Here is how we should consider how to use our several national names indifferent dialects. We repeat every now and then that term Falam is the namefor it in Tlaisun local area dialect in Chin State. But it is calledFar-tthawk in Zahau local dialect and Balai in Zaniat local dialect . Thusthe city Falam has three names in different dialects of the Chins people inFalam township. It is like India has three names Bharat, Hindustan and Indiain different languages Hindi, Urdu and in English and other languages.Falam/Haka/Matupi area in their dialects call Burma Burmese =KawlThey call Chicken=ArThey call pig =VawkThey call cow=cawThey also call Indians =KalaThey also call Chinese = TulukThey also call Chins= Lai/LaimiNo one can ask them not to call cow =caw in their dialects. Because caw iswhat is cow in their dialects.In the same way no one cannot ask them not to call Chinese= Tuluk.The reason is Chinese in their dialect is Tuluk.In the same way no one can ask them not to call chicken = ar in theirdialect as chicken is what is ar in their dialect. In the same way as no one cannot ask them not to call Chicken =“ar” in theirdialect as that is what is in their dialect for chicken, no one can ask themnot to call Chins=Laimi /Lai as Chins in their dialect is also Lai/Laimi.Tedim call cow =Bong,They call chicken= akT hey call pig = VawkThey call horse or pony = sakawl.Tedim also call Burmese/Burma = Kawlte.They also call Indians = Kala-teThey call Chinese =Sente They call Chins = ZomiNo one can order them not to call pig =vawk in their dialect. The reason ispig in their dialect is vawk.As no one cannot order them not to call pig Vawk in their dialect, no onecan order them not to call Chins = Zomi. So Salai SNTL, we have to thinkin this way.People in Zophai tlang or Zophai cirle accept that they are Chins. People in Laututlang circle accept that they are Chins. People in Khualhringtlang circle accept that they are ChinsPeople in Mara tlang circle accept that they are ChinsPeople in Bual peng circle accept that they are Chins. People in Mi-e peng circle accept that they are Chins.People in Haka circle accept that they are Chins.So each circle or each geographical area here are all a part of Chins. Sowhat else?So it might go as a part is in the whole and the whole is not the part. So we can see now in the discussion of Pu Laiu and Pu Lian Uk that what wemean is all the same in Chins which in turn means we have find the answer wewant and there is no need of discussing this issue any longer. If they ask what do you call pig to FalamHaka in their dialect, they haveto say that it is Vawk. If people ask what do you call Chins in yourdialect. We are to say that it is Lai or Laimi in Falam/Haka/Matupi dialect,or Zo or Zomi in Tedim or K’cho in Mindat dialect and our Chin official nameis Chins. The national name Chins can be used in speaking any dialect if oneprefer to do this as it is the official name.Any people use Nippon as the name of Japanese country when they speak inJapanese. But Japanese themselves also use Japan if they speak in Englishand others. Thus we have to realize that the name of a people or country canbe several in different languages or dialects.We donot demand people to use Zomi in speaking any language or dialect. Whatis all about it is: it has long been recognized that they use Zomi in Tedimdialect instead of Chins when people speak in Tedim/Tonzang dialect andthat is how it is being used now . We do not demand that people will use the term K‘cho in any dialect orlanguage they speak. However, it has long been recognized since sixty eightyyears ago that the term K’cho is used in place of Chins when they speak inK’cho dialect and that is the way it is now being used.In the same way, we donot demand that the term Lai/Laimi be used in anylanguages or dialects. However it has been recognized that Lai/Laimi hasbeen used in place of Chins when people speak in Falam/Haka /Thantlang/Matupi dialects and it is now being use in this way forgenerations ever since people living today has not been born. There havebeen published many books on Chins in the dialects of Falam/Haka /Matupiusing the term Lai/Laimi for Chins as. Administrative offices inFalam/Haka/Matupi had issued many official correspondences in Chins in whichthey use Lai/Laimi in place of Chins as the correspondences were issued inthe Chin dialect . Thanks, Lnk
From: YCCF-International@ yahoogroups. com[mailto:YCCF-International@ yahoogroups. com] On Behalf Of Salai STLNSent: Sunday, October 26, 2008 10:06 AMTo: chinland@yahoogroup s.com; YCCF-International@ yahoogroups. com;zomi@yahoogroups. com; LAIFORUM@yahoogroup s.com; Metkhuabo@yahoogrou ps.com;'Rung cin'; kukiforum@yahoogrou ps.com; 'blessed
Zomi'Cc: 'Khuhly Robin'Subject: [YCCF-International ]
Re: Comments on International Seminar on ChinGroups: report
Dear Pu Lian,
It seems to me what you are talking about is all similarities whatever youcould find among Chin groups. In your writing, I do not even see an argumentat all. No specific premises and no conclusion, thus no proofs --- it ratheris simply the presentation the whole lot of all cultures, clans, languagesand the geographical areas of Chin groups.It is not to be twisted and misinterpreted when Dr. Laiu says: "So thebottom line is, if Lai equals Chin, then Mara people are a major tribe ofLai. But practical usage and connotation of the term Lai betrays thisimposed meaning. Practically, Lai is regarded as a branch of Chin. In thisconcept, Lai covers Falam-Haka-Thlantla ng and those associated with theseonly, not the whole Chin groups. This is the reason, we the Mara scholarswant to emphasize that Lai and Mara might have been brothers many centuriesago; but today, we have grown into two separate distinct tribes. This is theethnic realities of the present day. "What this para says is that if the term "Lai" is to be equated with the term"Chin" then Mara is one major group of Lai or Chin. So is if the term Mizois to be equated with the term Chin, then Mara is a group of Mizo. Hence,Lushei, Kuki, Paite, Zo, Khumi, etc would be the sub-group Lai or Mizo. Thatis:Chin= Lai = Mizo= (Lushei, Kuki, Paite, Zo, Khumi, Mara...)But Dr. Lian Sakong rightly did not equated the term Lai and Chin. He placesLai as a group of Chin. No Mara scholar attempted claims that Mara is notpart of Kuki-Chin-Mizo, but is one part as a disticnt and unigue, meaningMara is from Lushei, Lai, Zo, Cho etc. as Lai is differ from Lushei.So, Mara is not sub-group of Lai or Lushei or Zo, but sub-group ofKuki-Chin-Mizo. .However, as you sometimes claim that the term Laimi equated to the the wholeChin-kuki-Mizo group, then Mara would also fully eccept to be under Laimi.In reality that is not true at the present day.Unfortunately, as you yourself have pointed out that most campatitivepossible names for the whole Chin-Kuki-Mizo groups are Mizo, Chin or Naga,then it is unlikely that the term "Laimi" would be accepted in place ofKuki-Chin groups. That also means Mara cannot be under the term Laimi.Hence, Mara group would become the sub-group of Laimi if and only if the thewhole population of Chin-Kuki-Mizo group accepted the term "Laimi" to bethier national name. That is the point here.Honestly speaking, your writings on this matter are so confusing andcontradicting. And it is too early to cliam to be a winner of this debatebecuase all forwarded was posted by Dr. Laiu before you posted. I'm surethey will discuss with your presentation as detail as possible.We might also need to expose more with the techinical meanings and terms oflanguage, dialect, tribe, ethinic etc...keeping in mind that the UN charteris changing as human society develops...Sincerely,STLN
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