OLAC Record: Nga ni myi hpaw na si ai lam (Why fish die with their eyes open) with English translation

OLAC Record
oai:paradisec.org.au:KK1-2253

Metadata

Title: Nga ni myi hpaw na si ai lam (Why fish die with their eyes open) with English translation

Access Rights: Open (subject to agreeing to PDSC access conditions)

Bibliographic Citation: Keita Kurabe (collector), Keita Kurabe (depositor), Maju Tu Ja (speaker), 2018. Nga ni myi hpaw na si ai lam (Why fish die with their eyes open) with English translation. EAF+XML/MPEG/WAV. KK1-2253 at catalog.paradisec.org.au. https://dx.doi.org/10.26278/5fa1772c065cd

Contributor (compiler): Keita Kurabe

Contributor (depositor): Keita Kurabe

Contributor (speaker): Maju Tu Ja

Coverage (Box): northlimit=27.331; southlimit=23.137; westlimit=95.335; eastlimit=98.498

Coverage (ISO3166): MM

Date (W3CDTF): 2018-12-14

Date Created (W3CDTF): 2018-12-14

Description: Translation (Rita Seng Mai) The title of the story I am going to tell you now is 'Majun'. The Jinghpaw people have 'Majun'. What is Majun? Everything happening on this Earth has Majun. Some people think Majun is a story. But it is not a story. 'Majun' means the origin of why that event happened. For example, this is the title of the story, 'The origin of why fish doesn't have a tongue'. I will tell you the origin of why fish doesn't have a tongue. In the past, God created all the creatures. After he had created trees, plants, and animals, he gathered the animals to discuss creating humans. He said to the animals, "I am going to create humans. Who will be food for them?" The fish said, "We will be food for them." Then the chickens said, "We will also be food for them." The fish said, "We will lay millions of eggs and become food for them. If we do not keep our promise, may our eyes remain open when we die." Then humans caught many fish to eat. Many fish died. Then they regretted what they had promised to God. They said to each other, "We made a promise we couldn't keep. Let's go to God and ask Him to fix our promise." They went to God and said, "God, we are going to become extinct because humans catch us so much." God cut their tongues and said, "Don't speak! Once a promise is made, it cannot be changed." Since that day, the fish doesn't have a tongue. As they had promised, their eyes remain wide open when they die. All the other animals, including humans, close their eyes when they die. In the past, our elders used to say to those who did not keep their promises, "You will be like a fish without a tongue if you break your promise." Our elders always teach us that kind of lesson. Pastor Nhkyi Pan, who lives in Putao Hpak Ma, told me this story. Later, he moved to Namti Kan La. But he already passed away in 1998 while he was in Namti. Through this story, our elders told us the origin of why fish have no tongues. Transcription (La Ring) Ya ngai tsun dan na gabaw gaw "Majun" ngu ai re. Anhte Jinghpaw wunpawng sha ni hta "Majun" ngu nga ai. ndai "Majun" gaw hpabaw hpe tsun a ta nga yang shawng ndai mungkan ga e byin mabyin yawng gaw ma hkraw gaw byin mabyin ma hkra gaw "Majun" nga ai. I dai "Majun" hpe nkau mi gaw maumwi mausa shadu ai. Shi gaw maumwi mausa nre shi gaw "Majun" re. "Majun" ngu ai gaw langai ngai a byin hpang wa ai lam a ningpawt ninghpang hpe ngu ai. Ga shadawn "Nga (fish) ni shinglet ntu ai" "Majun" gabaw gaw ndai rai sa. Daini "Nga" ni shing let ntu gaw hpa majaw nga yang moi hpang ningsang e nga manga yawng hpe hpan tawn da sai. Dai kaw dusat dumyeng hpun kawa tsingdu tsingman ni yawng hpan da ngut ai hpang shinggyim masha hpan na rai yang zuphpawng galaw ai da. Dai gaw dusat dumyeng ni hpe shaga nna "Ngai ya shinggyim masha hpan na, nanhte na shat mai kadai tai na" nga jang "Nga' ni wa she "Anhte tai na ga ai" nga "Nga" ni gaw rai yang she u ni mung "dai shat mai kaw anhte mung lawm na ga ai" nga "Nga" ni gaw "Anhte gaw pai maga na garep kaw di sen mi hkra maga na garep de di sen mi di na shalaw jahtam na shinggyim masha ni a shat mai tai na ga ai" nga na bai tsun. "E lama anhte ga sadi nteng yang gaw si tim myi ndi na ga ai" nga mi re da. Kaja wa shinggyim masha hpan nna shinggyim masha ni gaw "Nga" ni hpe madim ja madim ja nna hkwi sha yang gaw "Nga" ni raw raw law law ru si rim si yang gaw shanhte gaw bai loi myit malai nna "E anhte yin la ai ga sadi gaw shut sai law hpan Madu hpe kalang bai sa hpyi nem ga. Ga sadi lai ya na matu tsun ga" ngu ai da. Rai yang she ndai sa tsun ai da hpan Madu kaw hpan Madu kaw sa tsun ai "Hpan Madu e nli htum na hkyen ga ai shinggyim masha ni nau hkwi sha majaw" nga na wa tsun jang she hpan Madu gaw "Nga" a shinglet tsut di "Ga hkum shaga mi kalang yin la sai ga sadi hpe lai nmai ai, lai nmai ai" ngu da. Dai shani kaw na shi gaw shinglet ntu mat ai da. Dai, daini du hkra shi a gasi hte maren "Nga" ni si jang myi hpraw lau re myi ndi ai. Kaga dusat ni gaw shinggyim masha kawn hkawt yawng gaw si jang myi di ai. E ya "Nga" ni gaw myi hpraw lau rai na gaw dai majaw moi na salang ni gaw "sadi ndung jang i "Nga" ni zawn shinglet ntu na lu" nga na tsun ma ai. Ndai gaw "Majun"ma re anhte Kaji Kawa ni anhte hpe sharin ai re. Ngai hpe e ndai maumwi ndai tsun dan ai gaw ndai "Majun" hpe tsun dan ai gaw Putao Hpak Ma ga na Hpungtau Nhkyi Pang re. Shi gaw dai kaw na htawt Namati Kan La kaw nga yang lai wa sai 1998 ning shaning n nga mat sai Hpungtau Nhkyi Pang re. Moi na salang kaba re. Ndai gaw ndai "Majun" hte maumwi i "Nga" ni shinglet ntu ai "Majun" nga nna salang ni hkai dan ai re. . Language as given: Jinghpaw

Format: Digitised: no Media: Audio

Identifier: KK1-2253

Identifier (URI): http://catalog.paradisec.org.au/repository/KK1/2253

Language: Kachin

Language (ISO639): kac

Publisher: Pacific and Regional Archive for Digital Sources in Endangered Cultures (PARADISEC)

Rights: Open (subject to agreeing to PDSC access conditions)

Subject: Kachin language

Subject (ISO639): kac

Subject (OLAC): language_documentation

text_and_corpus_linguistics

Table Of Contents (URI): http://catalog.paradisec.org.au/repository/KK1/2253/KK1-2253-A.eaf

http://catalog.paradisec.org.au/repository/KK1/2253/KK1-2253-A.mp3

http://catalog.paradisec.org.au/repository/KK1/2253/KK1-2253-A.wav

Type (DCMI): Sound

Type (OLAC): primary_text

OLAC Info

Archive: Pacific And Regional Archive for Digital Sources in Endangered Cultures (PARADISEC)

Description: http://www.language-archives.org/archive/paradisec.org.au

GetRecord: OAI-PMH request for OLAC format

GetRecord: Pre-generated XML file

OAI Info

OaiIdentifier: oai:paradisec.org.au:KK1-2253

DateStamp: 2026-02-25

GetRecord: OAI-PMH request for simple DC format

Search Info
Citation: Keita Kurabe (compiler); Keita Kurabe (depositor); Maju Tu Ja (speaker). 2018. Pacific and Regional Archive for Digital Sources in Endangered Cultures (PARADISEC).
Terms: area_Asia country_MM dcmi_Sound iso639_kac olac_language_documentation olac_primary_text olac_text_and_corpus_linguistics

Inferred Metadata
Country: Myanmar
Area: Asia

http://www.language-archives.org/item.php/oai:paradisec.org.au:KK1-2253
Up-to-date as of: Wed Jul 8 7:29:40 EDT 2026

Metadata
Title:		Nga ni myi hpaw na si ai lam (Why fish die with their eyes open) with English translation
Access Rights:		Open (subject to agreeing to PDSC access conditions)
Bibliographic Citation:		Keita Kurabe (collector), Keita Kurabe (depositor), Maju Tu Ja (speaker), 2018. Nga ni myi hpaw na si ai lam (Why fish die with their eyes open) with English translation. EAF+XML/MPEG/WAV. KK1-2253 at catalog.paradisec.org.au. https://dx.doi.org/10.26278/5fa1772c065cd
Contributor (compiler):		Keita Kurabe
Contributor (depositor):		Keita Kurabe
Contributor (speaker):		Maju Tu Ja
Coverage (Box):		northlimit=27.331; southlimit=23.137; westlimit=95.335; eastlimit=98.498
Coverage (ISO3166):		MM
Date (W3CDTF):		2018-12-14
Date Created (W3CDTF):		2018-12-14
Description:		Translation (Rita Seng Mai) The title of the story I am going to tell you now is 'Majun'. The Jinghpaw people have 'Majun'. What is Majun? Everything happening on this Earth has Majun. Some people think Majun is a story. But it is not a story. 'Majun' means the origin of why that event happened. For example, this is the title of the story, 'The origin of why fish doesn't have a tongue'. I will tell you the origin of why fish doesn't have a tongue. In the past, God created all the creatures. After he had created trees, plants, and animals, he gathered the animals to discuss creating humans. He said to the animals, "I am going to create humans. Who will be food for them?" The fish said, "We will be food for them." Then the chickens said, "We will also be food for them." The fish said, "We will lay millions of eggs and become food for them. If we do not keep our promise, may our eyes remain open when we die." Then humans caught many fish to eat. Many fish died. Then they regretted what they had promised to God. They said to each other, "We made a promise we couldn't keep. Let's go to God and ask Him to fix our promise." They went to God and said, "God, we are going to become extinct because humans catch us so much." God cut their tongues and said, "Don't speak! Once a promise is made, it cannot be changed." Since that day, the fish doesn't have a tongue. As they had promised, their eyes remain wide open when they die. All the other animals, including humans, close their eyes when they die. In the past, our elders used to say to those who did not keep their promises, "You will be like a fish without a tongue if you break your promise." Our elders always teach us that kind of lesson. Pastor Nhkyi Pan, who lives in Putao Hpak Ma, told me this story. Later, he moved to Namti Kan La. But he already passed away in 1998 while he was in Namti. Through this story, our elders told us the origin of why fish have no tongues. Transcription (La Ring) Ya ngai tsun dan na gabaw gaw "Majun" ngu ai re. Anhte Jinghpaw wunpawng sha ni hta "Majun" ngu nga ai. ndai "Majun" gaw hpabaw hpe tsun a ta nga yang shawng ndai mungkan ga e byin mabyin yawng gaw ma hkraw gaw byin mabyin ma hkra gaw "Majun" nga ai. I dai "Majun" hpe nkau mi gaw maumwi mausa shadu ai. Shi gaw maumwi mausa nre shi gaw "Majun" re. "Majun" ngu ai gaw langai ngai a byin hpang wa ai lam a ningpawt ninghpang hpe ngu ai. Ga shadawn "Nga (fish) ni shinglet ntu ai" "Majun" gabaw gaw ndai rai sa. Daini "Nga" ni shing let ntu gaw hpa majaw nga yang moi hpang ningsang e nga manga yawng hpe hpan tawn da sai. Dai kaw dusat dumyeng hpun kawa tsingdu tsingman ni yawng hpan da ngut ai hpang shinggyim masha hpan na rai yang zuphpawng galaw ai da. Dai gaw dusat dumyeng ni hpe shaga nna "Ngai ya shinggyim masha hpan na, nanhte na shat mai kadai tai na" nga jang "Nga' ni wa she "Anhte tai na ga ai" nga "Nga" ni gaw rai yang she u ni mung "dai shat mai kaw anhte mung lawm na ga ai" nga "Nga" ni gaw "Anhte gaw pai maga na garep kaw di sen mi hkra maga na garep de di sen mi di na shalaw jahtam na shinggyim masha ni a shat mai tai na ga ai" nga na bai tsun. "E lama anhte ga sadi nteng yang gaw si tim myi ndi na ga ai" nga mi re da. Kaja wa shinggyim masha hpan nna shinggyim masha ni gaw "Nga" ni hpe madim ja madim ja nna hkwi sha yang gaw "Nga" ni raw raw law law ru si rim si yang gaw shanhte gaw bai loi myit malai nna "E anhte yin la ai ga sadi gaw shut sai law hpan Madu hpe kalang bai sa hpyi nem ga. Ga sadi lai ya na matu tsun ga" ngu ai da. Rai yang she ndai sa tsun ai da hpan Madu kaw hpan Madu kaw sa tsun ai "Hpan Madu e nli htum na hkyen ga ai shinggyim masha ni nau hkwi sha majaw" nga na wa tsun jang she hpan Madu gaw "Nga" a shinglet tsut di "Ga hkum shaga mi kalang yin la sai ga sadi hpe lai nmai ai, lai nmai ai" ngu da. Dai shani kaw na shi gaw shinglet ntu mat ai da. Dai, daini du hkra shi a gasi hte maren "Nga" ni si jang myi hpraw lau re myi ndi ai. Kaga dusat ni gaw shinggyim masha kawn hkawt yawng gaw si jang myi di ai. E ya "Nga" ni gaw myi hpraw lau rai na gaw dai majaw moi na salang ni gaw "sadi ndung jang i "Nga" ni zawn shinglet ntu na lu" nga na tsun ma ai. Ndai gaw "Majun"ma re anhte Kaji Kawa ni anhte hpe sharin ai re. Ngai hpe e ndai maumwi ndai tsun dan ai gaw ndai "Majun" hpe tsun dan ai gaw Putao Hpak Ma ga na Hpungtau Nhkyi Pang re. Shi gaw dai kaw na htawt Namati Kan La kaw nga yang lai wa sai 1998 ning shaning n nga mat sai Hpungtau Nhkyi Pang re. Moi na salang kaba re. Ndai gaw ndai "Majun" hte maumwi i "Nga" ni shinglet ntu ai "Majun" nga nna salang ni hkai dan ai re. . Language as given: Jinghpaw
Format:		Digitised: no Media: Audio
Identifier:		KK1-2253
Identifier (URI):		http://catalog.paradisec.org.au/repository/KK1/2253
Language:		Kachin
Language (ISO639):		kac
Publisher:		Pacific and Regional Archive for Digital Sources in Endangered Cultures (PARADISEC)
Rights:		Open (subject to agreeing to PDSC access conditions)
Subject:		Kachin language
Subject (ISO639):		kac
Subject (OLAC):		language_documentation
Subject (OLAC):		text_and_corpus_linguistics
Table Of Contents (URI):		http://catalog.paradisec.org.au/repository/KK1/2253/KK1-2253-A.eaf
		http://catalog.paradisec.org.au/repository/KK1/2253/KK1-2253-A.mp3
		http://catalog.paradisec.org.au/repository/KK1/2253/KK1-2253-A.wav
Type (DCMI):		Sound
Type (OLAC):		primary_text
OLAC Info
Archive:		Pacific And Regional Archive for Digital Sources in Endangered Cultures (PARADISEC)
Description:		http://www.language-archives.org/archive/paradisec.org.au
GetRecord:		OAI-PMH request for OLAC format
GetRecord:		Pre-generated XML file
OAI Info
OaiIdentifier:		oai:paradisec.org.au:KK1-2253
DateStamp:		2026-02-25
GetRecord:		OAI-PMH request for simple DC format
Search Info
Citation:		Keita Kurabe (compiler); Keita Kurabe (depositor); Maju Tu Ja (speaker). 2018. Pacific and Regional Archive for Digital Sources in Endangered Cultures (PARADISEC).
Terms:		area_Asia country_MM dcmi_Sound iso639_kac olac_language_documentation olac_primary_text olac_text_and_corpus_linguistics
Inferred Metadata
Country:		Myanmar
Area:		Asia