masha ni hpe wenyi hte rau laklai ai hku na hpan da hkrum ai ni re saga ai. Dai majaw myit yu sawn yu ai lam nnga ai masha hpe nang gaw dusat she re, gwi she re sam ndai, ngu nna masha hta madang shagrit shayawm ai hku anhte tsun chye ga ai re. Raitim shinggyin masha hta madang she grit tim dusat shagu hpe karai kasang gaw laklai ai a tsam jaw da ai hpe mu lu ai. Ga shadawn dumsi a lam hpe anhte myit yu ai shaloi, dumsi ngu hpan 2 ngu mai tsun ai. Kaba ai hpan hpe dumsi ngu nna kaji ai hpan hpe gaw du ngu ai re. Dai dumsi hte du ni gaw grai tara lang ai dusat hpan mi re ma ai. Manang kaga ni shagrin da ai lam hte hkrup mara kadai n lai n hkawm sa ai sha tinang lai na lam hpe tinang nan atsam marai dat let baw la nna tinang a lam hta tinang hkawm sa chye ai dusat re. Dai majaw she du a lam gaw du, dumsi a lam gaw dumsi ngu ai jinghpaw ga malai nga wa ai re. Dai sha n ga, shanhte rawng na n hkun hpe mung tinang nan htu tsawm la nna uhpung hte uhpung san san rai rawng nga ai hpe mu lu ai. Dumsi hpe nanhte ma ni myi chyaw mu lu ai gaw nau pyi nnga na nhten sumla hkrung hta she nanhte mu na re. Dumsi a hkumting hta brung ngu ai ja ai hte 2 maga masen ai mun kaba hkrai hkumting hpe kawp gayawp da ai tu nga malu ai. Shanhte a dai dumsi brung ngu ai ju gaw tinang a hkum makawp maga na hte hpyen wa hpe gasat na matu pala mung rai nga malu ai. Kaga dusat ni shanhte hpe rim sha hkyen jang shanhte a hkum hpe loi gum shangun n htawm n gun dat nna hkum hpe makun dat jang shanhte a dumsi brung pala ni gaw majoi she marawng wa ai hte hpyen wa hpe sanat mawdaw zawn mung mai gap lu ai da law. Moi kalang mi hta jidwi shan gap na matu nam hku wam hkawm ai shaloi tsawm ra tsaw ai langu hpun ningdung na ngajaw si kaw dumsi brung jung nga ai hpe mu ga nngai. Kadai wa lung jun da ai kun? nanhte she lama mu hkrup yang mau na re. Dai hpe nanhte hpa mau na lam nnga ai, karai kasang gaw dumsi hpe mung shanhte a dumsi brung pala hte ngajaw si sha mayu yang gap jahkrat sha lu na atsam hte a hkaw ahkang jaw da sai majaw ngajaw si gap jahkrat sha na matu dumsi ni gap jun da ai she re. Bai nna du hte dumsi ni gaw tsi sara mung re ma ai. Du dumsi ni gawa makret sha hkang ai hpun shagu gaw tsi ru, tsi hpun hkrai rai sai, dai majaw she dumsi lu ai shaloi shat kan hpe wan jahkraw la nna hkum hte lagaw lata myiman bum ai ana htungtsi kaba shatai ai hte anhte wunpawng myu sha ni dai ni du hkra akyu jashawn tsi shatai nga ga ai re. Dumsi a lam hpe ntsa lam chye ai hkrai retim, masha law malawng chye ai laklai ai lam lamami hpe nanhte ma chye da na matu jidwi lagu tsun dan na madat mu. Dumsi gaw masha a mahkam hte lu hkrup ai shaloi mahkam sumri hpe a mai sha gawa di lu na retim sumri hpe n gawa ai sha shi a lagaw hta lu shingkyet nga ai sumri a lahta kaw shi a lagaw hpe mahtang she machyi hkam nna lagaw hpe n di di hkra gawa shakut ai gaw mau hpa kumla langai mi re. De a maumwi hpe nanhte chye hkra jidwi a tsawm matut tsun dan na, moi shawng de gumgai langai mi nga ai da, dai gumgai hkai da ai yi na nai kadung hpe du dumsi ni shana shagu sa sha sha ya mu ai majaw gumgai gaw mahkam hkam na matu sumri tam tim n mu nna shi hkyit ai shingkyit sumri hte dumsi lai lai re ai kaw mahkam shachyen da nu ai da. Dai shana mi she n myit mada ai sha dumsi salang wa mahkam hta lu hkrup ai shaloi dumsi salang wa a myit hta aw ngai salang wa langai mi ting nye a atsam hte ngai ntam sha ai sha matsan mayan re ai gumgai n ngut n jin let hkai da ai hpe ngai sa lagu sha ai majaw re sai. Dai majaw lai sai ten hta ngai lagu sha ai mara pyi nau she hpyau sai. Matut nna shi a shingkyit sha gaw ngai n jahten kau na. Nye a lagaw di nna ngai si tim ngai nye a mara hte ngai si ai re majaw ngai si hkam na. Shing nga mara yin la let shi a lagaw hpe n di yang di hkra gawa shakut nu ai da. Kade nna yang shi a lagaw di mat ai hte tsi tam yu wu yang makau kaw nan tsi kaja hpe mu nna dai tsi hpun hkyep hpe tsawm ra mi gawa makret sha la n htawm shanhte a n hkun de n du du hkra labye let tsam mari du wa sai da. Shi du wa ai hte manang ni gaw tsi tam ai ni tam, lusha tam ai ni tam rai ma ai da. Dai shana tam jaw ai sha n ga, shi machyi ai laman tup lusha hkum sumhpa hpe langai hpang langai sha she n ma hkra shana shagu tam la wa jaw jaw di mu ai da. Laban bat mi ram na ai hte tsi kaja ai majaw shi lam a tsawm lu hkawm nu ai. Lagaw mai sai majaw shi mung shat tam sha hkawm hkyen ai shaloi shi a kasha ni kashu ni tsun ai gaw jidwi dingla e nang gaw asak mung kaba sai hta n ga lagaw mung n kaja sai re majaw kanang de hkum hkawm sa nu. Anhte a shara hpe sha a lum a la sin nna nga nga sa nu. Nang hpe anhte hkru hkru kat kat mu mu mai mai sha lu hkra yawng jawm tam jaw na re. Ndai zawn ngu yawng jawm tsun ma ai majaw n hkrun sin ai dawlawan tai mat nu ai da. Dai aten kaw nna du dumsi ni gaw lagaw lata daw hten ai jahten labye ni hpe shanhte a n hkun kaw sha sharawng nga shangun n htawm ngam ai ni rau jawm bau ga ai lai masa hpe dai ni du hkra galaw ma ai re. Ma ni e maumwi gaw ndai kaw htum sai. Re yang wenyi n rawng ai dusat ni pyi dai zawn chye myit chye mang ai rai yang wenyi hte hpan da sai anhte shingyin masha nanhte kashu kasha ni asak kaba nna n byen n chyawn sai tinang a kaji gawoi kanu kawa ni hte ru yak jam jau jam hkau hkrum nga ai ni hpe tsawra matsan dum nna yu gawn lajang bai maka na gaw rawng nga myit dai kun? Nanhte a hkum hpe nanhte madu nan myit yu na matu ndai maumwi gaw nanhte hpe hpaji jaw shadum sharin nga sai re. Dai majaw tsawra ai ma ni e wenyi n rawng ai dusat gwi hte gaw nanhte n mai shabung ai lu yaw grai chyeju kaba sai.
Origination date 2017-03-10
Origination date free form
Archive link https://catalog.paradisec.org.au/repository/KK1/1768
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
N. Gum Ja : speaker
DOI 10.4225/72/598c871d13d40
Cite as Keita Kurabe (collector), Keita Kurabe (depositor), N. Gum Ja (speaker), 2017. Dumsi a lam (The porcupine) with English translation. EAF+XML/MPEG/VND.WAV. KK1-1768 at catalog.paradisec.org.au. https://dx.doi.org/10.4225/72/598c871d13d40
Content Files (3)
Filename Type File size Duration File access
KK1-1768-A.eaf application/eaf+xml 35.2 KB
KK1-1768-A.mp3 audio/mpeg 8.4 MB 00:09:11.679
KK1-1768-A.wav audio/vnd.wav 303 MB 00:09:11.671
3 files -- 312 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 1,426 translations are currently available (October 19, 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 Nick Thieberger
Keita Kurabe
View/Download access
Data access conditions Open (subject to agreeing to PDSC access conditions)
Data access narrative
Metadata
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