By H. Kham Khan Suan
Khuado is the biggest and one of the most popular cultural festivals of the Zo people who are scattered across India, Bangladesh and Myanmar. The celebration of this important Zo festival is considered to have begun as early as 1400 A.D. Derived from the Tedim dialect—khua meaning local and do meaning battle—Khuado is also being celebrated as Kut and Chavang Kut respectively in Manipur and Mizoram. It is also celebrated as an occasion to commemorate the arrival of the harvest and, in the meantime, marks the beginning of a new year.
Khuado signifies vanquish over the evil spirit. Usually held for two to three days at the house of the local priest or chief in the month of September/October depending on the arrival of harvest, it is consummated by the killing of two or three cattles (preferably pigs) with a generous distribution of zu (traditional wine). Old and youth, lad and lass would then join arm-in-arm and form a circular band to perform a traditional dance locally called lamvui kaihna. This is usually interspersed by a spectacular solo performance at its centre by a veteran with a brandish of the sword.
The event has symbolic significance for the Zo people in more ways than one. It is a time to showcase their solidarity and unity. Usually it was an occasion to witness the whole community fully armed in battle-gear with, inter alia, spears, hoes and brooms and brandishing of torches (made of pine). They would, in unison, march throughout the length and breadth of the locality with loud noises and war cries asking the local evil spirit to go away from their immediate lifeworld. At one end of the locality, the whole community would implant their torches to demarcate, as it were, the boundary last deserted by the evil spirits. The whole community army would then march back into their chief’s backyard and begin their celebration. It was also a time of sharing and giving thanks, an occasion to pay their homage and respect to the deceased by a visitation to the grave. In other words, a time to reconnect with their past and collectively face the future.
Now, this tradition is kept alive year after year as the Zo people gather to commemorate Khuado as an occasion to give thanks and glory to the Almighty God who has given them a good harvest and a new year. It is an event of immense cultural significance which bespeaks of the unique heritage, culture and identity of the Zo people.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Saturday, December 6, 2008
ZWC USA 2008: A kipatna, a laizang, a tawpna
USA leh Canada gambup in kumsim a neih uh "Lungdam Ni" (Thanksgiving Day) tawh kituak in Zogam thak USA a tung Zomi khempeuh in zong Florida Zomi Innkuan (FZI) makaihna in kimuhkhopna leh kikholhkhopna ciin Tukpeng Suih Kidemna khat bawl in mun tuamtuam pan tukpeng suihsiamte leh a thapia dingte paikhawm in Fort Lauderdale Tualpi ah kidem ziahziah den uh hi. Tua kikholhkhawmna a min dingin ZOMI WORLD CUP USA ci siam se uh a; a kum ciamtehna in a tawpna ah a kimawl kum koihzel lel uh hi. Tu kum 2008 ahih manin ZOMI WORLD CUP USA 2008 kici hi.
Lungdam Ni (Thanksgiving Day) pen anlak khit sim-a a neih uh ahih manin Zogam ah Zomi Khuado Pawi tawh kibang linlian hi. Tua ahih manin Zogam Thak Khuado Pawi ci leng kikhial lua ding hiam, ka ci hi. [Thanksgiving Day is a harvest festival. Traditionally, it is a time to give thanks for the harvest and express gratitude in general. It is a holiday celebrated primarily in Canada and the United States. While perhaps religious in origin, Thanksgiving is now primarily identified as a secular holiday.]
I thulu ah, a kipatna ka cih ciangin ZOMI WORLD CUP USA kipatna hilo in, ZOMI WORLD CUP USA 2008 hun sung ka genna hizaw hi. ZOMI WORLD CUP USA hong kipatna thu pen Florida Zomi Innkuan website ah kicing takin kigelh khinzo hi (www.zomiflorida.org). Tu kum ka kihelkhakna pan ka phawk pawlkhat hong kum nuam ing. A kizom in gensiam khollo ding ka hih manin hong 'zawng sing mat' suk ding hi ing.
1. Florida lam zuan in Zomite kidelh suk ziahziah: Florida Zomi Innkuan makaite gelsiamna hang leh, tu kum tukpeng suih kidemna a sai dingin Kimawlna Makaipi Pa En Lian Pau in a hun hun in kimawlna ding thu, kimawl dan ding, bangzah vei kimawl ding cih bang a tuamtuam internet pan, telephone pan a kisaipihte khempeuh kiangah hong zasak in, hong hawmkhia a, November 27-28, 2008 tun ding mi khempeuh in kingaklah in mittang kia dekdek liangin kigal et hi. Kilawp in, kilunggulh a, kipai ut ciat hi.
A hun hong tung ding hita, November kha bul pan tua leh tua kisui masa ding, tua leh tua kisui nunung ding cihte hong hawmkhia a, Zomi khempeuh kilawp in, a utlo omnawn lo, a kihelnuamlo omlo; monu in mopipa pi hun ding bek ngaka a om bangin kei zong kiging khikhe sa in ka om hi.
Atlanta, GA pan Zomi Innkuan Tukpeng suihsiamte moto 2 tawh hong kipan khiata uh hi..... cih thu a kizak ciang bangin ...e'heu, amau tung masa ding aive maw, tualpi na sik masa ding uh ahi ve maw... ciin kingaihsun a, kidelh hen la kimakhelh leh ki ut phial hi. Leilum lawm lian lah lawp lua liang leuleu liing li-lit..... a cih L-pau kitung himawk lo maw kici phial hi. Ei zong i taw holh bangin kitu mawkmawk thei nawnlo a, dinkhiat hun ding bekbek kingaihsun hi. I khuttunga hun ciamtehna nai (wrist watch) bekbek ki-enen a.... Chicago pan Zomi Innkuan suihsiamte Tennessee hong tung sukta uh hi..... Columbus, Ohio te Atlanta hong khum khinta..... Tulsa Zomi Innkuan suihsiamte Florida khung hong khengsuk lian uh ei.... Zovontawi suihsiamte zong Jacksonville hong khengta veh aw..... cih bangin thu kiza naunau a, "all road leads to Rome" a kicih bangin "all road leads to Zomi World Cup USA 2008" himai hi. Jacksonville suihsiamte, Central Florida suihsiamte, Palm Beach suihsiamte leh Miami suihsiamte zong Tualpi omna lam naih in kikhinkhinta uh ....aw! nuam tei ei, moto hoih nono, puansilh hoih nono tawh... "Tunkim Ni hiam?" a kicih khak leh zong a himah hi....
November 26, 2008 nitak khua mial ding hita, Ni zung kisung ziziai, mun tuamtuam pan kimawl ding team 12 te a mun hong tungkimta a, khuavak kik ding bek kingakkikta... zingciang nisuak ding na mukhol thei hiam?
2. Makai leh Thukhente Kimuhkhopna (Captains and Officials meeting): Tunkim nitak Days Inn Hotel ah team 12 pan makai 2 ciat leh kimawl hun sung thukhen ding, endik dingte nai 9 in tukhawm a, zingciang, thai ciang hunzat ding dan leh a kisamte pulakna nei uh hi. Zomi World Cup hi mawk ahih manin vaihawmna khempeuh hoih a, mite lah smart in siangtho sitset a, thupi mahmah hi. Hih ciang i tun ding i nu i pa in a na gal etet uh hi a, ei khangno te in a takin a mu, a zang hi mawk hang ei.... lungdam ding hi.
Tawm behlap le'ng: Kimawlna makaipipa hong genna ah nitak nai 9 in meeting kipan ding ci hi. Zovontawi Captain te zong hun lap in pai uh a, kei zong ka zui hi. A tung masa pen ka hi uh hi. Kuamah dang na tung nailo a, kimawlna makaipipa bek na tu lianluan a, coat suit hoihtak silh in na om a, "Zomi khut kilen ni" ciin hong khutlet khit ciangin tui siangtho dawnna mun hong hilh in, midang hong tung dingte ngak in Days Inn meeting room, air conditioned nuam mahmah sung thu tuamtuam ka holim uh hi. Nai 9:30 hong satta a, ahih hang' Captain te hong tung kim nailo hi....!! "Mai kum ciang hih bang om nawnlo ding... " ciin kimawlna makaipipa in hong gen ciangin ka husan uh hong nuamtuam tawh kibang hi.
Nai 2 sung meeting ding ah nai khat val deuh bek hun kineita ahih manin nawhsa in kihihto samsam a, hun apna, maitang lahna leh Zinmang Rev. Dr. Tung Za Pau pan hansuahna thugen kingai hi. Ama'n agenna ah, "Hih banga Zomi, US gamsung khua tuamtuam pan paikhawm a, kituah khawm a, hun hoih, hun nuam zangkhawma fellowship nei a kimawlna siangtho tawh hun zang thei ding ihih manin lungdam hang. Hih pen Topa thupha hi. Hih bang a pian theihna dingin Gospel khuavak i Zogam ah hong kipuak hi...." ci a... Sen paunak ah "tui na dawn ciangin a kipatna a nak phawk tawntung in" a cih pen hong phawksak a, Zomite hih ciang hong laamsang PASIAN bekmah hi takpi ka ci uh hi. Siapa tungah lungdam.
"Tu kum Zomi World Cup hong siim lak pan kua hong paina gamla pen ding hiam?" ciin kimawlna makaipipa in mipi a dot ciangin mipi lak pan, 'India pan hong pai Dr. Hau Za Cin lampi mah sau pen inteh' ci a, amah zong vaitun thugenna (greetings) hun kipia hi. "USA ah Zomite tukpeng suihna om cih tuma kum 3 lai pek panin ka galzak a, ka zak masak ni pan kihel ding ka lunggulh den hi. A kum hong tung zel, kihel baanlo zel. Tua bangin kum 3 bang hong kivei man hi. Ahi zongin tu kum taktak ciang Pasian pha in hong awi hi ding hiven note tawh hun nuam zangkhawm dingin hong tungsak a, ka lungdam hi. Hun nuamtak zang ni. Na vekpi un Zomi World Cup USA 2008 zat nuam."
Khua tuamtuam pan team Captain te maitang lahna a banban in om a, tua tawh kizui in amau suihsiamte min laidal tawh kimawlna makaipipa tungah ap ziahziah uh hi. Captain te kizen thei mahmah uh a, suihsiamte min a pialo omlo hi in ka thei hi. Mai kum ding zong hong ngaklahsak khol hi.
[Captain te hong uap Zolia melhoih nono zong om a, kimawlna makaipipa in dingsaklo, a min uh zong gen lo, maitang lahna ah hello ahih manin tangvalte lungkim theilo a.... 'Zoliate mel kimu nuam hi...' ci-a a nget uh ciangin Atlanta pan hong pai Zolia melhoihte hong dingto uh a, a min uh a kigen khit ciang bel.... khual gamla, tai tul valval pan hong pai suihsiamte zong a tawl uh dam hiaihiai hi ciin kiciateh hi.... a aw uh kizaza ta deuhta hiven..... Lasiam San Lun leh T.L. Mungbawi, Cicing te bel hun kipia man nawnlo hi... no time...]
FZI Makaipipa Pa Hangpi (Pa Thang Do Hang Hatzaw) in a vaidawnna thugen zawh, a seppihte mel leh maitang kilahna a neih khit ciangin Kimawlna Makaipipa in zingciang kimawlna ding tawh kisai khempeuh Zuih ding, Theih ding, Thukham, etc teng hong simkhia a, telloh a om leh ciin dotna hun khat bawl a, Captain te in a theihnop thute uh dong uh hi. Siangtho tak, smart takin hih nitak tutkhawmna (meeting) kizo a, zingciang nai 8 a kipan dingin Zomi khempeuh kilawp mahmah hi. A suihsiamte zah mahin a thapia dingte zong lawp semsem hi.
FZI makaite leh kimawlna endik ding thukhen (officials) teng nunung uh a, vaidawnna lai at (banner):
"Welcome to
Zomi World Cup USA 2008
November 27-28, 2008
Zomi Delegate Meeting"
zong suanglaipi tung pan kisumitta ahih manin, ko a mipi leh Captain teng eima team ciat thu kikupte theisak ding leh hun zat dan ding teng hilh dingin inn lam ka zuan ciatta uh hi.
Mangpha, zing ciang kimu kik ni.....
"Welcome to Zomi World Cup USA 2008"
[Bawlphatna: Ka lai at masa ah suihsiam Tg. Tawng Khai pen Miami Veng Captain suaksak mawk ka hih manin Palm Beach Vengte in, 'ka Captain pa uh mi dang pia teh' hong ci uh a; eih, ciin ka ngaihsut kik leh hih-khial mah kihi a, amah pen Palm Beach Veng hizaw mah hi. Amau kisuih pen Semi-Final 2 hi a Palm Beach v. Chicago hizaw mah hi. Hih khelhna hong maisak un.]
(zop lai ding)
Hau Za Cin
Phuitong Liim
Lungdam Ni (Thanksgiving Day) pen anlak khit sim-a a neih uh ahih manin Zogam ah Zomi Khuado Pawi tawh kibang linlian hi. Tua ahih manin Zogam Thak Khuado Pawi ci leng kikhial lua ding hiam, ka ci hi. [Thanksgiving Day is a harvest festival. Traditionally, it is a time to give thanks for the harvest and express gratitude in general. It is a holiday celebrated primarily in Canada and the United States. While perhaps religious in origin, Thanksgiving is now primarily identified as a secular holiday.]
I thulu ah, a kipatna ka cih ciangin ZOMI WORLD CUP USA kipatna hilo in, ZOMI WORLD CUP USA 2008 hun sung ka genna hizaw hi. ZOMI WORLD CUP USA hong kipatna thu pen Florida Zomi Innkuan website ah kicing takin kigelh khinzo hi (www.zomiflorida.org). Tu kum ka kihelkhakna pan ka phawk pawlkhat hong kum nuam ing. A kizom in gensiam khollo ding ka hih manin hong 'zawng sing mat' suk ding hi ing.
1. Florida lam zuan in Zomite kidelh suk ziahziah: Florida Zomi Innkuan makaite gelsiamna hang leh, tu kum tukpeng suih kidemna a sai dingin Kimawlna Makaipi Pa En Lian Pau in a hun hun in kimawlna ding thu, kimawl dan ding, bangzah vei kimawl ding cih bang a tuamtuam internet pan, telephone pan a kisaipihte khempeuh kiangah hong zasak in, hong hawmkhia a, November 27-28, 2008 tun ding mi khempeuh in kingaklah in mittang kia dekdek liangin kigal et hi. Kilawp in, kilunggulh a, kipai ut ciat hi.
A hun hong tung ding hita, November kha bul pan tua leh tua kisui masa ding, tua leh tua kisui nunung ding cihte hong hawmkhia a, Zomi khempeuh kilawp in, a utlo omnawn lo, a kihelnuamlo omlo; monu in mopipa pi hun ding bek ngaka a om bangin kei zong kiging khikhe sa in ka om hi.
Atlanta, GA pan Zomi Innkuan Tukpeng suihsiamte moto 2 tawh hong kipan khiata uh hi..... cih thu a kizak ciang bangin ...e'heu, amau tung masa ding aive maw, tualpi na sik masa ding uh ahi ve maw... ciin kingaihsun a, kidelh hen la kimakhelh leh ki ut phial hi. Leilum lawm lian lah lawp lua liang leuleu liing li-lit..... a cih L-pau kitung himawk lo maw kici phial hi. Ei zong i taw holh bangin kitu mawkmawk thei nawnlo a, dinkhiat hun ding bekbek kingaihsun hi. I khuttunga hun ciamtehna nai (wrist watch) bekbek ki-enen a.... Chicago pan Zomi Innkuan suihsiamte Tennessee hong tung sukta uh hi..... Columbus, Ohio te Atlanta hong khum khinta..... Tulsa Zomi Innkuan suihsiamte Florida khung hong khengsuk lian uh ei.... Zovontawi suihsiamte zong Jacksonville hong khengta veh aw..... cih bangin thu kiza naunau a, "all road leads to Rome" a kicih bangin "all road leads to Zomi World Cup USA 2008" himai hi. Jacksonville suihsiamte, Central Florida suihsiamte, Palm Beach suihsiamte leh Miami suihsiamte zong Tualpi omna lam naih in kikhinkhinta uh ....aw! nuam tei ei, moto hoih nono, puansilh hoih nono tawh... "Tunkim Ni hiam?" a kicih khak leh zong a himah hi....
November 26, 2008 nitak khua mial ding hita, Ni zung kisung ziziai, mun tuamtuam pan kimawl ding team 12 te a mun hong tungkimta a, khuavak kik ding bek kingakkikta... zingciang nisuak ding na mukhol thei hiam?
2. Makai leh Thukhente Kimuhkhopna (Captains and Officials meeting): Tunkim nitak Days Inn Hotel ah team 12 pan makai 2 ciat leh kimawl hun sung thukhen ding, endik dingte nai 9 in tukhawm a, zingciang, thai ciang hunzat ding dan leh a kisamte pulakna nei uh hi. Zomi World Cup hi mawk ahih manin vaihawmna khempeuh hoih a, mite lah smart in siangtho sitset a, thupi mahmah hi. Hih ciang i tun ding i nu i pa in a na gal etet uh hi a, ei khangno te in a takin a mu, a zang hi mawk hang ei.... lungdam ding hi.
Tawm behlap le'ng: Kimawlna makaipipa hong genna ah nitak nai 9 in meeting kipan ding ci hi. Zovontawi Captain te zong hun lap in pai uh a, kei zong ka zui hi. A tung masa pen ka hi uh hi. Kuamah dang na tung nailo a, kimawlna makaipipa bek na tu lianluan a, coat suit hoihtak silh in na om a, "Zomi khut kilen ni" ciin hong khutlet khit ciangin tui siangtho dawnna mun hong hilh in, midang hong tung dingte ngak in Days Inn meeting room, air conditioned nuam mahmah sung thu tuamtuam ka holim uh hi. Nai 9:30 hong satta a, ahih hang' Captain te hong tung kim nailo hi....!! "Mai kum ciang hih bang om nawnlo ding... " ciin kimawlna makaipipa in hong gen ciangin ka husan uh hong nuamtuam tawh kibang hi.
Nai 2 sung meeting ding ah nai khat val deuh bek hun kineita ahih manin nawhsa in kihihto samsam a, hun apna, maitang lahna leh Zinmang Rev. Dr. Tung Za Pau pan hansuahna thugen kingai hi. Ama'n agenna ah, "Hih banga Zomi, US gamsung khua tuamtuam pan paikhawm a, kituah khawm a, hun hoih, hun nuam zangkhawma fellowship nei a kimawlna siangtho tawh hun zang thei ding ihih manin lungdam hang. Hih pen Topa thupha hi. Hih bang a pian theihna dingin Gospel khuavak i Zogam ah hong kipuak hi...." ci a... Sen paunak ah "tui na dawn ciangin a kipatna a nak phawk tawntung in" a cih pen hong phawksak a, Zomite hih ciang hong laamsang PASIAN bekmah hi takpi ka ci uh hi. Siapa tungah lungdam.
"Tu kum Zomi World Cup hong siim lak pan kua hong paina gamla pen ding hiam?" ciin kimawlna makaipipa in mipi a dot ciangin mipi lak pan, 'India pan hong pai Dr. Hau Za Cin lampi mah sau pen inteh' ci a, amah zong vaitun thugenna (greetings) hun kipia hi. "USA ah Zomite tukpeng suihna om cih tuma kum 3 lai pek panin ka galzak a, ka zak masak ni pan kihel ding ka lunggulh den hi. A kum hong tung zel, kihel baanlo zel. Tua bangin kum 3 bang hong kivei man hi. Ahi zongin tu kum taktak ciang Pasian pha in hong awi hi ding hiven note tawh hun nuam zangkhawm dingin hong tungsak a, ka lungdam hi. Hun nuamtak zang ni. Na vekpi un Zomi World Cup USA 2008 zat nuam."
Khua tuamtuam pan team Captain te maitang lahna a banban in om a, tua tawh kizui in amau suihsiamte min laidal tawh kimawlna makaipipa tungah ap ziahziah uh hi. Captain te kizen thei mahmah uh a, suihsiamte min a pialo omlo hi in ka thei hi. Mai kum ding zong hong ngaklahsak khol hi.
[Captain te hong uap Zolia melhoih nono zong om a, kimawlna makaipipa in dingsaklo, a min uh zong gen lo, maitang lahna ah hello ahih manin tangvalte lungkim theilo a.... 'Zoliate mel kimu nuam hi...' ci-a a nget uh ciangin Atlanta pan hong pai Zolia melhoihte hong dingto uh a, a min uh a kigen khit ciang bel.... khual gamla, tai tul valval pan hong pai suihsiamte zong a tawl uh dam hiaihiai hi ciin kiciateh hi.... a aw uh kizaza ta deuhta hiven..... Lasiam San Lun leh T.L. Mungbawi, Cicing te bel hun kipia man nawnlo hi... no time...]
FZI Makaipipa Pa Hangpi (Pa Thang Do Hang Hatzaw) in a vaidawnna thugen zawh, a seppihte mel leh maitang kilahna a neih khit ciangin Kimawlna Makaipipa in zingciang kimawlna ding tawh kisai khempeuh Zuih ding, Theih ding, Thukham, etc teng hong simkhia a, telloh a om leh ciin dotna hun khat bawl a, Captain te in a theihnop thute uh dong uh hi. Siangtho tak, smart takin hih nitak tutkhawmna (meeting) kizo a, zingciang nai 8 a kipan dingin Zomi khempeuh kilawp mahmah hi. A suihsiamte zah mahin a thapia dingte zong lawp semsem hi.
FZI makaite leh kimawlna endik ding thukhen (officials) teng nunung uh a, vaidawnna lai at (banner):
"Welcome to
Zomi World Cup USA 2008
November 27-28, 2008
Zomi Delegate Meeting"
zong suanglaipi tung pan kisumitta ahih manin, ko a mipi leh Captain teng eima team ciat thu kikupte theisak ding leh hun zat dan ding teng hilh dingin inn lam ka zuan ciatta uh hi.
Mangpha, zing ciang kimu kik ni.....
"Welcome to Zomi World Cup USA 2008"
[Bawlphatna: Ka lai at masa ah suihsiam Tg. Tawng Khai pen Miami Veng Captain suaksak mawk ka hih manin Palm Beach Vengte in, 'ka Captain pa uh mi dang pia teh' hong ci uh a; eih, ciin ka ngaihsut kik leh hih-khial mah kihi a, amah pen Palm Beach Veng hizaw mah hi. Amau kisuih pen Semi-Final 2 hi a Palm Beach v. Chicago hizaw mah hi. Hih khelhna hong maisak un.]
(zop lai ding)
Hau Za Cin
Phuitong Liim
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
