//U-PA GOULUO LEH I ZO TAWNDÂN // By T.K. Lama, Aizawl

Khovel a nam tampi um in tawndân leh zuidân tuomtuom chiet a kinei chiet hi. Ei Zoute'n zong nam peidân tawndan leh dan zui (Culture and customary law) hoitah a kinei a, tuate ahileh Ji leh Pasal a kineidante, man leh muol kipiehdânte, tapa tapen gouluo dante, numei tung a khutkhiel dante leh kikhen leh kikhul dan a kinei hi. I nam tawndan leh ipu apatsa a ina zui uh hinanleh khenkhatte tulai khovel toh kituoh nawnlou a om a, tuate hi hoitah a, entha in, tulai dinmun toh kituoh in a kihei danglam zel hi. Tam bang a pupa tawndân kizuite tulai khovel changkan toh heituohdân theite hi nam khangtou leh changkangte a na hi tangpi u'a, nam changkang lou leh khangtouloute'n i pu i pate tawndân chi in a sumkuong sing kei zel u'hi. Ei Zoute'n zong mimal leh innkuon khantouna dînga i pu i pa apat a i na zui uh U-pa gouluo hih entha theilei a hoi dîng kagingta hi. U-pa gouluo leh innpi nga hi khantouna mit a gal et leh in a hoina tampi om nanleh hoitah a zilchien a I etchien chiengin a hoilou na tampi a na om hi. Tam anuoi a bang in U-pa gouluo hi gam leh nam'a dingin a hoi tahtah nai chi zil vai:

1. U-pa hi tapate lah a upapen leh nu leh pate adînga tapa melmu masatpen ahi ziehin nu leh pa itna a kidang mama hi. U-pa hi nu leh pa adinga kinepna leh hamuonpi pen ahi ziehin nu leh pa dingin a ithuoidân ta dangte sangin a sangzaw hi.

2. Nu leh pa te tha heng pen leh bangkim a pa dinmun a dingthei pen ahi ziehin adia in nute ading in a hamuon huoi dieh hi.

3. Pate'n vângsietna thu a sina khat a tuoh khâh chiengin u-pa in pa dinmun ading in innsung a enkol zel hi.

4. U-pa kichi hi a naute sang a ni leh ha mu masa ahi ziehin lungsim pichinbaina khat a nei hi.

5. U-pate'n nu leh pate nasep leh silbawl ah panpi in nu leh pate ading in puohgih a zangkhai mama hi.

6. U-pa in nu leh pate a têh a vuoi tan a enkol in a na vui zel a, nu leh pate'n u-pa zal in hamuong leh lunggimlou in a huntawp lam a zangthei u'hi.

7. U-pa innpi ngaina dân nuai ah nauzawte ading in nu leh pa vangsiet sil a ang beisan khâh dînga zauhuoi seng sih hi.

8. U-pa in thuneina ang lâh chiengin nauzawte'n upa pansan in ama uh ma a kikhuolthei uhi. U-pa vaisaina nuoi ah nauzawte'n nu leh pa a suhbuoi ngam sih hi. Tam atung ate hi tapa tapen(u-pa) gouluo dan hoina te hi a, i nam un kum zatam i na zui uh leh a hoina leh hoilouna theilou a nam tawndan a i na pomdet uh ahihi. Tapa tapen gouluo a innpi ngana hi a hoina a tam guol in a hoilouna zong a tam thou a, tuate ahileh:

1. Mihing dam kum et in u-pa a pichin chieng in pa tampite a thahat un dei bangin na a semthei nalai u'a, u-pa ang pichin chienga nasepte ang nei chiengin pate nasep a kithatda(neglect) thei uhi. Pate nasep ang ki thatda chiengin nauzawte ading gou a om nawn sih tangpi a, Tuachi'n nauzawte a vâhvai ut mama u'hi.

2. U-pa khenkhat ang pichin u'a pate toh bantha kikim ang nei chiengun khenkhatte'n pa thuneina thagum a tusawm in innsung ah pata buoina tampi a omthei hi.

3. U-pa in nu leh pa gou a luo ding a a unau dangte a enkol ding chi ahi a, hinanleh u-pa khenkhat innsung hindan leh khosahdan hasadeute'n a naute aningin ama u'a kitoudel dingin a sawl gumsan thei u'a, nauzawte adingin a beidonhuoithei mama hi.

4. U-pa khenkhat nu leh pa gouluo ding ahi kithei in a hinkhuo ah kithatdana a nei thei a, tuate hi nu leh pa adingin puohgih tah leh si hun lou a sina tan a tunthei hi.

5. Nu leh pate ta itdan leh u-pa in a unaute a itdan tong leh lâm a kikhie ahi ziehin u-pa in innsung a thuneina a lâh bai sêng chiengin unau dangte adingin hin a hasa ut mama hi.

6. U-pa in ji leh ta ang nei chieng in a ji a tate a khuol ngâi ahi ziehin a unaute khuolna a neithei si'a, a unau dangte adingin muolsuona ding lam-et a vang ut mama hi.

7. U-pa in ji hoilou a neikhâh a a jite'n a nu leh pa leh a sanggamte a muda khâh leh unau dangte getlou nu leh pa adingin damsung gentheina khat a chingthei hi. Nu leh pate'n a ta dangte lungsiet in khotuo mama nanleh bangma a bawlthei seng nawn si'a, Tate genthei hasatna lungsim natah in a gal-et zel hi.

8. Innsunga upapen a mitmaw sim a sep leh bawlkhiet a neilou leh pate adingin lungkhamna ahi a, Unau dangte lah a kikhuol uh a ngai ziehin nu leh pa adingin vangsietna lientah a hithei hi.

9. U-pate'n innsung a pa dinmun ading thei ding leh pate thaheng dingte a hichi kithei in lungsim nei leh kithatda theilou ahidan uh thei in na a sem uh u-pate'n lawchinna a nei(nga) chiengun unau dangte'n kimuonpi in a kithatda thei uhi.

10. I nam sunga mi lawchinglou leh nasem lou a om maimai kitam zieh u-pa hing enkol ding om chi thei a kithatda a kitam zieh ahi thei hi. Tam atung a u-pa innpi nga leh gouluodante hi michin tung a tungthei leh tunglou thei sil ahi a, Bang danzui in khovel a dan hoilou pen zui lei zong unau ki itna leh kingainatna nei hi a poimaw pen hi. Mihingte du-âmna khovel a teng leh a nopthei bangpen a om ut chiet a kihi ziehin Innsung a nu leh pate (Adieh in pa in) tate tung a itna kilahsahdante siema, gou tate hawmtham ching neite'n a damlai ngei a siemtah tate tunga deisah tuom neilou hawmsa a koi masat hi pa ching leh mipil hina khat ahihi. Pa khenkhat in a nei a lam teng upa ading a nuasie a a nauzawte ngaisah lou a ki-omthei a, tuabang hi Pa chitlana leh mani nopsahna ding chauh ngaituote ahi hi. I nam khantouna ding in u-pa innpi ngana dan nuoi a om i hina bangun u-pate hih nu leh pate'n tate a kikim a etkol dan siem a thuhil zing uh a ngai hi. I kimvel a i ten Unau Hmar, Lusei(Mizo), Meitei te hi eite sang a nam khangtou, pil leh changkang zawte u'a, Namkhat changkang leh khangtou ten silpeidan a na musiem un a tu a tate dinga dan zuiding in a na bawl ua khangthate'n ang zuitou chiengun ang khangtou zel uhi. hoithei bangpen ding a dan a nabawl a a na zuithei zieh uh ahi uhi. Nautum innpi nga leh gouluo dan ahileh Innsungkhat a ta pasal teng a lienpen apat ji leh ta nei masate a na inntuon zel un nautum in innpi(Nu leh pa tenna in) nga in nu leh pa gou a na luo a, tuachin a nu leh pate enkol in a na vui zel uhi. Nautum innpi ngana dan nuoi ah Pa in chitlana leh sina atuoh khâh leh u-pa in pa mawpuohna la in thupi lapi vai ding chiengin u-pa in a kizang hi. U-pa inntuonsa hinanleh zong nautum inn ah pa dinmun in a va dingthei hi. Nautum innpi ngana dan zuite'n nautum innpi nga a hoina a na mute uh leh a khantouna bulpi uh hiding a gintat huoipen ahileh:

1. I pu i pate'n a tate uh tung a a nathei(Experience a nanei uh) hoi mama khat uh ahileh a tate lah u'a upatdan a zil in lungsim nei dan kikhietdan leh U-pa/upazaw te Lungsim naupang zawte'n a phâhloudânte, nauzawte'n uzawte a dem zawlou dan uh getna in “Khup in Kha khêl ngai sih” chi leh “U-pa leh lamtou kidem zoulou” a na chi uh hi. Nautum innpi ngana danzuite'n i pu i pate ngaidan bang a na nei ziehun u-pa uzawte hih, bangkim ah nu leh pate ading in a ngaituo a huoi lou zaw leh ama u'a ding kipthei ahi ziehun a na indang sah u'hi. Tuachia uzaw te a indan chieng un uzaw hina lungsim in pichinna a pieh zel ziehun a kitoudel thei tangpi u'hi. Tate lah ah nautumte'n nu leh pate lungsietna a law mama un nu leh pate'n a ngai tuom mama ua, nautumte ngaituona ziehin nu leh pa tampite'n thei leh theilou in na a sem vevaw zel uhi. Nautumte a lungsim uh a nou in a piching ha u'a, hinanleh nu leh pa etkolna nuoi a om leh nu leh pa neisa toh bulpan ahi ziehun a ute bangin lungsim nei sih nanleh lungpieng kuo chiengun nêh leh tâh hawlna ah a lawching pai uhi. Tuachin Uzawte a uzaw lungtang toh a inntuon u'a, ang kitoudel chiengun nam sung ah mi kitoudelthei a tamlaw zel a tua chu gam leh nam khantou leh changkang na bulpi khat a suoh hi.

2. Nautum inn pi nga na ah uzawte a kithatda(neglect) thei si'a, inntuon zaw ding ahi kithei kawm in lungsim neitah a a om ziehun inn kuon khosa/ omthei a suoh tangpi u'hi.

3. U-pa te hi khovel mu masa zaw te ahi ziehun nauzawte kung a, va kun dîng sil hi theilou bang a a ngai ziehun tupgûhna/tahpanna khat a a nei tangpi un, tuamin sangpi a tutthei zel uhi.

4. U-pa gouluo na nuoi a, siltung dei huoilou tapa in nu leh pa thuneina thagum a lapieh leh thu neina kitu a buoina nautum innpi ngana innsung ah a om thei sih hi.

5. U-pa gouluona inn sung ah u-pa in ji leh ta ang nei chieng in a lungsim ngaituona a ji leh tate tunga om lou theilou ahi ziehin a naute a ngaisahthei seng si'a, Nu leh pa pilvang lou zieh leh chitlou ziehin nu leh pa tampite'n tate vâhvai gentheina mu in lungsiet mama nanleh bangma bawlthei neilou in, lungsim na kawmkawm in a en liem zel hi. Nauzaw innpi ngana a nu leh pa damsung nu leh pa in tate khentuom neilou a, enkol in a nei bangbang a kilawmdan a a hawm chieng in lungkimna a om zel hi.

6. Inn sung a U-pa in ji leh ta ang nei a innsung khosah hasat chiengin nunei(U-pa ji ) a gilou ut mama in unau dangte leh nu leh pa huotna a neithei a, U-pa ji ngamlou deute innsung ah buoina leh hasatna a tung ut mama hi. Nautum innpi ngana innsung ah jinei masa inntuon zel in moute thuohlana a om man seng sih a, nautum jite a gitlou a nu leh pa a lungkimsah lou leh uzawte'n nauzaw innsung ah thuneina lientah a neithei zieh uh leh nu leh pate'n gouluona uzawte kunga piehkhietthei ahi ziehin nautum ji a gilou thei sih hi. Unau Hmar, Lusei leh Meiteitete tawndan nautum innpi nga hi. I Zou nam tawndan U-pa gouluodan i zah sangun innkuon sunga mimal chinte khantouna ding leh changkanna dingin a hoizaw in nu leh pa gou sum nei sunsunte zong a kihawmguol zaw hi. Mi changkang leh khangtoute sil hoi bawldan enton a bawlte hi mipil ahi a, Mi bawl ahi zieha, bawl sawmlou a silhoi ningkhinte hi mimawl a kihi hi. Eite zong mimawlte om banga om sawm teitei nawn lou in, eima mimal, i nam leh i gam ading a changkanna leh khantouna ding ahi pou a, silsie ahi sih pouleh mite silbawldan hoite enton in kibawl pailei mimal, gam leh nam bangin I khantou pizaw ding hi. ( Tami U-pa gouluo leh nautum gouluo dante hi i nampi in zui vai china ahi si'a mimal chinte, gam leh nam khahtouna ding mit (Eye’s) a et in a hoizaw chi zieha kang talat ahizaw hi).

Welcome Speech by Chairman, Zoculsin

Respected Prof. T.N Panditji; our honourable Chief Guest of the Workshop, Dr.Subbakrisnaji, Dr. Subbaraoji, Dr.Pritha Chandra madam, Dr. Rajesh Kumarji, my dear brothers & sisters, ladies and gentlemen. It is our privilege to have you, in our midst; Professor Panditji You who has spent your 30 years of your life among the tribals of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with vast experiences which can not be bought with gold and silver. We are indeed thankful to you for being so generous to have consented to be our Chief Guest today. Sir, we are really pleased to receive you in our midst to enlighten us and educate us on culture, anthropology and tribal life as a whole.

Looking back the bygone days and years when the idea of having a cultural and literature society, was conceived in my mind to establish a society to foster and promote our dying culture, literature and traditions of our forefathers of bygone era, i vividly remember the near insurmountable obstacles and problems i faced in establishing this society, today it is very nostalgic moment for me personally and for others too. This Cultural-cum-Literature Society which saw the light of day and therefore, it was registered on the 23rd, April, 1998 at Delhi by the name of Zou Cultural-cum-Literature Society Delhi with the main object of developing Zo/Zou literature and language and also other tribal languages. It has been now, rechristened as Zo Cultural-cum-Literature Society India recently with a broader perspective of covering larger areas and scope. The Zo/Zou tribe is recognized as a scheduled tribe in 1956 by Government of India. The total population of Zou/Zo tribe in India is 20,526 as per Census 2001, and in Myanmar(Burma) Zo/Zou population is estimated to be 61,000 as per some linguistic websites since the Myanmar census is not available with us maybe even more than this figure. They are believed to be descended from Zo great progenitor known as Zo i.e Pu Zo.

As a human being and as a member of Zo/Zou society, i had early passion to study and develop the tribal languages. Keeping in mind those childhood dreams, i have done my M.A(Linguistics) from Annamalai University in my own sweet time and choosing. Often, some sections of my own society misunderstood me for taking slightly different paths, they have been quite apprehensive about my activities and works which, of course, at times appears to be quite unconventional and non-confirmist as per their world view. But the fact of, the matter is that the language of a particular community or tribe actually, does not belong to one specific or particular registered organization or society etc, on the contrary, it actually, belongs to the speaker(s) or the speech community. I have come through specialization in the area of linguistic, therefore, my learning and knowledge has been channelized through proper channel for the sake of our dying culture and language.

Every generations keeps on changing, so do language evolves and it keeps on changing, to keep up with the changing times, so do we also need to fit our language as per modern times, we cannot remain static forever, renowned anthropologist Edward Burnett Tylor in his work Primitive Culture(1871 A.D) defined Culture as "that complex whole that includes knowledge, art, morals, custom and any other capacity and habit as acquired by man as a member of a society". We know that culture is dynamic so also, language is dynamic not static, it keeps on changing as per need, in order to preserve and keep up the changing trends, we have to invent rather adapt to new ways of writings i.e orthography by adopting linguistic techniques and trends of modern times. In every society changes do occur, but it takes time to change, but changes do actually happen whether one like it or not. Some fear changes, some oppose changes, some deny changes, some deliberately see no changes, some see changes but refuse to accept, but the fact of the matter is that CHANGES do occur in our societies in respect of culture, traditions and language. Some dare it some don't.

Still, i dare to tread a path which others would fear to tread, for i have a firm belief that someday my dreams would come true when sooner or later people will realize the logic and benefits of adopting new ways of thinking and doing things and above all, a will to dare and Change things which seem impossible to change, learn things which seem unthinkable to think, accept the facts which seems impossible to accept now.

Holding a language in a tight compartment sort of thing is not going to preserve, propagate, develop and disseminate it, rather it is going to stifle its growth and development. Our feudal mindsets and mentalities have to undergo changes in order to move forward in our goal of achieving cultural and linguistic uniformity and unity.
Every language or speech should be given the freedom to breathe fragrant air, they are like multitudes of beautiful flowers in a beautiful garden of societies. Every flower should be nurtured to give good seeds to bring sweetness to the societies.
We do not possess great cultural heritage and great traditions like the ancient Egyptians or Indus people or Chinese people or mainstream fellow Indians, yet with the little cultural heritage and traditions we do possess we could move forward, develop, document and preserve whatever valuable facets of our cultural heritage and traditions. Language being the most important factor of cultural preservations, therefore, this society came to existence a decade back in this very capital of India.

In its long journey for the past 10 years, the society could not do much for want of funds and support. However, it was able to bring out a number of important publications in a special manner it is befitting to mention the first and foremost publication of our poetic/song language which is called 'Dictionary of Zo poetic words, metaphors and similes Vol.I(Zo lahâmtengte, Kigêntênate leh Kitêkâhnate Hâmbu Bu khatna) which is about our forefathers poetic language which are employed in our folksongs and in modern songs. Other publications brought out by the society are Tapidaw Late(Katholik zailate leh Mass lamzuina), A brief biography of Sub. Peter Thangkhokam, Ka hinkhuo tomkim, Ka Katekizam Masapên, Leitung Satna, My Brief Memoirs of ZSP and ZOD, Zou Grammar and Composition(Zou Hamzahdan). The society also brought out a number of editions of a magazine called Zotongdam which is a linguistic magazine published quarterly from 2005. There are few more books to be published in future if funds permit.

We are very grateful to Shri. Udayanarayan Singh the worthy Director of Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore for his kindness and thoughtfulness for having given support and grant to this Workshop on Glossary of Zo Cultural Vocabularies which is perhaps, the first ever of its kind for N.E India language and perhaps, India as a whole, if i am not mistaken.
It is also our privilege to have in our midst Dr. Rangaswamaiah Subbakrisnaji of CIIL, Mysore who will be our Co-ordinator for the Workshop. And it is mainly through his suggestions and kind intervention that we are able to get sponsorship of CIIL, Mysore hold such unique workshop for the first time in our history that too, in the heart of India's capital; New Delhi. We are extremely grateful to Dr. Rangaswamaiah Subbakrisnaji for his generosity and kindness to make this workshop see its light of day. Also, we are thankful for his thoughtfulness and his consent to be our Co-ordinator of the workshop for the coming days ahead of us.

We are very grateful to all those who come here for having spared their precious time and labour to grace this function as audience and as participants of this workshop

Once again, I on behalf of the gatherings and the society, in a special manner thank you, Dr. Udayanarayana Singh, Director CIIL, Mysore, Dr. Rangaswamaiah Subbakrisna and Prof. Panditji for gracing this inaugural session of work and celebrate the Decade old existence of ZOCULSIN, and also to commemorate the International Year of Languages 2008.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Thank one and all for your co-operation and care.