The Journal of the Siam Society Vol. LXXI, Part 1-2, 1983 - Khamkoo
The Journal of the Siam Society Vol. LXXI, Part 1-2, 1983 - Khamkoo
The Journal of the Siam Society Vol. LXXI, Part 1-2, 1983 - Khamkoo
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tAHU NYt (RED tAltU) lUTES FOR .ESTABLtSlttNG A NtW vtttAGE<br />
·t7S<br />
small sticks (about 20 centimetres long) inserted to keep <strong>the</strong> slits open. In <strong>the</strong> cleft,<br />
above <strong>the</strong> crossed sticks, <strong>the</strong> headman inserts a leaf cup, called an u -...cu_ lu", in which<br />
he puts a few unlit beeswax c~ndl~ . a~d some uncooked grains ·<strong>of</strong> rice. <strong>The</strong>se_ are<br />
<strong>of</strong>ferings for <strong>the</strong> spirit. All is now ready for his recitation <strong>of</strong> _<strong>the</strong> appropriate_ propitiatory<br />
prayer.<br />
In this, <strong>the</strong> headman informs <strong>the</strong> resident locality spirit th~Jt he wants<br />
to establish a new village here and he <strong>of</strong>fers <strong>the</strong> beeswax candles and rice grains in<br />
payment for <strong>the</strong> place, requesting <strong>the</strong> spirit to move its residence away from <strong>the</strong> site <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> proposed village. <strong>The</strong> following text, recorded for me by a former headman <strong>of</strong> my<br />
· study community, shows in detail <strong>the</strong> nature <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> prayer.41<br />
TEXT ONE : HEADMAN'S P;RA.. YER TO THE LOCALITY SPIRIT<br />
· 1. Ha_, o-, o-, hk'aw chi tev hk'aw, nyi.,. te ... mo_ te" cu" ve cho, kav haw Ia ...<br />
meu" peh" ve" aw_ ve" taw"-Ieh cbo., ka., vui.,.cheh" pa-cheh" ve meh_.<br />
2. Cho., kav nawv hkui haw-- Ia ... haw-·vui,. tepa te ve, a-, cao., maw cao., tu ... ,<br />
cao., ui., cao., yaw", caov pa ... cao., keh-o, naw., cheb" kut caw., kui_., caw" k't> ~<br />
k'o, awv klii aw., na a ci- ci_ Ia" she_.<br />
3. Cao., maw ho...:... ti.-i pfuh" sheh_ hpa", ta ti,.. pfuh" sheh_ hpa", chaw ya" ho- ti,..<br />
ma" caw,, ta ti ... ma" caw, leh a-, nyi., te" mo_·_te" cu" Ia ... meu" peh" ve." aw_<br />
ve" taw" Ieh peh" bkaw" naw hkaw" taw" Jeh cho., ka., cao.,. maw hk'aw teh<br />
mui sheh_ hpa", -~aw, bkui haw.:... Ia ... haw- ga., ve. .<br />
4. Cho., ka., k'o" k'o, naw, cheh" kui.,. caw.,. kui,·caw" g'a k'o" k'o, aw., kui aw.,<br />
na a ci~ ci.....:. Ia"' she:-·' ·to kui to na ci __ Ia ... ~~e_, hk~aw u- h~'aw meh...,.. _<br />
s·. A-, vui.,. -te pa te-_ve, nyi.,. te" mo-'-- te." cu ... ve vui.,;. te pa te 've.<br />
6. Sho meu" kui" meu" ka.,, naw., taw_ naw, suh- Ia", shaw" meuv ma meu" ka.,<br />
naw., taw_ naw, suh- la", hpe" Ia sha hpa ... Ia., hteh--o, ca_ ca_ leh meuv ka.,<br />
nawv taw_ naw, suh- leh po.,. Ia", te" nyi sheh;;, yan",_te" ha- sheh" yan" hk'a<br />
g'a" chi g'a"-hk'o" hta ... haw.<br />
7.<br />
A- hk'aw g'a":ka hkui ta"'lu la"ta" lu Ia" hk'aw 'g'a" ka ma" g'a ya<br />
J Y . . V : . • VJ A . '( .' t. . . . V:. . . V :A<br />
mui, ve,.naw.,._Iio~ ti,.. caw., sheh~-:hpa", peh~ ve "'-~w-_ ve" taw "leh.nay.r.,.<br />
hk~ib!l~~-Ia,.,-haw~- g~.,.v~. . .. __ .. __ ..<br />
... ... .. . ..<br />
41. See note 25 above regarding tone marks. For convenience <strong>of</strong> reference b~tween <strong>the</strong> Lahu and<br />
Eng!ish versions I have broken <strong>the</strong> texts-into verses. No such divisions !U'~ recognized. by <strong>the</strong><br />
Lahu <strong>the</strong>mselves.
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