32_SohmyntingInterview_2

`EMPTY.'

EMPTY

`Q) `ok, you brother in law, as you know tell us how sohmyntin vill came to be Who estd this vill.'

To me sakhiat kong tæ kam wa tip dangchwa kani kachnong sohmyntin heiwon dur wan ko Yi wa seiñ chnong heini'

`as far as i know, the elders told me that the lady from the Pyrtuh clan estd a vill here, and before that they resided in jwai/jowai.'

Nga katkam wa tip o tæ, wa seiñ chnong tæ ka yong pyrtuh, neibhah kat ipor wa parom ki wa hæh tæ ong ki kini ki yong pyrtuh ichwa chong kitæ ha jwai.

`it seems that there were two sisters, the youngest have no goddess, but the elder sist have goddess, the youngest ones stole away her sist's goddess.'

Tæ æm kitæ kibru sñiawsar chipayu ki, tæ katæ kakhian ym yoh blai, tæ tooh katæ kapayu khian na katæ kahæh ya katæ kablai.

`the youngest sister was driven away from jowai, then she came and resided in this vill.'

Tæ dæp neitæ chah beh na jwai tæ wan chong chnong cheini.

`Q) `and according to what you know how was it.'

tæ me yn kat heijingtip yong me kammon

`acc to what i knew they came from Mynso.'

To, nga yn kat kam wa tip o tæ ne ong ki wan ki na Mynso.

`of course from mynso, from mynso to jowai, from jowai they came here.'

Na mynso re mo, na mynso ha jwai, na jwai poi ki cheini.

`it seems there was a batlle at that time it continued till this vill.'

Wa sñiaw wa neitæ læh ong ki wa læh thma ki ne, sñiawdur tæ yathma ki cheini cha chnong sohmyntin se.

`after the battle they resided in this vill and those people were from the pyrtuh clan only.'

Dep neitæ tæ poi ki ha chnong sohmyntiñ seiñ chnong ki dooh katæ kakur pyrtuh hi.

`then since there were only 'pyrtuh in that village they started having fear of how can they stay like that, how will there be marriage, the people can't get a partner for themselves from the same clan..'

Dep neitæ tæ kat da sah samen du chi kur kamtæ, tæ kam ong kattæ tæ teiñ noh ki sæ, sñiaw chong syer chong duk itæ mo, kammon kitæ poi kha poi man da kini kibru læh ym yoh kha yoh man, tæ ong noh katæ kajingtæp teiñ kitæ syer ki mo

`since then they had this fear and they are also afraid to stay single.'

Tæ nadooh katæ kapor kat dang æm katæ kajingsyer kajingteiñ, tæ ong ki læh samen uchong tæ teiñ. Mo.

`therefore this village was named after this situation, samenteñ (which means afraid to be alone), and it was further recommend officially in writings as Sohmynting (sohmen or samen `alone and ting or teñ or tieng 'afraid.'

Tæ neibhah tæ idaw ya kani kachnong da khut pyrtuit ya ka da kasamenteiñ, e noh pyrtuit ha jingthoh Sohmyntin.

`sohmen means alone, ting means afraid, this village came to be known as Sohmynting since theñ. (for a pnar speaker its SamyntiN, for a khasi its Sohmynting).'

Sohmen tæ mut samen, ting mut wa teñ, tæ se ong ki wan chong chnong tæ pyrtuit kani kachnong toh samen toh teñ, tæ sohmyntin.

`that's the reason this vill was named as so.'

katæ toh kadaw ka wa e pyrtuit ya kani kachnong mo.

`Q) `What are the different types of people that resided in this vill..'

kiyi de kijait chnong ki wa wan chong chnong katte'

`then the aliens that resided here later were the people from across the Myngot river.'

tæ hadien neitæ kisohchnong tæ kitai ki na chiliang myngot

`Q) .'

che chwa kayi ka wa nyngkong sæ, wa sakhiet

`no, who were the first aliens .'

ki wa nyngkong wa wan sohchnong

`I don't know much about that, ok you tell them if you know.'

Tæ nga læh re tip bha iyi itæ, to to pynbood da me la tip mi sæ.

`what i know is, the second aliens who came to reside in this vill was the Phawa clan, during that time my grandmother was back carried (like a baby).'

itæ tæ kat ijingtip yong nga, jan ka wa ar wan sohchnong heini yong phawa, kat ipor wa wan sohchnong ki heini tæ katæ kabeipun i dang bah ki ka deibah.

`after that then came the Nonghuloo clan, then the khasi people, acc to what i know from the older people.'

Tæ dæp yn tæ hadien neitæ, wan kini kinonghuloo, dæp yn tæ tæ wan kini kikhyriem, katkam jingtip yong nga parom ki wa hæh sæ.

`EMPTY.'

EMPTY

`ok now we know the people from different clans who came to be citizens of this vill later oñ.'

To ie kattu tæ da tip i man wa kitæ ki wa yalok ki wan sohchnong tæ katæ kajait kur mo.

`so this pyrtuh clan they said, it's the first to estd this vill, till this day the chief of this vill should always be appointed from this clan, is it true bro in law .'

tæ kani kakur pyrtuh kat da ong ki man ka wa seiñ chnong nyngkong tæ toh hi mai kong man hadooh kini kisngi læh man wa ya urangbah chnong tæ da ong bait ki man uthung rangbah chnong ki da uni yong pyrtuh hi, toh hi kam tæ'

`yes it's true, till today the pyrtuh clan was respect by the people and they obey to appoint the chief from the pyrtuh clan.'

hao kam tæ hi kachnong yong i dang neh hi wa læh ki wa rim burom ki ya kakur pyrtuh wa katni læh man ko ngooh upaidbah yong kachnong ya uthung hi da uwahæh ong kakur pyrtuh.

`since then the honor was given to the pyrtuh clan, to elect a vill chief from the elders of the clan.'

Ong bait nadooh tæ ipor hi pa ya man ksoh ki ya katæ kaburom para i hi kam ong kaburom kylliang mo, toh i u wa hæh wa san tæ ujied noh da katæ kakur pyrtuh mo.

`so till now the elder from the pyrtuh clan was still there isn't it .'

Tæ katni læh dang æm utu wahæh kur pyrtuh ki ynde

`yes he is still there.'

O dang æm u.

`so that's the truth about what's going on in our vill, so do you remember the year that this vill was estd.'

To tæ itæ toh wa tip i kadaw ka wa jinglong jingman kani kachnong yong i, tæ dæp ni tæ tæ me kynmoo mi ma ai nadooh usnæm yee ma ai dæp kiseñ ni kachnong sakhiat

`I don't remember the year, i just remember when my grandmother was carried here, they were the second to come and reside here.'

Kat ya usnæm tæ kynmoo o re kheñ phi, kat ya usnæm tæ nga wa kheñ hæh iyi tæ ijingwanrah ya katæ kabeipun i cheini, tæ hawa man ong noh ki da man ki ki wa ar ki wan sohchnong heini.

`I was just six years or so when my grandmother passed away, now I'm 65 years old, i remember slightly, she died when she was very old, just like my mother did.'

Tang kat na wa yap kabeipun i læh nga jan ynru snæm o mo, boi ym pu æm o tang ynru snem, kat ukynmoo eh o, tæ nga kattu la ynruphaw san snæm o tæ, sñiaw phi ka yap ko læh da tymmen da dor bha ko, kam wa yap hi kabei.

`I think it's in the 1800's, because the 1900's had gone.'

Jan na kisnæm khatphra spah hi, tharai neibhah uni usnæm khatkhynde spah da lai mo.

`my mother died when she was 92 years old, she was born here and her father was a pyrtuh.'

Tang kat kabei na wa yap ko læh ka la khyndephaw ar snæm ko, ka da kha cheini ka upa ko u yong pyrtuh.

`I think it's in the 1800's, the hundred years had gone, ok we'll leave what was left behind.'

kasnæm khatphra spah hi jan, da kispah snæm hi wa da lai, tæ ieh ya ka tæ da lai kattu mo.

`so in this vill, who kept these forest.'

Tæ yoo phi ha kani kachnong sakhiat tæ kini kikhloo kikjam yee ma i wa booh tip hi mi'

`the vill as a whole or just the pyrtuh clañ.'

kachnong waroh kawi ne mi katæ kakur pyrtuh mo?

`no, what i knew was the forest here was managed by the elders, and as we know that the forest was made by the Creator.'

Che katkam wa tip o tæ, ya kachnong kakhloo kakjam katkam wa tip wa pyllai kiwaheh tæ, kakhloo tæ ong bait ka da man chwa ka wa booh utæ unongbooh nongthaw ya katæ.

`the village as a whole as well as the clan managed the forest not only the village not only the clan'

Hadien da chim kachnong dæp yn tæ tæ yakam lang ko karyngkat wa kachnong wa kakur hi, ym æm utoh du kakur, ym toh du kachnong.

`everyone gave a hand and took care of it.'

yaksoh kti lang waroh hi, sumar lang.

`and whoever needed it was given, we share it.'

toh hi tæ tæ, Dep ni tæ tæ kat ka wa æmkam læh ya uyoh lang hi tæ mo.

`that's the most important thing for us to take care of it, especially today we should not destroy our forests around us.'

Tæ to katæ toh kawi kabynta ka wa æmkam wa toh uyasumar lang, khamtam ya kani kapyrthai kamariang wa kani ym hoi upynjot pynpra i ya kani kakhloo kakjam wan eh soodong ya kani kachnong i. yndæ?

`with regards to religions and chrisianity, who started it, was it really since the comings of the people from the west.'

Tæ na liang kani kaniam karukom kam ong noh kaniam kristan, tæ sakhiat ya kani kaniam kristan toh æm hi kong wa ong ki wa wan da ki tæ kari sepngi ne cheini cha itip hi

`as i knew it was those people coming from the west.'

Nga katkam wa tip o tæ kam tæ, ong ki na ri sepngi wa wan cheini cha i neitæ.

`they convert people to Christianity, then afterwards different beliefs came up, like Mr Joy he started Chruch Of God, then came Roman Catholic and so on.'

Pynkylla kristan mo, o tæ jan toh hi, hadien hadien neitæ wa nang señ nangseñ niam kitæ mo, kam ong noh tæ ubah joy señ u ya kani kaniam Balang uBlai, dep neitæ kaniam Roman Catholic terter kam tæ sæ ynde.

`different beliefs and so oñ.'

Tæ jar jar kajingngait tæ kam tæ sæ mo.

`Q) `do you know that earlier we did have the traditional belief and custom before.'

Tæ nang de sakhiat æm katæ kalæh niam læh rukom ha itip hi mi mynchwa

`.'

Kat wa tip o heini mynchwa,

`.'

yee ki kini ki ong bait kitæ kam kajing..

`how did they perform the old/traditional culture.'

kaculture ka wa rim tam tæ kammon læh ki

`the dancing, the pamkhla pamwait ceremony was there or not.'

katæ kachad mastieh mo katæ kapamkhla pamwait æm mo ym æm ko re marieh'

`as far as i know, there no such belief or ceremony because the hindu or non Christians at that time were just the pyrtuh clan and the khasis who resided in this vill.'

Nga kam wa tip o tæ cheini ha itæ æm ko re katæ bhah kat wa tip o tæ ki wa dang man hindu ki dang man chnong tæ du kini ki yong pyrtuh hi wa kini kikhyriem ki wa wan sohchnong cheini cha chnong sohmynting.

`there's no such ceremony and dancing festivals like any other vill had.'

Tæ ya katæ kalæhniam chad mastieh katæ kawon kawon kam kiwi kichnong kibru tæ æm ko re.

`but the pamblang (to cut the goat's neck with a dow 'the durga puja') ceremony was there during our childhood .'

Kat ya katæ kapamblang kakña naai te æm ko, jooh lai hi itai ha lyngdoh man ipor wa dang khynnah khian.

`in the sacred grove right..'

Ha khloo blai mo.'

`.'

hao, khloo blai heitai

` is it true that there was this 'sniang blai (pig god) that the pyrtuh clan kept.'

Tæ toh sakhiat hi nga sñiaw kam wa ong ki wa æm tæ usniang blai u wa ri ki yong pyrtuh wa bah ne æm hi'

`EMPTY.'

EMPTY

`yes, but i did not see him i just heard that he was there when we were just children'.'

Kat ipor yong i tæ nga ym æm liyoo o oo tang wa khana ki ong ki æm hi u sæ, kattæ ipor i dang khynnah I.

`Did they worship him.'

Man u wa mane ki u tæ'

`I don't know but they said he was the 'sniang blai.'

Ym tip o wa mane mo kammon tang wa ong ki usniang blai ne.

`EMPTY.'

EMPTY

`ok so that house was known as the 'iung blai', i heard about it it must be there only right .'

To, ya katæ tæ man yung blai hi ko mo ka kayung kam ong nga jooh sñiaw hi o wa ong ki ne man katæ tæ kmai yung ko ne, jan hi tæ hi mo'

`yes there only, and there was this strange kind of plaintain that grew during that time, we were still young and haven't seen one like that, it never give birth to a another sapling, don't know what they called it..'

O hi tæ hi, wa kapachor æm katu kapachor kadooh kawi hi tu ha kmai yung, kattæ ipor i dang khynnah i tæ ka wa ym jooh yoo kha khon ko, ka wa dooh kawi bait kapachor yee khut ki kai katu.

`who knows maybe it's the 'pachor blai' again, people during those times had beliefs in all kind of god.'

Tip kaboi kapachor blai sæ katæ læh, ong ki dang ngait blai.

`only one stem it has, in my childhood i used to have a look at it and wonder what kind of a plaintain was that, why would they just let it grow, it never had any saplings.'

tnung du kawi kat wa khliehsnem ulipait ka læh katæ ma katæ man nga hadooh wa ong o mai kapachor yee re kakam katu tip ukha khon læh yoo hi re, yee yee læh æm hi re kamte tæ ya ukhih ki re ka ueh næ.

`ok i think now the story telling is enough for today.'

To jan kattu da biang katæ kajingyakhana parom tæ da biang noh chwa mo.

`if anyone of you know some stories come here..'

Tæ la dang æm kiwon kiwon wa tip parom tæ le.

`.'

yakhana parom ini

`.'

uñ biang kachadien mo, heitæ ipor...

`.'

to, to, da hoi i, yap moo yoh jingmut

`I'll go back to the story, at that time when the phawa clan came to sohmynting, they asked for a place to built houses near pretty's house.'

heitæ ipor dang sdang wan kini kiphawa cheini cha samyntin, tæ pan kini yong phawa heitai ha yung kapretty uchna yung.

`they didn't let us, they said no it's not good to stay nearby, you people go down there, and then we got a nice location for building houses.'

Tæ chah ki re I, ong ki chesh man re yachong lang, tæ phi chong cheitai cha wah yajngai dæp yn tæ poi kini ki yong i cheini cha madan chnong da yoh ithaw wa miat.

`earlier there was a fear, therefore if possible we want to stay together nearby everyone..'

Kam ong dang de tæ bhah kam ong phi tæ kam ong kat da man sohmynting tæ kat da teñ ma yoh chirrup chirrup sæ hajan.

`but we were not allowed they told us go and stay over there, here near the village field..'

sñiawsuk yachong yasah. Tangwa chah ko re ong ko phi chong cheitai ne, cheini cha madan chnong.

`this good location was occupied by outsiders, whereas the natives (pyrtuh) settled in the hilly region..'

kat tæ ini ithaw wa miat yoh ki uchong ki wa nabar chnong mo, kitæ yn ki yong pyrtuh tæ chong ki cha khap loom khap wah eh.

`it was a small hill, at first it was a good spot too because the it seems cool, but nowadays it is not so good at all due to congestion..'

kaloom ka wa rynchoiñ ne, ha kawi kaliang yoo pynngiat hi tangwa ha kini kisngi tæ man ko kachnong man ko kathaw ka wa ym æm umiat, wa joor ikhynnia.

`Q) `you told us that when your grandma first came here she was back carried.'

heitæ ipor i wa ong phi kabeipun yong phi wan nyngkong wan deibah'

`yes she was back carried by her brother and uncles..'

Oo, deibah kitæ kima kiwoh ka sæ.

`Q) `when they first came here are they Christian.'

kat da wan ki da man kristan ki ne'

`no no not yet Christians, they were still non Christian..'

Ym pu æm, ym pu æm uman kristan ki kat wa wan ki heini, dang man chnong.

`when they were converted, they no longer be in contact with our clan from Tuber..'

Tæ dæp yn tæ tæ manda kylla kristan ki ym æm de uyatip wa kitai kikur wa wan ki na tuber.

`we were considered as a taboo by our clan from Tuber due to conversion..'

Sang kitai kikur i na Tuber wa da kylla kristan kini ki yong i.

`q) `are you in contact prior to that.'

Kat wa ym pu æm kylla dang yalai yawan phi'

`yes, even our grand uncle was lame, he went to tuber and was lame due to the disease called 'niangthoh',..'

O dang yalai yawan, te ste utæ uwoh soh i læh utæ wa tkoh u wa yoh niangthoh, ong ki ki wa yoh niangthoh cha tuber deibah.

`he was lame and he and the place was named as 'sohnok (is an expression for the way a lame person walk/limp)..'

dæp tæ poi chitai yoh kaniangthoh o, dæp tæ tkoh upli ym hoi de, sohnok sohnok ne da mih wi naam wa katæ kathaw man utæ usohnok ne, wa yoh niangthoh o tæ tkoh u.

`he lived on agriculture there, before all the cowboys said 'lets go to sohnok but the present generation children don't know about this..'

Tæ liræp soh upli hitu, kam ong katni khynnah ym tip de ki, dang heipor chare masi i yoo phi tæ waroh khynnah chare masi ym pli beh masi cha sohnok.

`o, even i used to heard about it but i just don't know where is this place called 'sohnok..'

O nga læh jooh sñiaw itæ wa khut pyrtuit ki sæ sohnok tangwa ym tip heiwon tæ ithaw.

`he was lame and he just limp..'

Katwa tkoh upli nong tæ lai unok nok ne.

`now i know it's a person i thought its just a place..'

Hanpaya da ubru mo, nga mut o itæ ithaw ne.

`in olden days people used to named a place after a person..'

Ong bait dang de tæ e naam ki hi ubru hi uwon uwon wa yee ubooh naam tæ toh kam tæ sah naam u sæ.

`its enough now..'

To da biang ko mo.

`EMPTY

EMPTY