INPUI: Hmar News & Info

TO BUY ‘DAWNKIR VE LA’ VCD CLICK HERE

Source: hmingchawilien | November 04, 2010

Album Hming - Dawnkir Ve la

Album Release date - 28th October (6:00pm)

Ahmun - Saikawt Community Hall, ccpur. Hla 12 a um

Price of VCD - 150/- 1000 copies

Producer - Nk. Lalramthang

Lalramthang’s Fav. Song - Nunhlui

Where to buy:-

(1) Churachandpur - Lalsanglien joute Mob. 9874358277 & Nk. Lalramthang Mob. 9612060172 (2) Shillong - Lalpiengruol Mob. 9862240688 (3) Delhi - Judith Keivom Mob. 9582073427 (4) Zasanga Recording Studio, CCpur (5) Hmarkhawlien  Contact Mawii 07399101752

SUNGA HLA UM HAI:

1. Valmawi: words & Tune:Lalramthang
2.Beisei a thlawn: words:Lalramthang. Tune-L.F. Nungate & Lalramthang
3. Insuikhawm ei tiu:(Mistaken one, however it is compose by (L) Pu.Buonglienkung

4.Dawnkir ve la: Words&tune-Timothy Z. Zote
5. Nunhlui: words&tune: Lalramthang
6. Sirva angin: Words&Tune-Tmothy Z. Zote
7. Romei Zamkara: words&tune (L) Rev. Paulsiemlien
8. Nunhlui ngaium: Wods&Tune-Pu. Zaitukung
9. Lalnunnem: words & tune- Darkamlo
10. Suilung an leng: words & tune-Lalramthang
11.In-Di banglovin: words&tune-Lalramthang
12. Nghil an tak ngei: words&tune: Lalramthang

NK Lalramthang’s Favourite Song: NUNHLUI

By L.Keivom, Inpui Columnist

Iengkim mani hun senga mawiin a siem a.

Mihriem lungrilah chatuon a sie a; chuong sa khom chun a tira inthoka a tawp chena Pathien thilthaw chu an hmu suok thei chuong nawh.

-Thuhriltu 3:11

Part 2

Lungrila chatuon sie

Thuhriltuin mihriemhai chunga Pathienin phur a lo innghat thu a hrilnaa a thu vuok thlak, “Mihriem lungrilah chatuon a sie a, chuong sa khom chun a tira inthoka a tawp chena Pathien thilthaw chu an hmu suok thei chuong nawh” (3:10-11) ti hih ka tiem zata ka ngaituona zar buoitu a nih. ‘Mihriem lungrila chatuon sie’ ti chu a umzie iem ni tâng a ta? Tuta ka hung thur suok hi Delhi Version (DV), NIV-a inthoka inlet a nih. Bible Society of India (BSI) suta chun a suok hmasa tak 1968-a inthok tu chen hin “an lungrilah khawvel chu a ruotdet bawk a” tiin an la sie ngat ngat a nih. A san ni awm chu, Kings James Version-a indik lo taka an lo inlet nêka indik naw zuola Lusei tronga inlet an lo kawpi khah Trapngai (chingpirinu) lungpui chel an ti, lungpui sa chunga fu ta laklaw, sâ ti si, inthla ngam ta bok si lo, an hril ang ngirhmuna fu vê an ni lei khom a ni el thei.

Mihriem ‘lungrila khawvel ruotdet’ ti chu ieng theulawzi leh khom hril mat a harsa khop el. Pathien thilthaw anga hril ding chun a mak deuh khom a hoi. Mizo-Lusei Baibul nuhnung tak (2005), trong mawl le tluongtlama an inleta chun New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), New English Bible (NEB) le Today’s English Version (GoodNews Bible) hmer kopin, “Tûn hma leh tûn hnu hriatchâkna min pe a; mahse a bul leh a tawp thlengin Pathian thiltumte kan hre vek thei si lo” tiin “chatuon” ti khah “tûn hma leh tûn hnu hriatchâkna” tiin an inlet bakah ‘Pathien thilthawhai’ ti khah an nuom dan zawnga kei herin ‘Pathian thiltumte’ tiin an inlet daih bok a nih. Hieng zawnga an inlet rauh rauh si chun ‘hun liem tah le la hung ding ngaituo nachang an lungrilah a sie’ ti inla, a fûk lem el thei. Baibul inlet khikhawkna chu, mani trongin a dai naw thu tieng nêk hmanin, ei thu inletah thu khirh, inthup le chieng lo a um hlak lei a nih. Chu chu inlettu taphotin a ziektu thu inkawktir ni awma an hriet ang sengin an inlet a, an hriet dan a khuongruol ngai si naw leiin, thu pangngai chie khom a hung sai sa tah nuoi hlak a nih. A ieng khom chu ni sien, hi thil hi chuh ei thiempuhai le theulawzianhaiin lu huot khopa an sui zui dingin la maksan phot ei tih.

‘Mihriem lungrilah chatuon a sie’ ti umzie hrilfiena chieng tak nia Pathien thu sui chîktuhai hril hlak, sienkhom chieng chie si lo chuh Rom 1:19-20 a “Pathien chanchin an hriet theina dingin Pathien ngei chun tlang takin an kuomah a’n langtir a. A nina, mita hmu thei lo, a chatuon thilthawtheina le a Pathienzie chu leilung siem tira inthokin a thilsiemah chieng taka hmu le hriet theiin a’n langtir leiin mi tu khomin suonlam ding hrim an nei nawh” ti hih a nih. Hi taka hin Paula chun hnuoi le van Siemtu Pathien (Elohim) nina chuh a thilsiema inthoka tar lang a ni thu a hril a; a nina anga poma be loa a thilsiemhai an biek lem leia Pathien lung a sen thuin a sunzom a nih.

Chanchin Thra ei ti hih hnamhai kuoma hril a ni hma khomin iengti kong zawngin amanih, hnam tin kuomah Pathienin a nina a puong hlak ti thu hi a hung inlàr zuolna chu misawnari Don Richardson lekhabu ziek palihai laia inlâr tak, Eternity in Their Hearts (1981) a inthok a ni ring a um. Ama hi Canada mi, Western New Guinea (Indonesia) a hnam hnufuol Sawi an tihai laia rongbawla um tah hlak, a hnunga U.S Center for World Mission (Pasadena) a zirtirtu le Tribal Peoples’ Study-a Director le khawvel hmun hrang hranga rongbawl dan ding inchukna Perspectives on World Christian Movement trantu laia ban poimaw a nih. Pathien thu la hre ngai lo hnamhai kuoma sandamna thu an hriet thiem thei zawnga hril ding chun an tienami, thusim le thurachi hai entirnaa hmanga hril a thratzie thu a uor a, chu hrilna ding chun ‘redemptive analogies’ ti tronglamkei hi a hung ser suok a nih. Chu chu ‘sandamna thu hril fie dan’ tiin inlet inla, a kawk hnai tak el thei. Burma rama tlangmi Karen hai, Shan State-a cheng Wa hnam hai, China simthlanga cheng Lisu hai, India rama cheng Santhal hai, Africaa cheng Mbaka hnam hai, Ethiopia rama hnam pakhat Gedeo hai, South Americaa sulhnung ropui tak maksantu Inca hai, Motilones hai le hnam hrang hrang chanchin a sui a, Chanchin Thra hrila a um hma daiha inthok khan, Abraham kuoma Pathienin a thu a hril ang bok khan, rauthiemhai le zawlneihai hmangin an kuomah Pathien a lo inpuong tah hlakzie thu a ziek a.

Eini ngirhmun khom ei thlir chun, Mizorama misawnari an hung lut hma khan MNF thruoitu Laldenga pieng le murna Pukpui khaw mi Darphawk an ti chu ni iemani zat zèlin a um a, Mizoram hmar tieng le sim tienga var hung inkhaw lut a hmu a, a hung phurluttu mingohai hmel chu a hmu bok a. A thi tawm chun a sung le kuohai kuomah, “Hi var hung phur luttuhai hi an hung pha chun an thu lo awi ro” tiin thu a’n cha a. A thi hnunga misawnari an hung lut khan a naunu pahnih Tlawmi le Khumi chun an pa thu incha khah hre zingin kristien-ah an inpe nghal a, kristien hmasa pawl an ni nghe nghe.

Hieng ang chanchin, a thren ringnawhai lungril an hne theina dinga an hnam thusim le inmila misawnarihaiin tienami an phuok bel sa ni awm tak tak, tienami bawma khum dinga ni mang si lo a tam laiin, zawlneihai le rauthiemhaiin thil hung tlung ding an hmu lawk tam tak hril ding a um bok a. Isaiin Isu Krista hung pieng ding thu kum 700 vel hmaa a lo hril lawk dam hi chuong laia zèl chi chu a ni el thei.

Hunbi ruot le inher dan

Chun, khawvel inher dan phung mihriemin ei hriet phak chin khom chîk taka ei bi chun, Thuhriltuin “Iengkim ta dingin hunbi a ruot a, van hnuoia thil iengkim hin hunbi a nei seng a” (3:1) a ti hih a lo indik khop el. Inchukna tienga ka thlûr bing tak chu histawri a ni a, chu tukvera inthoka thil fe le hung thlir le a san ni ding awm sui chu namen loa thil inhnikum a nih.

Dannaranin kum khat hi hunbi palia thre a ni a, chu chu ei suo pha leh a pangngai bokin a hung invir nawk a, tawpintai a nei nawh. Chuonga hunbi insersuon laia thil tlung pakhat chauh chu hang hril ei tih. Favang tawp tieng hin parawmau thli a hung hrang vùk vûk a, ruo mal a hung tla phier phier a, chu zo ni khat ni hni vela chun raw kûnghmui le thing hmonah parawmau a hung mawng a. Hi hi ei rama thil tlung hlak hrima ei ngai tah, sienkhom ei ram sik le sa ang nei ve lohai lai chu tlung hlak bok si lo a ni a, ngaituo chîk chun thilmak pakhat a ni ve. Pa chîngna amanih khawina hmun a ni ngot naw chun, thlasik, nipui le furpui laia parawmau inmawngtir tum chu thil thei lo a nih.

Sik le sa inthlak ang peia thilsiem hrang hrangin an hun ruot ang peia zie an hung insuo le inthlak hlak ang bok hin khawvela hin inthlak danglamna nasa tak a um hlak a. Parawmau thli a hrang hun a hung invel suok ang bokin pawlitiks thli, ekawnawmiks thli, khawtlang insiem danglamna thli, sakhuo le thil dang danga harna thli, thli fim, thli dam, thli sie, khawhai thli, thlipui a hrang hun a um a. Pawlitiks thlipuiin khawvel a nuoi tak tak pha chun lalthrungphaa inthokin lalhai a mut thlak a, an lalram a mut dar a, thlak danglam thei loa ngai ramri ieng khom inza a nei naw a, ram threnkhat a mut dar laiin ram indar tah hai khom a mut khawm bok a. German Re-unification hai, Italian Re-unfication hai, kum 1970-71 laia Bangladesh le a pansak India hmar sak rama a ruola State tam tak a hung pieng el dam kha entirna thra tak a nih. Hieng thil hung tlunghai hi threnkhatin ruot lawka um sa hung tlung (causal or nomological determinism) anga an pom laiin threnkhat ruok chun a ruola thil tlung pangpalh (indeterminism) niah an ngai.

Hienga hunbi inthlak danglam dan le chu sunga thil tlunghai suitu laia pakhat, tu laia histawrian hmingthang Eric Hobsbawm chun histawri bu hrang hrang a ziekhai chu a hunbi-a threin, The Age of Revolution: Europe (1789-1848), The Age of Capital (1848-1875), The Age of Empire (1875-1914), The Age of Extremes: The Short Twentieth Century (1914-1991) tiin a sie a. A tawp taka lekhabu Part 1 hi The Age of Catastrophe tiin, Indopui 1 & 2 hung inir suok dan le lalram a phur thluk vong thu a ziek a. Part 2-na hi The Golden Age tiin, khawvela ram thar tam tak hung pieng thu dam, Social & Cultural Revolution le Third Word hung suok dan a hril a. Part 3-na ‘The Landslide’ ti a’n buk a, Socialism le Communism a chim thlak thu dam le kum 2000 millenium tlung tawma khawvel inlumlet dan a ziek a.

Mipui roinrelna, dimokrasi ei ti ang tluka inrelbawlna thra um thei lo dinga ringtu Francis Fukiyama chun, hi hun ropui hi mihriem ngaituonaa inrelbawl dan thra vawrtawpa an ngai chu ei tlungna ni-ah a ngai leiin 1992 khan ‘The End of History and the Last Man’ ti a ziek hiel a. An tlangzar trum khan London-a ka’n zin lai a ni leiin cheng sang chuongin hi lekhabu hi k’an chawk a. A thlir dan hi ei pompui ta’m, ei pompui naw ta’m, iemani chenah hunbi inher danglam dan dinga khuonu ruot leh inzawlna a nei ti chuh inphat ruol a ni nawh. Inremna le muongna hnawl a, sakhaw hminga invâi rui uor a, thina paipuok paia thi chilh ding zonga invâk pawl ei hung pung pei dam hi ei histawri fe zing lai tawpna ding hriltu an ni nawh ti tuin am hril thei an ta?

Sakhaw thila khawvel inlumlet dan bung le chang tawite hang bi vak ei tih. Mihriemin Pathien an zong hun le sakhuo an ngaiven hun a um ang bokin an inhnik der naw hun, thlarau tienga mautam a tlung hun a um. Khawvela dawnril le zawlnei an hung suok rawn hun kha ei en chun BC 700-300 inkar a ni deuh tak a. Chu chu histawri hlama inkhi chun dumtong chen chauh a nih. Sienkhom, zawlnei Isai hai, Jeremia hai, Ezekiel hai, Buddhism hmu suoktu Gautama Buddha hai, Jainism suklartu Mahavira hai, Confucianism hmu suoktu Confucius hai, Taoism hmu suoktu Lao Tse hai, Zoraostrian sakhuo trantu Zarathustra hai, Daniel a ruolhai le zawlnei Ezekiel le zawlnei dang dang hai, Grik mi thiem le dawnril Pythagorus hai, Plato hai, Socrates hai, Aristlotle hai le mi dang dang hai, Ramayana le Mahabharata chanchin le tienami hung suok hun hai hi chîk taka ei bi chun hi hun ei hril sunga mi an ni vong. Chun, sakhaw liena ngaihai hrim hrim hi Asia rama inthoka pieng vong a nih. Isu pieng hma kumzabi pathumna lai ringot khom khan India rama ringot khom, phuhlum suok vanglai ang elin, sakhaw thar 300 chuong zet a hung suok a, chuonghai laia dam khawsuok chu Hinduism, Buddhism le Jainism sakhuohai hi an nih.

Kristien sakhaw tukvera inthok chaua ei bi lem chun, Isu Krista hung hma kum zasari vel kha khawvel hmun hrang hranga cheng mihriemhai lai thlaraua dangcharna le phingtramna a um a, mihaiin chu hruk bitna ding chu an zong a. Grik mi var le dawnril, voisun chena an hming chuoi loa ei la sam zui peihai hin hrietna le thiemna hmanga chu kawruokna chu hruk bit an tum leiin varna thu tam tak an phu suok a, a tawpa iengkim inthlung khawmna chu hrietna ril thutak, anniin ‘Logos’ an tia chun innghatin an hriet a. Chu thu char chu hmangin Johan chun Isu Krista hung san bul a hrilnaah “A tirin THU (Logos) a um…” tiin van ram chena som tlak thu ropui a hung vor suok a nih. Paula khomin mihriem taksa puta hnuoia Isu Krista hung thu chu histawrian tarmita inthoka thlîrin, “A hun bituk a hung kim meu chun Pathienin a Naupa a hung tir a, nuhmei sula inthokin Dan hnuoiah a hung pieng a” (Gal 4:4) tiin a ziek ngat a nih.

Ieng leia chuong anga thil bituk chu hung um le tlung hlak am ning a ta? Chuong ang thil inumtirtu chu tu am ning a ta? A donna hnai tak le fie tak nia ka ngai chu, ei thu buon lai, mihriem lungrila chatuon sietuin a ruot lawk lei a nih. Paula chun, “Pathien hmangaituhai, aman a ruot anga a kohai ta ding chun iengkimah an thratna dingin a thawpek hlak ti ei hriet; a hriet lawkhai chu a Naupa ang taka um dingin a ruot lawk si a, a Naupa chu nau tam tak laia naulutir a hung ni theina dingin. Chun, a ruot lawkhai chu a ko a; a kohai chu thiem a’n changtir a; thiem a’n changtirhai chu a chawimawi bok a nih” tiin a hril (Rom 8:28-30).

Ran le thilsiem danghai chu an thi a, an bohmang song el ni dinga mihriemin ei ngai laiin, mihriem ruok chu thi thei lo thlarau nei, taksa a thi hnung khoma kumkhuoa la um a, hadam tak le inhoi taka thi thei lona khawvel la hluo dingin ei ngairuot tlat a nih. Chu chu a tak ngeia hmu tah le tonhriet vuoi tah Paula hai ang khah hril ding an la um naw a ni khomin, sakhuo tinin a tawpa a zuituhai chan dinga beiseina pholeng an tarpek chu hringnun khawvelin a pek thei lo, chatuona hlim tawp lona ram hluo a nih. Chatuon zuk ngaituo ringot el chu, lungrila sietu a um si naw chun, thil awm lo tak chu a nih. Ei tronga a hming khom hi tu lo phuok hrim hrim am a ni ding maw?

Chu ram chu ei pi le puhai chun pielral an lo ti a, chu chu Isu’n ‘paradis’ a ti (Lk 23:43), Tirko Paulan a ti bok (2 Kor 12:3) le Hmangai Johanin ‘Pathien paradis’ (Thup.2:7) a ti kher leh ei hung hmet bel ve tah pei a nih. ‘Paradis’ hi Persian (Iranian) trong hluia inthoka trong dang dangin ei lak sawng pei a nih. Eini rawi khom thlang tla pei a, ei pi leh puhaiin Mizoram an lut tawm, Trieu vadung ral sak tienga um Rih (Hri) Dil an hung tlung chun, chu Dil chu mithi po poin Mithi Khuo (Raupui Khuo) le Pielral an lutna kotsuo ni dinga an suongtuo leiin a lampuiah Hringlangtlang, Lunglotui le Hoinawpar tihai hi an hung indin a, ei hla le tienami-ah a luong lut a, ei lungrilah hmun a khuor a, chu tukvera inthok chun pielral (paradis) ding awm khom ei mitthla tah vong a nih. Chu pielral chu insêl inhal le inkhîkkhal um nawna ni dingin an ring a. Inhmangai ngawi ngawi, innei rem thei si lo nunghak le tlangvalhai khomin,

A’n khal bona thangvan zawlah,

Si-ar lai sîng in la bawl rei aw

tiin, hringnun khèla bèk inkop a, in le lo indin beiseiin dam lai ni hi an intawi hlak a nih. An thu leh hla mi maksanpeka inthoka ei sui chun, Chanchin Thra an hriet hma daih khan ei pi leh puhai lungrila khom Pathienin chatuon chu a lo sie ve chieng khop el.

Hringnun khèl ram ei beisei san

Mihriem le rannung hai hi ei piengphung hrimah châkna neia siem ei nih. Gautama Buddha lem chun mihriem hringna le thlarau kei virtu le khaltu chu châkna a ni a, châkna hnè fai chu chatuona zalenna le thawvengna, nirvana tlungna niin a ngai a, chu chu a sakhuo indin thuring bulpui a nih. Ei thil chàk sukrètu thil a um ngei hlak. Dangchâr sukrètu chu tui, phingtràm sukrètu chu bu, mihriem châkna sukrètu chu nuhmei-pasalna hmang a nih. Chuong ang chun thil chak zawng phuhrûktu thil a um pei. Amiruokchu, mihriem sunga hin phuhrûk thei lo thil a um tlat. Ei thil beisei tak ei hmu a, iemani chen chu ei lawm a, sienkhom a nêka hlimna lem ei beisei zui pei a, tawpintai a nei nawh. Thi ding seng ei nih ti ei hriet. Thi pha bo top el dingin inngai inla chu lungkham ding ieng khom nei loin ei inzo el ding a ni bah. Sienkhom, thi hnunga hmabak sunzom ding neiin ei inngai tlat. Mihriem a chin a lienin ei beisei tak chu inhoi tawpkhawka thi thei lona nun hluo a nih. Hi khawvel hin chu chu a pêk thei naw leiin thi hnung, thlàn khêl rama chu nun chu chatuona hluo nuomna le chu chu hluo thei dinga inringna le beiseina chu mihriemah a um tlat a nih. Chu chu mihriema ei hung pieng san khom a ni el thei. Thina khêl tieng ram ngaituona tak chuh ‘lungrila chatuon sie’ umzie ni dinga ka ring ve dan chu a nih. Lungrilah chatuon sie loin, chatuona ding invoina mihriemin nei dêr loin ei ning ningin ramsa angin khawsa seng inla chuh, hnuoi hi umna tlak ni naw nih. (November 4, 2010 Dellhi)

By L.Keivom, Inpui Columnist.

The old order changeth, yielding place to new,
And God fulfils Himself in many ways,
Lest one good custom should corrupt the world.

-Lord Alfred Tennyson’s La Morte D’Arthur

Like piengtharna (born-again), tlawmngaina is a word most spoken as the guiding principle of our social life and behavior. An adult amongst us who does not know or practise at least some semblance of tlawmngaina is considered a pariah from some unknown dark planet. But while ‘piengtharna’, whether the fake, the acting, the-not-so fake, the real, the real-real-real is to a large extent definable, tlawmngaina, like light, is not easy to define. The absence of light to a great extent explains the character of light which is the opposite of darkness. But that hardly explains what light is and its different characteristics. Tlawmngaina also has many hues and shades. Being timeless, it manifests itself in different forms at different times but its essence, which is universal like truth, remains the same. Light remains light whatever color it takes. So is tlawmngaina.

In simple language, tlawmngaina is a social code of conduct which postulates every young and old to show voluntarily good and beneficial deeds in their dealings with individuals and the society without expecting anything in return. It is a selfless service towards others which every individual is expected to render in action in day to day living. It is not a religious concept as being tlawmngai is of no consequence in religious matter. It is not an enabling factor or a ticket for entry into ‘pielral’ (paradise). In fact, unlike Christianity, religion and morality has little or no relation in traditional beliefs. This is another topic worth studying in order to understand the subtle distinction between culture and religion in our traditional beliefs and in our new-found religion where there is a tendency to confuse traditional tlawmngaina with the Christian concept of hmangaina (agape).

Action-oriented concept

Our forefathers did not leave us behind the definition of tlawmngaina in words. As demanded by their respective given social context, they demonstrated what they considered as tlawmngaina in action, of which we have endless accounts. Tlawmngaina, like faith (piengtharna), is meaningless unless accompanied by action. A piengthar is to show his or her piengtharna by action. Otherwise, the claim of being born anew from heaven is rendered a sham. Who is the judge then? In piengtharna, it is assumed that God and not man is the judge. In tlawmngaina, it is the public recognition of a social deed manifested in a recognizable action. Therefore, there is a big room for pretension in the former and less room in the latter.

Jesus Christ likened piengtharna to a restless wind which one can feel, hear and notice its movement wherever and whenever it blows. Faith without work is dead, says his disciple James (2:17). He quoted Abraham’s life to prove his point, saying “faith was active along with his works and faith was completed by his works” (2:22). True tlawmngaina and piengtharna are both action-oriented. Sadly, we have many self-proclaimed piengthars stuffed with self-serving emotional winds but devoid of any recognizable and demonstrable act of selfless piety. It is a sad case of outward allegiance and inner betrayal, a life of pretension and self-deception. Does tlawmngaina also increasingly take the color of our twisted piengtharna? This very question, often asked, has become a worrisome question since long and it provokes a diametrically mixed answers.

A magic key to survival

Why did our ancestors attach tlawmngaina a predominant place in our society? How did the concept of tlawmngaina evolve? I believe tlawmngaina once held a magic key to our very survival. Our ancestors lived in hostile jungle infested with dangerous animals, poisonous snakes, blood-sucking insects and deadly disease of all kinds. Tribal wars and raids were also not unknown. They moved from one hill to another in small batches in search of food and shelter, changing their settlement every three years on an average. No one could survive alone in such hostile Hobbesian state of nature where “life is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short” (Leviathan ch.XIII). In order for the community to survive, they had no alternative but to support and help each other in every possible way. The idea of selfless service without expecting a return was perhaps born out of this precarious existence. Popular adages like “Dam leh tlang khatah, thi leh ruom khatah” (Live together, die together) and “Sem sem, dam dam, ei bil, thi thi” (If shared together, we survive, if shared alone, we perish) came out of this jungle furnace. We are perhaps surviving this far thanks to tlawmngaina spirit.

Tlawmngaina & Zawlbuk

Tlawmngaina has been associated with the institution of Zawlbuk (Bachelors’ Dormitory or Quarters) and some writers even claimed that zawlbuk was the cradle of tlawmngaina. This assertion is partly true and partly false. The first zawlbuk we knew came up at Selesih (c. 1740-50) where seven or eight Sailo chiefs jointly established a confederated city-state with 7000 households. The driving force that united them was survival from the impending onslaught of Pawi (Lai) warlords from the east. Each of the confederated village had a Bachelors’ Quarter (zawlbuk) where all the young men slept so that they could be quickly mustered in case of emergency or enemy’s raids. Zawlbuk gradually became a place where the young boys learnt the art of warfare and cultivated the virtues of tlawmngaina. In this way, zawlbuk played a big role in nurturing and inculcating the spirit of tlawmngaina in the mind of the young people.

However, it is not true to claim that zawlbuk was the cradle of tlawmngaina. History tells us that except in villages ruled by the Lusei chiefs and the thirteen villages in and around North Vanlaiphai ruled by the Fanai (Pawi) chiefs, no village of the Zo descent (Zo hnathlak) in and around Mizoram had zawlbuk. But tlawmngaina had been all through a guiding spirit in more than 60 per cent of our world (Zoram khawvel) where there was no zawlbuk at all. For example, except those living under Lusei chiefs, no Hmar descent, also known as Old Kukis, ever had zawlbuk. But they know what tlawmngaina is and practise it to the hilt in their day to day living. Therefore, to claim that zawlbuk and tlawmngaina are two sides of the coin is a misplaced logic applicable only to those in Mizoram who once lived under the rule of the Lusei and Fanai chiefs.

Tlawmngaina needs reinterpretation

Is tlawmngaina still relevant in the complexities of modern living? Has it been transported to the land of utopia? Has the increasing emphasis on individualism, liberalization, competition and globalization pushed tlawmngaina out of our world? Has wasteful and unproductive investment of time on tlawmngaina in the traditional sense been a stumbling block to progress in this age of competition?

These are few, out of many questions, we need to ask ourselves and find out the answers. Our world is no longer a blissful egalitarian village society (a pawng bik a phai bik um lo khawvel, behna tom intrawm diel dielna ram) where we share virtually everything together except perhaps our wives and children. Even now, our villages are still there but our blissful world of sharing whatever we have no longer exists. ‘Sem sem, dam dam, ei bil thi thi’ is now working in a reverse order. We have entered into a selfish world known as dog-eat-dog-society. We like to share with our neighbours if it is going to bring in profit. We gladly lend money if it brings atleast 3-5 per cent compound interest per month. We do not bother if our profit-making activities cause complete ruin to even our close relatives. A dog enjoys eating the flesh of another dog; it does not matter whether the meat is its own puppy’s or some other dog. To a thoughtless and selfish dog, meat is just meat.

Our politics are no longer for good governance. They have become dirty instruments for capturing power and position to grab as much wealth as possible while in power. Obedience, loyalty, honesty and even virginity is up for grabs for the highest bidder. Election politics is a death-trap for tlawmngaina. So too is church politics where one group enjoys to gobble up another group without shedding even their crocodile tears. Almost every wolfish church member in sheep’s clothing, while chanting hallelujah with a melodious but sinister voice, has set his or her eyes on the dangling baits (for example, child support, employment and all kinds of favors) the church leaders have mischievously placed before their prospective victims in the name of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

My departed friend Lalthanzau Pudaite, in his essay ‘A Mizo Philosophical Heritage: Tlawmngaihna or Selflessness Then and Now’ aptly commented the situation I have briefly described above and I can’t agree more. I quote: “Before the advent of Christianity, social life and social interaction were essentially transparent. In every Vêng or community of a part of the village, everyone knew who was upright or untrustworthy. There was no way a liar or a dishonest person could pass himself off as anything other than how he was known by the community. If, however, some one claims that he is a born-again Christian and is actively involved in Church work now-a-days, and if he is also approved by the Church leaders as such, he has to be regarded as a devout. While there is no doubt that many of such persons are genuine believers and truly devout, the fact remains that there is now scope for “pretenders” involving a mechanism of “approval” under the authority of the Church. We need not attempt to count the number of such “pretenders” today. And this is one aspect of our modern day culture which has a harmful effect on the practice of the concept of tlawmngaihna. N. E. Parry bluntly stated as early as in 1932, : No one can pretend that it is a good thing that tlawmngaihna, while still practiced by heathen Lusheis, should be conspicuous by its absence among Christian Lushei communities; the reverse should be the case.” (N. E. Parry, The Lakhers, 1932, pp.23.)

Is tlawmngaina still relevant to-day? This quest is the subject of my interest and the reason why I write this piece. Despite challenges from globalization, modernism, liberalism, individualism, gun and drug culture, corruption of all hues and shapes and the rapid changes that have taken place in recent years, the importance of tlawmngaina has not dwindled. In fact, it has become all the more important for the survival of our community from the invasion of external and internal forces and its effects on the society. What is important is the need to reinterpret tlawmngaina to make it relevant to the demands of the present age.

This will not be an easy exercise as civilizational gap in our society is as wide as from hoe (thuthlaw) culture to laptop culture. Many of the activities the former regarded as tlawmngaina have become redundant in the world of the latter. For example, wakes at the bereaved family’s house may still be relevant in the villages but not in the city or town where dead bodies are kept at the morgue and are taken out only at the time of burial. In the city, community gathering and singing all night long at the bereaved family’s house is not only a wasteful tlawmngaina but a nuisance to the neighbors. It robs off the precious study time of young people and reduces their chance of success in the competitive world which favors only the brave and hard-working hands. Closing business or office every time someone dies may sound good from traditional tlawmngaina point of view but is suicidal from business or career angle. A runner who stops running from time to time cannot keep pace with another runner who keeps on running. Success is a journey and failure starts right from the moment one stops journeying ahead.

One of the big villages within Churachandpur municipality is Rengkai which on an average experiences one death every two days and within Tuithraphai valley, more than one every day. Since attending a funeral is considered tlawmngaina, every one who heard the news will make it sure to attend the funeral. As such, hordes of people, particularly from the older generation are seen every day heading towards the house of the bereaved as vultures gather in hordes where there is carcass. Since our tlawmngaina is now mostly invested in relation to sickness or death in the family, it is high time that we review our unproductive practice and devise a solution.

In this age of hectic and merciless competition, we cannot afford to indulge in wasteful tlawmngaina if we have to compete others and win. The spirit of tlawmngaina should be applied rigorously to competition. Our youths should consider failure as a shameful defeat (tlawm thlak) and accept any challenge bravely and squarely in the winning spirit of tlawmngaina. Our generation took up this challenge in the true spirit of tlawmngaina and won many laurels with Pu Jamchong Nampui, the first IAS from Scheduled Tribes in India leading the way and cutting the Gordian knot.

Follow our footsteps. Knock down the barriers that hinder us from progress in the true spirit of tlawmngaina. No community or nation can survive without competitive spirit. And competitive spirit for a good cause is the essence of tlawmngaina and the secret gospel for survival. There is no other survival kit. Action-less and vain prayers with folded hands will not help.

(ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Pu Keivom is a retired Indian foreign diplomat and well known writer. This article is dated October 29, 2010 Delhi)