Innkuan Limchiin leh Kholai Maipho (Family drama and public mask)

Dr. David Vumlallian Zou

Guatui kiah hun ahia, Delhi ah khua a niim hi. Van lai zawl ah monsoon meilumte kikhol khawm ua, Hindu guatui pasiante khompi bawl ma abang uhi. Tuaziah in, kholum a awl deu a, hinanleh ulsa kai in chi a man deldul hi. Khat vei vei electric meigui, gintat lou pi’a mit thei zel ahiman in, nitah anhuan a kipan pai hi. Mei ahing mit a kho-ul leh khosa akigawm leh, inn sung pen meidil nou khat suah hi. Tuni apat Machismo in belta neu a anhuan dan a tha zil ngai hi. Machismo pen Zoukam ahisih a, Spain mite ham a “macho” apat hing piang ahi. Tuaziah in a lawm-le-gual ten ama a nouhatna din, Macho achi zel uhi. Zoukam a Macho min tahtah pen min sau dendun pikhat ahi. Tuaziah in namdangte mai ah, Macho chi’n ama leh ama akipulah zel hi. Brazil ah zong Macho hiding ut mi tampi um, kichi sam hiven.

Macho in an ahuan zou sawt lou in electric mei ahing mit petma hi. A bu-le-me huan zong neh apha na diai kithei lou hi. Ama pen pasal tahtah – “ki-pa sah” – kichite pawl ahia, innsung nasem a kichiil ngai lou khat ahi. A pa zong a “ki-pa sah” mama khat ahia, apa dung sun zong chithei ahi. Khovel a asil zau pen khat ahileh, “Zi thu mang pa” akichi khah ding ahi laizang hi. Tuaziah in Macho in khovel a sil zousia numei na leh pasal na in a khen hi. Anhuan pen numei na ahisah a, office kai pen pasal na ahisah hi. Tuaziah in a office a Sapnu bang Macho ngaidan toh kituah khol lou hi. Hithei leh, tulai numei ten zong Arab gam a Muslim numeite dan in dial toh a lu uh atuam ding uh adeisah hi. Numei-te anhuanbu (kitchen) sung ah khum chimit siang din adei hi. Macho gendan hileh, “Tami Bible deidan hizuh a …” Hinanleh Manipur a azi oja income a enla zel a, asepna vang a dei vawt sih hi. Azi tha tang a sem ding, hausate toh kitheisiam in substitute ala hi. Zodawn naupang-te “siamna substitute” toh kitoudel dia lemguat asuah uhi.

Dahkal khat zou vel in mei ahing taang kia a, innsung a huibawm (fan) te zong hing kipei kia hi. Zan dah 9 vel ahia, koima’n lup ding don nai lou hi. Macho in zong chimthoina din TV a en hi. TV kinialna – “Talk Show” – khat asuah laitah ahi. Kol numei nal tah leh fel tah khat in Sapham leh Kolham kigawm (Hinglish) in, hichin thu ahing gen hi:

“Tunai 2002 Survey khat in tami a musuah hi. India a numei 45% in pasal khutlum, domestic violence thuah kha uhi. Pasal ten numei tung a thunei utna leh domestic violence kisiamtan na din paulap tampi anei uhi. Atangpi in a culture utoh kituah in, tribal tawndan, Bible, Koran leh Hindu laisiangthou chite vel a pansan uhi. Tami sil dih ahiai?”

Tami dotna toh kisai ngaidan tampi um hi. Papi leh nupi smart deu a kichei ni ten numei dinmun dopsangna (empowerment) apanpi uhi. Alangkhat ah Hindu leh Muslim kuulmut mel po deu mai, puantual san sil, khamul kai nelnul mi ni atou ua, numei-te pasal nuai ah kituhlut ding poimo dan nasatah in agen uhi. Macho in nidang in Hindu leh Muslim kuulmute a musit a, hinanleh tami TV show apat a “sakhomitna” uh angai sang zou hi. Tua khamul kai nelnumte gel en in, a lungsim ah, “Christian lou din pamai na uh chia …” achi hi. TV kinialna hing sousang deudeu in, Macho party-ten gen ding tasam deudeu ua, chimo kisa in Koran vel apat numei musitna Laisiangthou bung-le-chang a pholkhe zungzung uhi. A party ten guallel ding ahi chi zau in, Macho in a TV mit a, lungthah sim in lupna lam azuan hi. Ama ngen in lupna tung ah a kilomlia ta hi.

Tua laitah in a zi Chingnu leh atanu pen Rajdhani meileng tung ah tuang na lai ding uhi. Tuni sunkim vel in New Delhi railway station apat kipan ua, dahkal 36 sung vel in Gauhati atung ding uhi. A zi-le-ta te pei ding un kivaihahna bangma um lou hi. A tanu beh nuasia leh Macho ut hi. Hinanleh a tanu in anu azui nuam zaw hi. Apeisa ni thum vel a innsung uah buaina meipi zing den hi. Delhi vanlai zawl a, Hindu meilum pasian ten Macho te innsung kimawlna azat hileh a kilawm hi. Azi-le-tanu Delhi ahing tun apat a lungthana ding atam hi.

Macho in clerk a sepna kum sawt ta a, ningkum a promotion amu apat Delhi ah ki transfer hi. UDC apat Assistant Grade in a kaisang hi. A tanu Linda 15 August a piang ahia, khatvei ni’n kum 12 achinna pianni a lawm uhi. National Holiday khat toh zong kituah kha a, kizen sawnsawn hi. A birthday ni’n Chingnu in a tanu adin khedap mantam sim khat a guh in a leisah hi. Apa thei ding a zau ziah un, a lawmten Birthday Present a piah chi’n a lep uhi. Macho in a tanu a it a, atahtah in zong a duat nuam hi. Hinanleh pasal “ki-pa sah” ahiziah in, atanu pen numei umdan a a-um ding adei hi. Alungsim ah duat ut nanleh, Macho a tanu a hambawl a, “Numei, na hun in um in …” chi khu a kamsuah tangpi ahi. Tuaziah in a tanu adin bangma a leisah ngai sih hi. Adihtah in, Macho in ta numei sang in ta pasal adei zaw hi. Mihing deidan leh Pasian lemguat lah kibang gige lou hi. Azi in pen ta pasal sang in ta numei ma adei zaw hi. Ta pasal a nei lou ziah in, Macho pen khat veivei akilungleng sah phuat hi. Tam bang umdan a zi Chingnu in a shi zadah vawt thu khat ahi.

Naupang poimo silte leh innsung tahsapna zong Macho in athei vateh sih hi. Zong athei nuam sih hi. Chingnu zong Manipur a oja sepna nei ahiziah in, innsung van leina din sum a maidoh thei zel hi. Atahtah in, innsung van poimo tampi a zi in aguh lei ngen ahi. Hinanleh Macho lungthah ding venna in, tanaute leh lawm-le-gualte silpiah (gift) dan ngen a minvaw uhi. Atanu birthday ni’n, Chingnu in Computer second-hand hoitah khat a innveng-te kung ah instalment apiah din ana la hi. Tami zong birthday present dan a minvaw ahi. Sil tampi mihing in selmang thei a, hinanleh sil zousia hun teng in kisel thei lou hi. Macho in a tanu khedap pen mankhe lou hi. Hinanleh Computer “present” thu pen, birthday zingni a, a innvengte tate leidawn apat ahing pitkhia (leak) kha laizang hi.

Tuachin Macho te innsung ah zinbu leng hi. A zi-le-tanu gamtatdan angaisun leh a lungthah mama a, hilpil ding a tum tinten hi. Office kikhah zou in “overtime” bangtan ama tham in, nitah inn lam ahing zuan hi. Khosiat laitah ahia, Macho in hitang-buakhu avei hi. Anahkhua zong asan vawt hi. Nitah Delhi lampite ah gari dim in, traffic a pumbuai hi. Office apat ahing kipat in khua kinim in, kawlphe leh vangin a huaise deudeu hi. Satin khu nanleh, Macho a pumtang in a tetawp dildel hi. Zekai tah leh thumu kisa deu mai in, Macho inn ahing tung hi. Guanuai ah abuakhu vei ahuaise deudeu a, alutang a sa vawt hi. Tualaitah in, a tanu in a khedap tha bun in computer phung ah ana tou linlen hi. Tuami agalmu leh a lungthahna akuang hi. Innsung zong lutman lou phial in, Macho in, “Computer koi hing present e?” chi’n azi leh atanu ahing thusit ta hi.

“I innveng te hing present” chin a tanu’n adawng ngal hi.

“Gen tha kia di … Koi in e?” chi’n Macho in agum dot kia a, mitdim zen in a zi a en phei hi.

A tanu zusip-vasip abang hiau hi. A kellu phum uh kitheikia hidi’a gingmaw in, Chingnu’n kisuangla sim kawm in hichin a dawng hi.

“I innveng te’n kiman deu a instalment a lei dia ahing piah uh ahi”.

“Bang dia ei leh ei kisol ding” chi’n Macho ahing kitawh hang a, a zi umna ahing zuan hi.

“Na lungthah ding ka zau man ua …” chi’a a tanu’n ahing hamkhe kia hi.

“Eh, numei! Ham ngam nalai maw?” chi’n a tanu pheta a beng man ta hi.

Atanu ahing kap a, tuabep in a zi zong kisum zou non lou hi.

“Kholai ah lah vakhu bang in na nunneem a, inn sung ah humpi nelkai na bang in! Bang dia innsung a lungthah nang agam-alei a na hichi sui ahiai?” Chingnu’n achi hi.

“Nang ziah a ve! Nang ziah! Na leptat ziah akhu!” chi’n Macho in a dawng hi.

“Eh, kei um sih leng nang zong bang ma hituan sih va teh! Bang dia nang hichi musit ahiai? Bang dia theisiam lou!” chi’n Chingnu aw-sang deu in ahing ham hi.

“Nang bang numei thei ngai sing. Numei phiangsan, bang kisa leltah na hia? Ta pasal zong nei lou” chi’n Macho in azi a dugaw et hi.

Tami hiatnei deu a thu kigen pen azi in pawna petma a, shi ta zaw vang achi hi.

“Bangma hisih ma ing e! Ta pasal zong nei sih ma ing. Zing chiang mama in inn lam ah kile vang” chi’n Chingnu’n a pasal a galgih a, ahing kikou zah hi.

Macho zong tuabep in a hing kitawh hang zosem a, akitom ta hi: “Pei aw, tu mama in, na inn ah kipei in! Na lim na mel zong munuam sing!” achi’n a zi awm sawn leh bet athua a, inn mai kot lam ah asawn pawt hi.

“Pa, hunsah phot un” Linda in aw-liing kawm in achi a, a nu inn sung ah a kailut kia hi.

Inn pulam ah hui-le-gua gin kiza hi. Tualai tah in electric mei thakhat in ahing mit hi. Macho-te innkuan limchiin (drama) zong ahing tawp thei guih hi. Zan lup hun toh hing kituah tou pai a, hamlou phunlou in lupna tung a zuan chiat uhi. Zingkal in office kai din Macho kuan a, Chingnu-te nuta in taatkal meileng ticket toh Lamka lam ana zuan ta uhi. Macho in ahi chi athei thou hi. Alungsim ah tambang in a ngaisun hi, “Pasal, ka pa tapa, koimo kizawlzawl sih va, a kitung tal deudeu hi”.

* * * *

TV Talk Show a et zou in, agil kial lah bang va la bang in a um hi. A anhuan nehpha seng lou dan ahi. Tuachin Macho a ngen in ahing lum ta hi. Zingkal khuavah in a innsung thawm hau huai dan athei khia a, nidang sang a bai zaw sem in office atung hi. Alawmte’n Macho a zatat ua, etton tah asa ua, a promotion mu zong a pahtat mama uhi. Kholai ah mikukal leh minumnem a kithei ahi. Tuaziah in a zi kung ah, “Kholai mi’n hing zatat thou na ve aw, nang maimai hiteh ahing simmaw” achi mun mama hi. Innsung mualphou ding venna in, Chingnu in a pasal umdan-te leh “domestic violence” zousia chillum toh aval zel hi. Chingnu “silence” leh Macho “violence” in kum tampi kitheisiamna khat ana nei uhi. Hinanleh zanni’a innkuan drama pen nidang bang lou in, tangthu tawpna dan abang ta hi. Aban um nalai hileh zong, tu dinmun in pen abei ahi ta.

Ni-le-hate hing kivei zel in, Macho zong office kai zel in, inn ahing tung zel hi. A bu-le-me huante zong nethei deu ta hi. Azite pei zou kal ni ding vel in, Pasian ni khat biahinn ava kai hi. Kikhop tawp in, Numei Pawl-te Chairperson nu’n Macho a houpi a,

“Chingnu-te nuta bang chi kal a inn lam na pei uh ahia? Delhi a umum uh kisa a, Lamka lam na tung man hiau uh. Zanni a New Bazaar a siltung bang chidan ahiai?” achi ta hi.

“Bang thu la, New Bazaar a siltung ka thei lou” Macho in a chi hi.

“Kou zong internet apat ka thei kha laizang uhi. Zogam.net apat. Sepaih-te toh helte New Bazaar a kikaptuahna ah civil mi ni shi in, numei naupang khat liam …” Chairperson nu’n achi hi.

“Lamka lam news ngaina mawng ave le” chi’n Macho in adawng a, anui hi.

“Na tanu min bang atai? Linda atai … naupang liam pen ama min a bang sim a”.

“Ing! Linda, Linda ave le … Bangchi e?” chi’n Macho zong thakhat in amaisuah hing kidang a, a aw ahing kiling zou hial hi. Thakhat a kehkia abang mai hi. Macho lungsim van akhai abang hi. Gen ding athei sih hi. Tualaitah in, atanu khu a shi mo, ahing mo kithei lou hi.

“Bang chidan e, Chairperson-pi, thuchian zaw na thei ei?” patau tah in ahing dong kia hi.

“Bazaar kai mitam laitah a kikap tuah ahi ua, Chingnu-te nuta in asat laitah tuakha hiva ka chithu hi. Naupang liam pen internet news ah Linda kum 12 mi kichi hileh kilawm in thei ngel ing. Anu toh New Bazaar a melei dia kuan chi’n a report uhi”.

“Khoh vawt e! Chiangkot leh mankhong kituah kichi tammi hiven” chi’n Macho amai mual vawt hi.

“Khongai aw, huchi ahileh innlam phone paivai. Nau pen adinmun hoina va. Lung himaw nai sin. Hoi din lamen ing” Chairperson-pi in achi’n a henep sawm hi.

Bangteng kigen nanleh, Macho pen alung himaw tinten hi. Azi-le-tanu toh a kihou nukhia pen a phoh tha a, a tanu ka aw leh ka mel a mitha in hing kilang hi. Inn tun a phone a bawl pai uleh, Lamka lam line a kimu zou sih hi. BSNL-te phone line pen ahichi thei zel ma ahi. “All lines in this route are busy; please try after sometime” chi’n computer a numei aw khat in a dawng giap hi. Sawmvei zavei a bawl vang un, bangma a phatuan sih hi.

“Bang teng hileh, zing ah phone mai vai. Kou zong na try va ung, nang zong na try in. Thuchian zaw na thei leh hing zasah pai in aw” Chairperson-pi in achi ta hi.

Macho in zong innlam a zuan ta hi. Innsung alut in, computer mai a a tanu touna a mu hi. Macho in atanu a gum houpi gige vang in, a lungsim tawng ah a it mama hi. Numei ahivang in, Linda in pasal lungsim aneina tampi um hi. Tuaziah a apa’n, “Numei, na hun in um in” achi gige ahi zaw hi. Hinanleh atahtah in Macho in alungsim ah Linda umdan tampi a kipahpi hi. Linda pen ta pasal dinmun a a-et chiang in, a lungdam pi a, alungsim adap nui zel hi. Hinanleh Lindan pen ta numei dinmun a a-et chiang in, “Numei, na hun in um in” achi kha zel hi. Innsung ah ama ngen a tou in, phamat lou in phone abawl zel hi. Hinanleh a line a shi vawt hi. Zansawt nua in singpi ahing awm a, singpi dawn zou in lum ding a kisa hi. Zankim ihsip nua in lupna lam ahing zuan ta hi. A ihmut asuah sih. Alum zel a athou zel hi. Khua vah angah bawl hi. Tuami zan adam sung a zan sawt penpen hidin a ngaisun hi.

Macho in a tanu gel tha zel a, ama neulai hun pou a zil tha kia hi. Linda in anu a itdan ama neulai toh kisun asahna pou a um hi. Macho neulai in zong anu-le-pate na kihau zel ua, zong na kivaw tham uhi. Ui-le-kel bang chi thei ahi uhi. Tua ama leh azi, Chingnu ma bang in. Gendan tuam in gen lei, ama leh azi pen nudung sun padung sun, chi zaw ding hi va. Tualai in singtang zodawn lam ah khosa uhi. Apa’n numei sawltah na asem hi. Chillai in, “tirkouh” ana chi phuat uhi. Apa pen Meitei lailui a anisuba tan na zou dan ahia, amau hun adia Zoukual a laisiam pawl ahi nalai uhi. Numei sawltah ahiziah in khochin a innsung kituah lou teng a lem tou a, hinanleh ama inn sung pen thangmai loupa suah zel hi. Bial-fang a kuan thimthem ngai ahiziah in, a zi-le-tate toh hun deibang in zong azang man sih hi. Inn a a-um sunsun chiang in zong, innsung buaina a tam nuam hi. Sawltapu in a zi-le-tate a hawmtho mama a, a phun sansan hi. Nasep lam, laisim lam leh biahna lam hitaleh a zi-le-tate alungtung zou mama sih hi. Akhual zin gamva na a mi zi hoi leh mi ta hoi teng ava mu a, tuaziah in a innkuan pite toh a tehkah den hi. A innkuan pite a tom sansan hi. Khat vei teng a zi-le-taten thuah hamsa asa hun uh a um hi.

Nitahkhat anu-le-pa kihau dan Macho in a photha kia hi. Zodawn electric meivah tun louna mun ahia, kerosene lartin (lantern) khat innsung ah a vah hi. Lartin pen naupang-te laisimna dia kizang zel hinanleh, tuami zan in innkuan drama bawlna din a zang uhi. Anu-le-pa bang kitu uh adia chi athei chian non vateh sih hi. Hinanleh apa’n a sambu-chiing ah anu aman a, nivei thumvei a beng ngaungau hi. Anu’n a thuh kia sih hi. Tualai in Macho pen Linda-te gual ma ahi ding hi. Naupang chima tah, agual lel lam apanpi a, Macho in anu alungsiat deudeu hi. Unau sagi vela ahi ua, chimaw kisa in a honka nainai uhi. Macho pen a hangsan deu hiding hiven, “Pa, hun sah tan” ahing chi hi. Tua bep in, apa’n chimo beidong atate enphei in, a drama a hunsah ta hi. Lunghimaw in, a innsah a innhang in ahing del uhi. Khenkhat in Macho nu a mosiat ua, khenkhat in apa a awimo dap uhi. Hunsawtpi nua thu ahi ta. Hinanleh apa thugen khat athei tha a, “Belkheng pa’n bel hoina dia a saat ahi” chi ahi. Tualeh anu’n, “Kei thuampua bang maimai a na hing ngaisun ta lawm!” chi’n a kap hi. Tua a hisap tha leh, anu thugen zong khiatna khat um in athei hi. Buddha in mawngsing nuai a navahna nirvana amu bang dandeu in, thakhat in a lungsim mit ahing vah hi. “Hi ngut ma e!” achi hi. Anu khu thuampua bel-le-kuang bang a soisah din a phal sih hi. Alungsim ah tam bang ngaisutna ahing lut hi: “Linda in zong anu Chingnu hichi’a a it adiai? Ken ka zi ka chi pen, ka tanu adia anu hi ngut ma ve aw maw? Pasal mit maimai a sil teng et pen bukim zou lou ma hi. Mit lang khat sang in mit langni in muna zau zaw leh thuh zaw nei hi. Linda in kei apa bang chi’n ahing mu diai i zaw? Linda, ka tanu, hing heisan sin! Linda, bawi nu, hing peisan sin!” chi’n Macho ahing kapkhe khongkhong a, hitui naptui toh akiteh hi. Apichin nua a hichi bang a akah lam, Macho in athei ngai sih hi. A kakhiat zou in, a puahgih zang deu abang hi. A ihmu thei pai a, hinanleh dahkal 4 zou vel in khua ahing vahpai ta hi.

Zingkal a thotho in Macho in phone a bawl pai a, line a mu tuan sih. Nidang bang in office a va kai a, hinanleh a lungsim puagih kupna ding hun lemtang a um sih hi. Nitah dah 6 vel, inn a tun in Chairperson-pi in Macho a phone a, Zogam.net news apat Lamka phone line teng kisia chi report ahing hil uhi. Hinanleh lametna abei nua in,BSNL-te line a peithei kia ta hi. Zanlam ahi ta hi. Macho in Lamka a tanaute inn khat a phone pai leh ana lum man ta uhi. Hinanleh ahing thou kia ua, sawtpi akihou uhi. Atanu Linda pen liam petma a, hinanleh doctor ten a dinmun zauhuai lou in agen uhi. Thautang baleng in a baan veilam kha a, hinanleh hamphat huai tah in, a gu sukha lou vanglah hi. Azi Chingnu pen bangma chi lou dan ahi. Macho in a tanu a phone ut tinten a, hinanleh hospital ah phone a um sih hi. Azi zong a houpi ut sam a, nanleh apat dan ding abeidong hi. Khatveivei, suti nget a Lamka phah mai ding bang a ngaisun hi. Hitaleh, Lamka atun chiang in bang agen diai?

Ni khat vel hichia lungsim khensatna kichian nei thei lou in a um hi. Atawp ah, zum-le-saili a koima shi lou chi’n a sungte inn a phone hi. Azi ana um laitah ahia, phone ala hi. Aman zong Linda tanchin a dong pai hi. Chingnu’n Macho phone ding lamen seng lou a, lamdang a sa sim hi. “Hoina ung, bang ma lunghimaw ding um sih!” chi’n phone a koi ta hi. Tomkhat zou in Macho in Chingnu a phone kia a, Linda a houpi theina din mobile number khat a ngen hi. Atanaute uh number khat a pia a, azingni zingkal dah 8 vel in Linda leh apa kihou din a guanggal ta uhi. Linda in apa tung ah hasiatna nei nanleh a itna bei tuan lou hiding hiven, apa toh kihou ding a ngahla hi. Dah 8 chet in Macho in ahing phone petma a, “Hello, Linda!” achi hi.

“Pa, bang e nagen nuam?” chi’n Linda in zauthawng sim hileh kilawm in adawng hi. Atanu in “Pa” chia a dawnna aw a zahleh, thakhat in a hasiattha bang asuah a, a heiteng ama khoikha a, tomkhat hamthei lou in a um hi.

“Pa, bang thu e?” Linda in ahing chi kia hi.

“Eh, bawinu, bangma hi sih e …i aw … Ahhh…” chi’n Macho kisum zou lou in, ahitui ahing luang hi.

Linda in apa aw-suah nidang toh kibang lou a neem in athei a, hun peisa ah apa’n “numei” ahilou leh “Linda” chi ngen in ahan zel hi. Tuzing kal a apa’n “Bawinu, bangma hi sih e” chi a zah in lamdang sahna leh kipahna in adim a, apa a ngaina akuang tha sah hi. Gen ding thei zoh lou in, Linda in

“Pa na hitang a dam tai?” a chi’n hi.

“Ka hitang maw, dam ding hi ta. Nangla bang na chi ei? Zanni zan in ihmu lou in ka hing gel hi. Hing houpi pai ding ka chi leh phone line sawtpi a buai hi. Suti ka mu leh kei zong Lamka ka hing pha sawm hi”.

Chingnu in Linda leh apa kihoudan amu leh, apasal tung a alungthana akiam zou hi. A pasal in zong a tanu ngai mama, hoh mama ahi, chi athei bep in Macho ahepitha asuah phial hi. Gintat khol loupi’a a pasal in a phone dan bang a gel kia a, alungsim a nip hiaihiai hi.

Macho in suti anget leh amu petma a, Lamka ahing tung ta hi. Atuntun in hospital lam azuan pai a, a zi-le-tanu toh a kimu uhi. Shi-le-hing kimu bang in a tanu a ngawngkawi ta a, a hitui ahing luang hi. Azi in zong apasal umdan kikhel asa a, lamdang asa a, kipahnan adim hi. A lungthahna teng huipi leh guapi nua a gialtui bang in a zulmang siang hi. Laphuahtu’n “Kipahna’n ka biangki ah luanhi aluang” ana chi khu athaw ta uhi. A gei ua lum damlou-te leh zatou inn ngahte’n, tami innkuan drama a en uhi. Linda hima awlawl in hing dam ta hi. Tahsa leh lungsim liamna tampi hun in a sudam thei a, nanleh melchihna din hima-pawn a nuasia vateh hi.

JCA FIRST MINUTE BOOK

20 February 1954 – 24 January 1958

INTRODUCTION

Zou Critical & Creative Workshop (ZCW) is glad to present its members the “JCA First Minute Book” (1954 – 58). The importance of this document lies in the fact that this is the earliest piece of writing ever preserved in Zoukam.

In fact, it was initially presumed that even this Minute Book was lost during the tragic MGP-ZCC split in 1976. Fortunately this manuscript (MS) has survived many such schisms, and it was recently discovered among old files preserved in the ELCC office at Zomi Colony, Lamka.

During my recent visit to Lamka, I obtained permission to consult and photocopy this MS, titled “JCA First Minute Book” (1954-58). The ELCC Archive also possesses other Minutes belonging to later periods like the 1960s and 70s. However, we shall not be able to supply these materials at present.

While reproducing the JCA Minutes electronically, I take extreme care to give a faithful and reliable text of the MS without any editing. Spellings used in the MS have been retained, and the original page numbers too have been indicated. I hope this will enhance the usefulness of this text for research practitioners who do not have access to the original MS.

David Vumlallian Zou (Belfast, 17 July 2005)

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE MS

1. It is a 50 page hand-written document in A3 paper size.
2. Original cover of the book has been completely torn off.
3. Handwriting is not illegible in some parts, eg. p. 2.

TEXT OF THE MANUSCRIPT

MS Page 1

MEMBAR 1954

Date 20.2.54 ni a Daijang a J.C.A. kikhop na a thu kipua sah te a nuai ah te ahi. Mipi lem sah dung jui in member mi giat (8) akitel a, member ten jong JCA kivai phuahna thu dung jui a um ding in suai a pe chiat uhi.

NAME VILLAGE

1. Khupmeng	Tuaitengphai	Chairman
2. Kamjakhup	Daijang	Secretary
3. Thongjakhup	Tuaitengphai	Treasurer
4. Dongjagin	Tuaitengphai	Member
5. Chinkhopau	Ngurte	”
6. Liankhogin	Tuaitengphai	”
7. Chinjakhai	Daijang	”
8. Kamkhojam	Bohlui	”
9. Chinjagin	Daijang	”
10. Chinkham	Bohlui	”
11. Amjathang	Bohlui	”
12. Chinkham	Ngurte	”

MS Page 2

Not illegible

Thu Pass

No.(I) 1955 ki khop pi na ding

Amun – Khianglam. Chief of Suanneh ?

Kumtha January ha sung a Pasianni 3 vei na di

Ni nga nia tun kim ding

II. Kho chin lapol kidemna ding

Jou Christian La 24 RS 3920

III. Kho chin Bible a ?

4. Nu mei a mal a kidem na ding Zou Christian La 123 RS1082

5. Khochin Bible chang ki gen dem ding Hebrai 13.1 – apat 10 tan.

6. Tun kim ni ta a sah ding No. 59 RS 120. Hun nei ding Khotual upa.

Top na sah ding 67 RS 904

Kho tual upan thum …

MS Page 3

J.C.A. Committee memberte lemsah dung jui in tomngai (1) [Khupmeng was cancelled, and replaced by] Kamkhojam (2) Kamkakhup hite gel I Jou kual fang ding a tel ahita uh. Amau gel chu kum khat sung a Joukual 3 thumvei a fan suah ding uh ahi.

Kipah man mi khat ah khatvei jin in Rs.5/- (five) J.C.A. in piah ding a lem sah ahi tou jel. A gam fanna ding hun ahi leh kum khat sung a thumvei vahna chin thei na ding in ki ngai tuo uheh.

* * *

Tuangkhosuan Buhsau som a khat piak Rs.5/- ka mu uh hi. Dt. 29.5.54. A sum som a khat piah 1954 sung a ahi.

Toitengphai hattuam sum Rs.20/- som ni Jou Christian Labu tat doh na ding in Dated 2.7.54 in ka la hi.

Aditna 8/8/54 – Rs.10.8 Aditna 7/2/55 – Rs.5 Aum zat Rs.4.8

Pasian sum som a khat Rs.60/- sixties Dated 2.7.54 in ki ba hi Jou Christian Lanu tat doh na ding in.

Tunia tholom ki la Total in Rs.80/-

13/1/55

Khamjagin Dinang ? Rs.100/- (hundred) Dinta

Thangkhogin Rs.50/- (fifty)

Lianjachin Rs.40/- (fourty)

Church Rs.80/- (eighty)

Total Rs.270/- (Two hundred seventy repees only)

MS Page 4

Member Fee Pia Na

1) Khupng	Tuaitengphai	pia
2) Kamjakhup	Daizang	pia
3) Thongzakhup	Tuaitengphai	pia
4) Dongzagin	”	pia
5) Chinkhopau	Ngulte	pia
6) Liankhogin	Tuaitengphai	pia
7) Chinzakhai	Daizang	pia
8) Kamkhozam	Bohlui	khat pia
9) Chinzagin	Daizang	pia
10) Chinkham	Ngulte	pia
11) Amthang	Bohlui	pia
12) Chinkham	”	pia
13) Suan kham	”	pia

Mimal Zalenna

Dr. David Vumlallian Zou*

Thumapui

ZouWorkshop 8 September 2010 ni’n, Rev. Henkhothang in “Bang e I sipi ngam ding leh I hinpi ding?” chi thu ahing luikhie hi. America mipite’n mimal zalenna a pibawl dan uh leh a hinsan pen uh ahidan agen pen hoi ka sa hi. Aman hichi’n agen belap hi:

“Pasian guoljawlna jiah in eimite jong Imphal, Delhi, Yangoon te tham lou in America a inn hoipi pi nei jong kitam ta hi … America a a kepching ut ukhu agam hi masa lou in, zalenna (liberty) ahi. Gam neisa Mangkang kumpi gam England nusia in, Zalenna a ngaisang jiah un a pem uhi … Zaleenna umlouna ah gam lianpi leh sum tampi nei lei jong a nopna um thei lou hi. Mimal zalenna … leh satan [right] pingai vai. I nam kikhuol na ding pen sum leh pai, gam leh muol hilou in a zalenna uh kepbit pieh ding ahi.”

Ei India ah politics a zalenna thu kigen ka za gige a, hinanleh tuni tan in Mimal Zalenna kigen khah lam ka thei nai sih hi. Zogam a pastor te lah ah unaupa Henkhothang khu Mimal Zalenna gen masa pen hi din ka gingta hi. Atangpi in i pastor, upa, oja, nu-le-pa leh tangval thautawi te nasan in zalenna sang in thumanna (obedience) gen ut zaw uhi. Tualeh Mimal Zalenna sang in gam-le-nam zalenna kipibawl zaw gige hi. Gam zalenna maimai in lungsim, sumsin leh nehsui a Mimal Zalenna hing pethei lou ding ahi chi I theisiam masah uh poimaw tahzet hi.

Pastor Henkhothang laigelh khenkhat ka pom thei lou um nanleh, Mimal Zalenna toh kisai a athugen tangpi dih kasa hi. Adiah in Mimal Zalenna khu I shipi ngam ding leh hinpi ngam ding ahi chi khu thupi ka sa hi. “Amen” chilou gen ding ka thei sih hi. Ken zong tam bang ngaidan ZSP Golden Jubilee Magazine ah “Lungsim, sumsin leh nehsui Zalenna Gam ah” ka na gen ta hi.

USA a Mimal Zalenna hing Piandan

America pen nam tuamtuam, ham tuamtuam apat pemtha (immigrant-te) kisuh tuana mun ahiziah in a nam pumpi khaikhawm thei ding “value system” tuam deu Europe atoh kibang lou khat kisam hi. Tunitan in America te’n agam uh “land of freedom” achi nalai uhi. Washington DC a Capitol Hill leh New York a Statue of Liberty te a national symbol poimo tah uh ahia, tami monument te’n zong “Liberty” or “Freedom” a ensah uhi.

Tualeh theisiam ding khat ahileh, America te’n Freedom achi chiang un, “individual freedom” china ahia, tanglai Greek khopi classical Athen leh Rome khopi a “citizen” kichite te zalendan etton tangpi in a nei uhi. “Mimal zalenna” chi ngaidan tami tanglai khopi te apat hing kipan masa pen dan in misiamte’n a ngaisun uhi. America lamkai masate mudan in “mimal zalenna” melma lian pen ahileh monarchy (lengte), nation-state (solkar) leh Hattuam (organized church) ahi uhi. American “citizen” te’n leng nei lou ding, solkar in mimal zalenna zatat ding, Pasian mimal deidei dandan a biah thei ding, leh thau (gun) poimo dandan a zat ding leh summet utdandan a bawl theina dia “free market” nei ding a tup thupi pen uh ahi. America te’n mimal zalenna toh “free market” pen sil kibang – two sides of the same coin – dan in a ngaisun uhi. Individual Freedom=Free Market. Tami tupna leh duthusamte pen American Dream kichi hi.

Zalenna melma lian monarchy lah beita ahi ziah in, solkar khu zalenna melma hat pen ahi ta hi. Hinanleh Government umlou a gam khat ding zou lou ding ahiziah in, Solkar pen American founding father, Thomas Paine in a laibu Common Sense ah “Government even in its best state is but a necessary evil” achi hi. Dei huai lou, lah poimo zel – a necessary evil. Tuaziah in America mipi tamzaw te’n “Small Government” a dei ua, “Big Government” a muda mama uhi.

Ei India ah zong monarchy (leng) kisu bei a, hinanleh nation-state (solkar) in mimal zalenna zatat seng lou a, sumsinna a “free market” zong zatat lou a, bang kim solkar in a thunei khum ut a, tami pen License Raj, Permit Raj, or Inspector Raj pou akichi thei zel hi. Hinanleh 1991 Economic Reform apat solkal thutheina khen khat mimal citizen te khut ah piahkhiat in a um ta hi. Tami kikhelna in private sepna tampi, mobile revolution, Right to Information, leh adg. adg. apiang sah ta hi. Solkar thuneina leh mimal zalenna India a koizaw a hat zaw ei? Adawnna theisa ahi, solkar khu India ten nu-le-pa (maa-baap) dan in a en zing nalai uhi. Ei Manipur dinmun entalei, Manipur state in tribal mite tuni tan in zalenna (autonomy) hing pe ngam nai lou ua, naupang bang in hing enkol ua, zalenna zangsiam ding in hing muang zoulou nai lou moh uhi.

Mimal Zalenna leh Free Market

Mimal zalenna toh kisai a, Pu Henkhothang laigelh ka zop ut khen khat a um nalai hi. Eima zalenna maimai kikembit thei lou a, midang a zong zatat ngai hi, achi pen dih ka sa hi. I gensa bang in “mimal zalenna” leh “free market” kikhen thei lou hi. Harvard University a India mi Nobel Laureate um sun, Prof. Amartya Sen in, Development as Freedom (1999) ah zalenna lou in khandouna um thei lou a, khantouna siltup thupi pen mimal zalenna, ahidan kichian tah in agen hi.

Ei India in kipah huai tah in, political freedom bangtan ama kinei a, hinanleh free market in masawn seng nai lou hi. China in political freedom a nei lou vang in, free market anei bilbel ua, a gam uh sum-le-pai lam ah khangtou hulhul hi. Khovel in China a “economic miracle” a et in a et tho mai hi. Tualeh theisiam ding khat ahileh, Tumlam Gam hausa ten individual freedom leh free market a pomkip chiat sim uhi. Tumlam Gamte adi’n Market khu a Pasian uh ahi mai ta hi. Khovel a economist minthang pen Adam Smith in market khu “the invisible hand” achi hial a, solkar (state) nasan in a zatat angai hi.

Ahileh Pastor Thang gendan in Manipur Singtang gam ah Market i lutsah ngam diai? chi ngaisun tham ching ahi. Free Market khu gam hausatna leh mimal zalenna bulpi ahi chi lah i thei ngal a. Khovel a Market muda pen Karl Marx nasan in zong Market silbawl theina a thei a, Tumlam Gam te khovel a gam hausa pen a suahsah dante bang lamdang leh chizat huai asa hi. Ei khang ah China in Market a pomkip ta a, India in zong a pom panpan ta hi. Private leh foreign company tuamtuam te I gam ah hing lut leh sepna, siamna leh hausatna nasatah hing tun ding chi pen I thei hi. Hinanleh Khasi student lamkai khat gen dan in, “Zinte (guests) vaidawnna di’n inn bang teng satsiet sese ngai lou hi”. Agen ut ahileh, Sixth Schedule bang poimo non lou ding ima? Tami in market expansion a dal ei? Sixth Schedule in mimal zalenna a khang sah diai, awleh akiam sah diai?

Tami dotnate dawn hamsa sim hi. Aziah pen Sixth Schedule pen Indian Constitution nuai a, “hill tribal” te gam kepbitna dia kibawl ahia, Fifth Schedule pen “plain tribal” te kepbitna dia kibawl ahi. North-East India ah, Mizo, Naga, Khasi leh Garo te bang in Sixth Schedule ana mu ua, community development saupi atun hi. Hinanleh ei Manipur singtangmi te’n Fifth Schedule leh Sixth Schedule kichite i na mukha nai sih hi. Tami thu toh kisai article Mumbai a kisun Economic & Political Weekly (Vol. XLV, No. 14, April 3-9, 2010) ah kana gelh ta hi. Eite’n political status hoilou I nei ziah tampi um uhi. Aziah khat ahileh Manipur a “dominant community” unau Meitei te’n hing dal pian sim ua, tualeh unau Manipur Naga te’n zong hing lunglutpi seng lou uhi (Amau Naga politiksi ma akibuaipi tinten uhi).

Tulai khovel leh International Labour Organization in a buaipi silkhat ahileh leh “rights of tribal indigenous peoples” ahi. Tualeh liberal democratic gam zousia in “minority rights” a zatat ua, tami pen mimal zalenna toh kikal tuan lou in a pom uhi. US federal solkar in zong indigenous Red Indian te adi’n reservation gam nei a, tualeh ei India a “reservation (quota)” zong America te’n “positive discrimination policy” anei uh enton a kibawl ahizaw hi. Aziahpen I Consitution bawlpa, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in Columbia University (New York) apat lai nazil a, US dan-le-dun a theisiam mama hi.

Tuaziah in, I gam a Market ahing luttheina di’n khopi sung a company (domestic & foreign investors) te chial lut kisam hi. Etsahna din, Lamka leh Moreh bang in “private investment” tampi kisam hi. Hinanleh I singtang gam te leh I group identity (indigeneity) kizop ahiziah in, singtang gam ah Market I lutsah ngam diai chi pen gen hamsa hi. I singtang gam leh I nam hina kembit kawm a I gam a mimal zalenna leh market zalenna vaidawn thei ahi diai? I khopi nei sunsun te uah Meitei, kol-le-vai, leh Sapkang te sumpi leh siamna kidei a, zong kipoimo tham hi. Hinanleh I singtang gam ua ahing teenden ding uh hamsa kisa hi. Tu-le-tu dinmun ah solkar in I singtanggam a“land survey” ahing bawl ding zong kiphal nailou a, tami “hill area” sung pen Hausa khut ah kikoi a, free market himhim toh kisai kha lou uhi. Naga te’n singtang gam pen Community khut a akoi ua, free market pulam daih ah a um hi. Manipur Valley ah pen gam (land) khu “market” khut ah kikoi hi, sum nei te adia leithei china ahimai hi.

Thuvaihah

Tulai tah in ei lawi in Community maimai kibuaipi a, hattuam leh politics zong tami “communal level” ah kisai zing hi. Hinaleh maban ah Community, Market leh Individual bang chi selbuh ding chi I gam a chouna (challenge) thupi pen ahi ta hi. Sixth Schedule I chite “community right” toh kisai ahia, individual freedom toh kisai chet hi lou ma hi. Group a hamphatna I dei ua, hinanleh solkar toh kibang in Community in zong mimal zalenna susethei ahidan manghil lou ding a poimo hi. Ei Manipur ah minam (Community) min zang in mimal hinna leh zalenna kilahmang sah zing hi. Mimal zalenna um louna mun ah, mimal navahte (individual talent) athuah masa pen leh a shi masa pen in pang gige uhi. Tami sil mulkim huai khat ahi.

Aw Mimal Zalenna!

Khantouna suongpi det na hia

Gam hausatna tuinah na hia

Khantouna lungtup pen zong na hi.

Nang tel lou in gam-le-nam zalenna

Zong shina gu suah thei hi.

Tuaziahin Mimal Zalenna,

Nang shipi leh hinpi

Tham ching na hi!

---

* Dr. David Vumlallian (davidlalzou@gmail.com) in History Department, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Delhi, ah Assistant Professor na asem hi.

Exam-oriented education as a spirit-deadening machine

15 FEBRUARY 2007

DAVID VUMLALLIAN ZOU

Educational reform in all sectors in Manipur is a concern that desperately calls for serious public attention. Like many of us, I too survived the cramming schools of Manipur. As far as I remember, critical literacy was never part of the agenda in the schools I had attended. Teachers expected us to cram, but most even failed to cram. In one sense, I appreciate those who resist the oppressive education system by refusing to cram.

No wonder more than half of the candidates (58.75%) in the previous year's secondary school results were declared “failed”. Our young students are labelled as “failures” at a critical juncture of their academic career. It is frightening how such youngsters will cope with the negative tag received at such an impressionable age. This is a tragic waste of gifted human beings! This reminded me of Edward Shils’ characterization of Indian colleges as “a spirit-deadening machine”. Since Shils made this remark in 1961, things had improved a lot in mainstream Indian education. But not yet in Manipur.

Students depend on rote memory rather than critical understanding of problems and concepts. There is no opportunity to learn new problem-solving skills to meet the challenges posed by our modern complex society. Both teachers and students are oriented towards the end-term examination. Throughout the academic year, teachers and students are busy with non-academic pursuits or headline-seeking arsonist activities. Student unrest is a symptom of the educational system’s inability to engage our students in pursuits which are intellectually and socially profitable. Intensive academic activities are usually postponed till the very last month before the examinations. In this context, study means cramming class notes and bazaar notes. Many students often actually manage to graduate without ever reading a single authoritative textbook. Good luck to them!

While educational assessment is not only necessary, but highly desirable, I think our present system of end-term exam system is incompatible with our goal of democracy and social justice. The terminal exam system inevitably promotes the home tuition system, where the teacher becomes a money-making machine who can deposit some facts into the heads of students to clear the examination hurdle. If the outright abolition of this necessary evil is impracticable, we can at least reduce its weight by partly replacing with more imaginative assessment of students on the basis of group projects, open book examination, tutorial discussion and presentation, book review, literature review of select topics, etc. In other words, this would involved a deep reform of our present outdated pedagogic practice by shifting to the Module or Semester System. While TDC and 10+2 are ideal levels to introduce the reform, secondary schools may be incorporated into the new system as soon as they are ready. This will, of course, require some teacher training for its effective implementation. An intensive refresher course for teachers on such new assessment policy is not an impossible goal to achieve. Fortunately, there are abundant Internet resources today for teacher trainers and for practicing teachers. The publication of a Teachers Magazine may also go a long way in fruitful exchange of ideas and skills between educationists and enterprising teachers within and outside the state of Manipur. While the state can facilitate financially the formation of such a magazine, it is desirable that this should be initiated and managed by the teachers themselves.

Professional training of teachers was kept under the cold shade of neglect, especially in private institutions. Even if ITC literacy may be still beyond the means of most educational institutions in Manipur, it is certainly possible to impart teacher training in innovative and critical pedagogy. While syllabus and teaching badly needs to be student-oriented, we can go a step ahead by making them student-initiated. In order to integrate a critical component to student learning, both teachers and students should have some say in the formulation of their syllabus. Students should take the responsibility for their own learning. In other words, self-reflective learning is the watchword. In many Western educational institutions, this is encouraged by maintaining a Personal Development Profile (PDP) by each student and assessed by a tutor at the end of the Module.

At presents, many of our teachers are not just unqualified and untrained; they are overburdened with their work loads of teaching, or rather dictating “sacred” class notes to be memorized by passive learners. There is no place for any interactive and reflective learning like group discussion, project work, library tour, field work, presentation, demonstration, exhibition, open dialogue, role play, mock interview, poster workshop, budding reading, oral history project, etc. Though I graduated with a research degree in historical studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University, I still remember how I hated reading history when I was a high school student in Manipur. The history textbooks for class IX and X we read were unimaginative and densely factual narratives. It was a crammer’s paradise. It involved mind-boggling marshalling of chronological facts without a clear historical perspective! Besides the unreadable style and dry language of the text, the delivery method of the history teacher was also faulty. Teachers insisted on rote memorization of only the expected questions for the exams. (This largely applied for other subjects too). No wonder I never appreciated the value of history till I actually read, much later, the works of Romila Thapar and Bipan Chandra during my studies in Shillong.

At present, our education system promotes authoritarianism and patriarchal values. Corporal punishment is still followed in most schools. A good discipline should not turn against, but offer help and counselling, to difficult students. Both the syllabus and pedagogic methods actively discourage critical consciousness and creative thinking. This only perpetuates the status quo. Our ruling class is understandably no fan of critical literacy. Our education system has been manufacturing graduates with little or no critical consciousness, civic competence, innovative ideas and employable skills. We failed to produce enlightened citizens who can appreciate the complexities of living in a multi-ethnic society like ours. In a changing global order, our students are appalling ignorant, for instance, of the rise of China and India. So, we are yet to take advantage of the new opportunities offered by the new investment climate. Our inward-looking worldview and dependency mentality inhabit us from building an open and “intelligent society” which will attract investors! Though we are in the 21st century, we are still clinging to medieval and patriarchal values.

In short, we need to do something to our existing system of “banking education”, as Paulo Freire puts it in his classic book, Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1993). Banking education assumes that teachers can deposit facts into the heads of students like a bank deposit which can later be cashed in by the students. In the words of Freire himself, “Banking education treats students as objects of assistance; problem-posing education makes them critical thinkers … Any situation in which some individuals prevent others from engaging in the process of inquiry is one of violence”. We need to start opening our educational system to the most innovative ways of framing syllabus and pedagogic practices. The sooner the better! We need to impart news skills to our youth to meet the challenges facing the world today. It is a high time to give up our exam-oriented and bookish model for a new interactive and critical pedagogy. For this, the first step may be to start identifying and networking our most innovative and enterprising teachers, our “edu-preneurs”. The recent Seminar at JN Manipur Dance Academy, Imphal, was a move in the right direction.

Also available a

http://www.zogam.com/articles/general-articles/235-exam-oriented-education-as-a-spirit-deadening-machine

KHOTANG SIAMPHATNA HUIKHI LAANDAN by David Lalpi

KHOTANG SIAMPHATNA HUIKHI LAANDAN: 

Historical Overview of Social Renewal among the Zous 

  David Vumlallian Zou 

Queen’s University Belfast, UK 

ABSTRACT Athu mai a gen in khantouna um thei lou a, asep a pawng sep tho in zong bangma piang zou lou hi. Ngaisutna leh nasep a zohkhawm (praxis) ngai hi. Mailam lunggel kichian neina din, nualam a khantouna nasep peidan “historical overview” nei masat ngai hi. Zou sung a khotang siamphatna hun thum a khenthei ahi. Khatna ah, JCA pate hun apat 1974 a hattuam kikhen tan. Nina ah, 1990s vela pat khotang ngaikhohna tha hing um kia hi. Athum na ah, 21st century a “ngaisutna leh nasep” pangkhawm a minam tunding dingdan kikupna ahi. Minam khantouna dia Total Literacy Mission dinkhiat ngai ta a, tualeh Education System pumpi zong siamphat ngai hi. I numei-te uh suahtatna din, Zou society in mun-awng (space) honsah hun ta hi. 

  KEYWORDS Praxis, Paulo Freire, problem-posing education, mun-awng (institutional space), numei suahtatna (emancipation) I

NTRODUCTION Khotang siamphat dan ding theory hoitah um masa lou in, khotang siamphatna movement piching um thei lou hi[1]. Athu agen maimai (verbalism) hun lou a, asep-asep khiat tho mai (activism) zong dei huai lou hi. Ngaisutna leh nasep a zawkhawm ngai a, tami pen English in praxis kichi hi. Bible in nasep tellou ginna khu a shi ahidan ana gen hi[2]. Alangkhat lam ah, ngaisutna tellou nasep zong a shi ahi, chi thei veve ahi. Tami thului in Zou sung a “total literacy” bawl dingdan lampi a sui a, tualeh Latin American educationist minthang Paulo Freire in education siamphatdan ding agente ahing tahlang hi. Freire ngaidan pen “Problem-posing education” kichi hi. Tualeh Zou sung a numei in gamtat-khoheina ding mun-awng (institutional space) anei loudan zong a tahlang a, minam khantouna dia numei zalenna poimo dan agen hi. Zou milip kimkhat (50%) numei ahia, tami minam phalkhat a tuantual laisia khantouna um thei lou ding ahidan agen hi. 

KHOTANG SIAMPHATNA PIANCHIL KHANG 1954 -1974 

Zou sung ah, khotang siamphatna ngaikhohna 1950s vel apat na um ta hi. Mizogam a Welsh mission nasep dan toh kibang sim in, JCA mimasa ten hattuam nasep leh khotang siamphatna kiselbuh tah in na zohkhawm sah uhi. Tunia Zou kual a Manipur solkar sepna (4th Grade) nei mi tampite bang tua hun lai a JCA mission skul-te gasuoh ahi ngal uhi. 1950s lai a JCA pate Agenda thupi pente ahileh Zou literature siamkhiat ding leh khotang sianthouna chivel ahi. Tua hun a JCA record luite i sim leh, Zou labu sut ding a ngai poimo dan uh kimu thei hi. Zou Bible sang in labu (hymnal) na kisun masa zaw hi. A Minute Bu uah tambang in na kigelh hi: “Himi hunlai in Joutang tou a mite bang mi kam ham ngen in a ham ua … Jou mi zousia mi kam a ham nasan laibu i nei louzia ahi chin ka thei doh vua, Jou labu a manlang thei pen a sutna ding kang ngaihsut vua, a la ding Kamjakhup leh teng leh Thonghang le, Sema leh teng a bon in ka hing lakhom vua, ka hing sun ta uhi”[3]. Labu pen sim ding hilou a, sah tho dia hisap ahi.Tualeh Zoukam la-teng (oral tradition) apat laiteng (written literature) a suah masatna ahi. Zou Bible kisut in tami laigelh chiindan a namdet hi. Tami JCA lamkaite ma in tanchinbu Jogam-Thusuo zong March 1954 in ana pan ua, hinanleh sawt dai lou in a khawl pai hi. Zou literature ban ah, 1950s lai a Zou tapidaw-te Agenda poimo mama dang khat ahileh siangthouna ahi. Adiah in Pu Tunzakap in 1957 kum apat tami singthouna gospel a tangkoupi deu in a kilang hi. Ama adiah in khanglai lamte a veina a, Sunde Skul literature zong abul ana pan hi. 

JCA Minute Bu ah Tunzakap tanchin hichi’n kigelh hi: “Sakho lam ah hileh tahsa lam hileh a veina khom a, naopang khompy a um chiang bang in gam leh nam siang thouna vat a athei zia in progoram ah, Social Work na ding atuang sah a, nungah tangval belnot pol, in phiat pol, van koitup dan hil pol, ta leh nao etkol dan hil pol, kholai phiat pol, a guat a, mipin thu oi tah in ana zui a, gam le mual in mason in a phattuampi mama uh hi”[4]. JCA sang ma in zong Catholic mission in skul leh hostel chite na pibawl zaw a, Zou sung ah officer hunkhop i nei law uhi. Adiah in Father Ravarico[5] ahileh Zou khotang khanletna dia lampi sial masa khat ahia, Zou minam adia a contribution-te khangtha ten moh manghil lou ding dei huai hi. 1974 a MGP-ZCC kibuai apat Zou minam in khotang siamphatna lam sang in doctrine – dogma kibuaina in tha leh lungsim tam zaw na seng kha hi. Tami hun sung in tahsa leh hagau khantouna khu ui-le-kel bang ahi chi ngaidan Zou sung ah hing piangkhia hi. Athu a gen tho (verbalism) leh nasep (activism) zong ui-le-kel dan bang in kigen leuleu hi. Tami “theory” kichian tah a koi man agen lou vang in, UZO leh hattuam ki-gal etdan ah a lungsim uh kilang hi. 

Mizogam leh Manipur a Paite sung i etleh, khotang leh hattuam khantouna zohkhawm dan muthei ahi. Zou sung ah UZO pen Setan vaihawmna dan in mi tampi in hisap moh a, MGP leh ZCC pen Pasian vaihawmna dan in na kikoi sese hi. 1950s lai a Zou tapidaw-ten khotang ngaikhohna (social concern) a nei pen uh 1970s vela pat i mansua ta uhi. OT a zawlnei kamsang ten khotang siamphatna a ngaikhoh dan uh i kitheimo bawl ua, alang khat lam ah tanchinpha genna (evangelical concern) maimai i uang bawl uhi. Tami ahileh 1910 -15 vel a America a kuulmutna tha hing piang, Fundamentalist[6] kichiten ei gam tanpha a zong huzap anei ziah hidin agintat huai sim hi. Hinanleh awl in evangelical hattuam lamkai tamzaw ten khotang a khristain-te mopuahna pen kilepmang san thei lou ahidan ahing mutha kia uhi[7]. 

ZOU SOCIAL GOSPEL LEH KHOTANG SIAMPHATNA 1990s 

Pastor khen khat in OT zawlneite bang in, khotang siamphatna kisap dan amu thei uhi. Etsahna din, Rev. H. Nengzatun in 1991 kum in “Zou Mite Khotang Hinkhua Siemphatna”[8] chi laibu bang na sun ngai hi. Ama ngaidan leh 1950s lai a JCA pate ngaidan a kibatna tampi um in ka thei hi. JCA pate bang in, Rev. Nengzatun in a thu a gen (verbalism) sang a, asep asep ding (activism) lam a uang gen hi. Tami pen lunggelna leh nasep pangkhawm (praxis) ching lou deu hi. Tuami sawng ma in Zou Social Gospel (ZSG) kichi 20 February 1994 in ahing dingdoh hi. ZSG ten khotang siamphatna toh kisai theory khat anei uhi. Tami theory pen Evangelical khristian sung a na kibawl khia, “social gospel” chi ahi. Britain ah kum zabi 19 hun lai in Baptist pastor F.B. Meyer[9] in Jesu thuhilnate mimal sianthouna ding maimai hilou a, khotang sianthouna dia zatthei ahidan ana gen a, tami pen “social gospel” kichi hi. Hinanleh ZSG ten a theory uh guntu tah a study bawl sese lou in, tomkhat sung asep asep tho (activism) in a hun sah ua, hattuam kipumkhatna chi lou sildang a buaipi seng sih uhi. Tami Agenda a poimo vang in, tua i nua-etleh, kawchih sim a bang phial hi. Bangteng hileh, ZSG in sakhona lam a huapzouna, politics khantouna, leh khotang khantouna chi silthum teng a kizopna om ahi, chi amu thei uhi. Tami “social vision” ziah in Zou society kizopna teng pumkhat in a en thei uhi. Kuki-Zomi Tualgal 1997-98 zou in ZSG te thawm gin kiza nalai a, MGP-ZCC kigawm thei dan ding zong lampi kisui nalai hi. 2000 kum a Zou nampi an-ngawl a kisia ni kibawl tan in zong hattuam pumkhat ding kinepna um nalai hi. Hinanleh 2003 sung in ZCC in “internal crisis” ahing nei a, dei lou dan in sil ahing tung a, kikhenna tam sem ahing piang hi. Alang khat lam ah, MGP leh MEP pen Synod khat ah ahing kigawm thei zel hi. ZSG te tupna pen losam-loching chi ding ahing suah hi. 

21ST CENTURY A KHOTANG SIAMPHATNA DING AGENDA 

Zou society in khantou lam a manoh dung zui in, khotang buaina hamsa sem suhveng hing ngai ta hi. Tami hamsatnate daltu bang a ngaisun lou a, chouna (challenge) dan a en ding ahi zaw hi. Hamsatna hing tung dingte maleep (anticipate) thei in, amavang in kisahkholna bang nei thei lei dei huai hi. Gintat dan a khovel ahing kihei leh, 2020 kum chiang a India zong gam hausa hita dia ki hisap ahi. Tami hun a Zou kampaute zong midang toh kiliangkim adin theina din tu apat kisahkhol ngai ta hi. Tunai a ZPCS dinkhiatna, Zou Christian Music Committee leh ZYO complex hingpian khiat dante’n tu 21st century adia trend-setter a ngaisut thei ahi. Tualeh i khang toh kituah a khosuah na dia kisam khotang siamphatna chi 3 i tahlang ding uhi. 

1. Total Literacy Mission: 

Khotang khantouna dia kisam masa pen bang adiai? chi’n kidong lei, mi tampi ten IAS, IFS, M. Phil, PhD chite i ngaisun masa pen mai thei ding uhi. Tamite a poimo a, hinanleh minam khantou tahtah na din Total Literary Mission poimo zaw nalai hi. Manipur Zou milip 20,000 vel sung ah, IAS mi 200 leh PhD mi 200 um nanlei zong Zou minam pumpi kikhangtou pai ding china hituan lou hi. Mimal leh minam lochinna a kizop a, hinanleh sil kibang hi tuan lou uhi. Khovel a sum hau pen (GDP) kisuina ah, India 3rd position in pang pha a, hinanleh “living standard” niam penpen khat ahi zel hi. Tualeh India ahileh khovel a mipil misiam (IT professionals, doctor, engineer) hau pen khat ahia, hinanleh gam “literacy rate” khovel a niam pen pawl ahi. Tuaziah in khantouna pen zung pat a, niam leen sah ngai masa hi. Anneh-tuidawn ban ah, laisim thei leh gelh theina (literacy) khu mihing tahsa leh hagau khanletna dia kisam masa pen ahi. Total Literacy Mission i pichin suah lou leh, Zogam ah kum teng in revival tung in, van apat sum-le-pai mana bang in hing kesuh zungzung nanleh, khantouna tahtah um thei tuan lou ding hi. Zou sung a Total Literacy Mission bawlna din, amasa in Literacy Survey bawl masat angai ding a, hattuam statistics tuamtuam te zong compare thei ahi. 

Aban ah panmun dan 3 bang siam ngai ding hi: (a) Front guard: LP, JB skul leh mission skul oja-te educational training bawl teitei dia phut ding dei huai ta hi. I oja-te uh a tam zaw training nei lou ngen ahi uhi. Zou kual a solkal oja te DIET course Lamka ah bawl sah thei ahi. Tualeh a lem dandan a solkar leh mission skul zong merger bawl thei ahi. Apoimo pen ahileh Zou khosuan a oja-te a duty post chiat a adinkip uh ngai hi. Oja a duty post a sem lou-te LCC (LEC) member chi vel a telching non lou ding ahi. Oja a duty post a ding te Christian missionary bang a ngaisut ding ahi ua, zatatna zong a nasep uh toh kituah a piah ding ahi. Zou kual a 100% literacy rate nei masa pen khua (veng) a pang dia kidem ding ahi. (b) Middle guard: Naupang leh piching Sunde Skul ten lai thei loute adin Remedial Class a neipi thei uhi. Tami ding in text-bu zong sut thei ahi. Laivuan chiang a “kam a dawng pawl” chi Category suh bei ding ahi. Sunde Skul oja-ten training leh refresher course kum khat a khatvei-nivei beh abawl ding uhi. (c) Back guard: Nipi leh phalbi khawl hun sung in, sangnaupang volunteer ten Zou khote ah abanban in Literacy Camp a bawl ding uhi. Tami pen ZSP leh ZYO ten makaihna ala thei ding uhi. Kum chin in literacy rate tam pung penpen ten nuamman Literacy Trophy zong a sang ding uhi. Total Literacy Mission a pichin hun chiang in, Zou Literacy Pawi bawl ahi ding hi. 

2. Educational Reform: 

Zou kual a solkar, mission leh private skul-te ah zong oja leh naupang lai kihildan siamphat ngai ta hi. Nidang lai a chiang toh naupang-te ui khet a khet chite, leh kii-pi laihil (parrot learning) te tawp san hun mama ta hi. Tami ziah a Zou sung a oja-te training leh workshop nei khawm zelzel lunggul huai ahi. Lamka ah zong B.Ed leh BE zou Resource Person a chial thei ding mi tampu um ta hi. Tulai khang toh kituah a teaching method tuamtuamte oja-ten theisah ding dei huai hi. Atom in genlei, i “educational philosophy” uh pumhen hun ta hi. Tum lam gam ah, hun sawtpi apat Plato, Rousseau leh John Dewey ngaidante zui in naupang na ki-enkol hi. Hinanleh Paulo Freire in 1970 a Pedagogy of the Oppressed chi laibu ahing sut apat, laihil dan ding ngaidan tha khat ahing kimusuah hi. Paulo Freire in mi tampi in Banking Model zui a lai a hildana mopaih a, aman Problem-posing Model bawl ding dan a mukhia hi. Naupang laihilna a oja-ten a theidia poimo masa pen ahileh, koima lungsim ah theina kihil tho thei lou hi, chi a pom masat uh ngai ahi. Paulo Freire in tami toh kisai hichin agen hi: “Houlimna (dialogue) tungtawng in naupangte oja chite leh oja-te naupang chite a beimang ua, kizopna tha ahing piang hi: oja-naupang leh naupang-oja chi ahing piang hi. Oja-te pen naupang laihiltu maimai hinon lou in, naupangte toh houlimna apat siamna ziltu ahing suah uhi. Naupante zong ziltu mai hilou in, hiltu ahi veve uhi … Koiman mi laihil thei lou a, eima mimal mai in zong bangma kizil thei lou hi. Khovel i mudan uh a kibat lou dung zui in, khat leh khat apat theina i lasawn uhi …”[10] 

Naupang lungsim pen paper awng leh suanglai (slate) bangma kigelh nai lou – tabula rasa – dan in na kingaisun a, tami Banking Model theory dih lou dan Rousseau hun apat na kithei ta hi. Banking Model in naupang lungsim pen “bank account” kihong tha bang in a geel a, theina pen sum bang a thunlut (deposit) thei din a hisap uhi. Theina tengteng text sung a um dan a hisap in, tamite kii-pi (parrot) bang in naupangte chiinpha (memorise) sah a sawm uhi. Sil tampi chiamte zoute kumtawp exam chiang in Mark tampi a piah ua, Mark tam mute a pil dan in a hisap uhi. Naupang huahbu sung a theina a kikhumlut (deposit) thei lou chiang un, chiangkang toh ui sat in oja-ten a sat ua, anah sat deu chiang ua theina hing luanglut dingdan in a hisap uhi. Tualeh Banking Model in naupang teng a ki-eh bah siang in a hisap a, a laizil dan uh zong sepaih-te parade dan a “speed” kituah chetchet din a hisap uhi. Naupang in mizia leh talent tuamtuam anei chi thudih zong a pom sih hi. Tami Banking Model pen Paulo Freire in nasa tah in a doudal a, Problem-posing education Model zang din ngetna abawl hi. Problem-posing Model in oja leh naupang kidaidanna baang a sat chimit masa a, lungsim kihong a houlim theina ding bouruak (learning environment) a bawl masa hi. Theina tahtah text-bu sung a um lou in, naupang leh oja pankhawmna leh houlimna apat hing piang ding ahi chi a pom hi. Text-bu pen vanzat chi khat maimai ahia, naupang-te lunglutna toh kituah in text-bu suh lamdang gige ngai hi. Text-bu thei ding pen education siltup thupi pen hilou a, naupang-te lungsim hong khiatna dia Dotna bawl ding poimo zaw hi. 

Naupang lungsim in Dotna ahing siam thei chiang in, theina kitasam non lou ding hi. Education tup-le-nim bang ahiai? chi dotna bang siamzil bulpatna ahi. Miteng in Dotna kibang nei ngai sese lou hi. I mimal leh minam buaina dawng thei lou laibute’n pilna hing pethei lou ding uhi. Dotna leh thei utna bawl masa lou a naupang lungsim a thu tampi i moh thun sawm leh, naupang in Dotna bawl ngam lou deudeu ding a, BA, MA hilezong kizang thei tuan lou ding uhi. Mihing khat in class I apat class XII tan a laibu i simteng manghil thei sih lei, a lungsim manthei lou suah ding hi. Apoimo pen ahileh theina chepte (memorise) ding hilou in, Dotna tha siam ding ahi zaw hi. Tami din chepte siamna sang in, sil manghil theina poimo zaw hi. Siamsinna dihtah pen dotna siam ngamna (critical mind) leh siltha puahtheina (creative mind) neina dia naupang leh oja-te houlimna guitan lou ahi zaw hi. Naupang in a laibu sim toh a kimvel a a-khovel experience dan azopkhawm thei lou leh, sil kivaat khat um china ahi. A text-bu hoi lou amah, a oja-te houlimdan kivaat khat hi ding hi. Siamzilna pen a mong bei ahia, dotna i bawl ngapna tantan ah theina in hing ngah hi. Theina pen tuiluang bang ahia, text-bu sung a kivei den hi lou hi. Khang (generation) chin in buaina tha nei zel a, tamite suhvengna din dotna tha poimo hi. Tami in theina tha piangsah zel hi. Tuaziah a syllabus tha a hun zil a siam zel poimo hi. 

3. Emancipation of Women: 

Khanglui lai in numei na kimusit mama a, tuahun lai a British anthropologist-ten Zo (Chin-Kuki) numeiten suah (slave) hinkhua a zatdan uh ana gen uhi. Phalvah apat nitum tan in numei ten na asem ua, tangval-te pen a tuam in Haam (Sawm) Inn ah agiah uhi. Tami pen pasal lalna leh thuneina society (patriarchy) kichi hi. Tun zong Zou sung ah numei domkang tuan lou a, nuainetna bei nai lou a, tami in i minam a tuantual sah hi. Zou sung ah numei milip 50% vel ahia, pasal tengteng khangtou nanleh, i numeite a tuantual uh leh Zou minam pumpi khangtou thei tuan lou ding hi. Mihing khat a phal lang khat zeng leh, ama pen mizeng kichi veve a; a lang khat maimai hibou, kichi thei lou hi. Zou society i et leh, a phal lang khat zeng ahidan kithei khe pai hi. I custom leh khanglui proverb, inn sung, hattuam leh khotang hinkhua chite ah numei nuai-mangna (erasure) mun adim in um hi. Numei in gam lua ding kiphal lou a, ta pasal nei loute “inn gam” kichi hi. Tami custom Pasian bawl hilou a, mihing bawl tawm ahi. Pasal-te bawl tawm ahi. 

Ta pasal deina in Family Planning dal thei a, zawl saina leh kikhuulna chite paing sah hi. Inn sung ah numei nuainetna in tate khantouna dal a, Zou minam lungsim damtheina (mental health) nahpi in sukha hi. Hattuam lam ah upa leh pastor tan pasal veve kigual a, vaihawmna teng pasal khut ah kikoi hi. Khotang kivaipuahna ZSP leh ZYO chite ah numei kinuai-mang bei a, Treasurer tung lam panmun tu din kisinsahna leh muanna zong kinei lou hi. UZO ahileh 100% pasal kipawlna ahia, Zou milip 50% (numei-te) representative hikha nai lou hi. Hattuam lam ten Zou numei-te adin mun awng (institutional space) neu khat ahong ua, MWCA leh ZWCA chite ana ding khia hi. Tami numei pawl ten antang ham, sum leh pai leh church property nasatah in a tun ding sah uhi. Zou sung a hattuamte huzap (influence) pen UZO huzap sang in hat zaw hi. Aziah ahileh hattuam lam ten Zou numei-te mun awng (space) a siamsah ziah ahi. Paite sung ah zong numei pawl ziah in Dorcus Hall piching tah ana lam zou uhi. I numeite uh mun awn a, zalenna i piah lou leh, i minam hatna 50% kizang thei nai lou china ahi. Tami thuguh Tum lam gan ten sawtpi in na thei ta ua, khotang kisiamphatna nasa tah a tun hi. Zou numeite mun teng a zalenna i piah chiang in, i khotang buaina kimkhat bei ding hi. I numei-te uh kitchen sung a i khum laisia, Zou minam khantouna in kitchen kaan zou lou ding hi. Inn sung, khotang, hattuam, sum suina, politics leh siamzilna ah Zou numei-te adia mun-awng (institutional space) i siamsah hun ta hi. 

CONCLUSION 

Minam khantouna din infrastructure – lamlian, railway, electric power, hospital, school, public library, youth centre, adg. – chite poimo a, hinanleh abihtah a Zou sung adin Total Literacy Mission ah kipan leh lamzang pen din a gintat huai hi. Total Literacy leh Numei Suahtatna pen khantouna din “infrastructure” sangma a poimo zaw ahivang un, solkar sum toh bawl thei zong hilou zel hi. Tamite pen “khotang sumpi” (social capital) kichi a, minam khantouna zungpi detsahtu ahi uhi. Manipur Zou milip 20,000 sung ah Total Literacy Mission loching sah lei, laisim thei mi piching 10,000 bang kinei ding hi. Tami teng lah ah 25% maimai in Zoukam laibute hing sim uleh, laibu copy 2500 phail kisun thei ding china ahi. Zoukam in market hoi hing nei ding a, literature piching sem kinei thei ding a, laigelh-te zong hing “professional” ta ding uhi. Tami in Knowledge Society neina dia khuam zungpi hing tunding sah ding a, khangsawn ah Knowledge Economy (services, finances, banking, tourism, hospitality, call centre, adg.) bang hing dingdoh thei ta phial ding hi. Numei-te zong kitchen sung ah kikhum non lou ding a, nehsuina leh sumsinna tuamtuam ah pasal toh kiliangkim in ding ta ding uhi. I sangnaupang leh graduate-te un kii-pi bang a laizil non lou dia, i khang toh kituah theina ziltu mai hilou in, theina bawltu (knowledge-producer) in hing pang ding uhi. Ngaidan thatha leh siamna thatha hing pawlut ding ua, nehsuidan thatha ahing siam khe ding uhi. Tua hun chiang in koiman solkar sepna chite pou dei non lou ding uhi. 

NOTES AND REFERENCES: 

[1] Lenin in hichi’n ana gen hi, “Without a revolutionary theory there can be no revolutionary movement”. See Freire, Paulo (1993) Pedagogy of the Oppressed, London & New York: Penguin Books, p. 107.

[2] Jacob 1: 23 leh 2: 20 ah tami Praxis umdan toh kinai mama thuhilna um kha a, hinanleh tami mun ah a thu agen (verbalism) sang in nasep (activism) poimodan kigen uang zaw hi. 

[3] ELCC Office Archives, Churachandpur, JCA Minute Book 1954 – 1958, p. 10. 

[4] JCA Minutes, p. 50. 

[5] Kosha, Donald (1988) A Historical Sketch of the Catholic Church in St. Paul’s Parish – Chandel District, Manipur, Chandel: 22nd Catholic Congress. 

[6] Fundamentalist kichi pawl ten tahsa leh hagau thu ui-le-keel bang in a ngaisun ua, Evangelical Khristian sung a kuulmut pha diah a kingai sun ahi uhi. Ama un “social gospel” a dem ua, khristian ten hagau lam khantouna maimai buaipi ding ahi chi gingtatna anei uhi. Tapidaw tamzaw ten Fundamentalist-te ngaidan pen kiselbuh leh piching zou lou in amu ua, uar-bih nei dan in a koi uhi. 

[7] Stott, John (1999) New Issues Facing Christians Today, London: Marshall Pickering. 

[8] Nengzatun, Rev. H (1991) Zou Mite Khotang Hinkhua Siemphatna (Social Reform among the Zous), Lamka: Director for Development of Tribal & Backward Classes, Manipur. 

[9] F.B. Meyer (1847 – 1929) in tua hunlai evangelical khristian-te khompi minthang Keswick Convention ah 1887 apat thugenna ana nei pan hi. Jesu nuazui kichite mimal hundamna leh sianthou ding maimai toh buai lou a, Samaria mihoipa bang a itna nasep khovel a tahlat ding ahidan agen hi. (See Ian M. Randall, “The Social Gospel: A case study” in Wolffe, John. 1995. Evangelical Faith and Public Zeal: Evangelicals and Society in Britain 1780-1980, pp. 155 – 174). 

[10] Freire (1993) Pedagogy of the Oppressed, p. 61.