Introduction

Ever since Inpui as a tribe got their identity define by their distinct culture and tradition they have evolved themselves through time their way of expressing their thoughts and feelings through songs, proverbs, folktales and folklore etc. But Inpui like any other Naga tribes has an oral tradition through which history is handed down to the next generation so poetry (in modern sense) as such seems to have been not existed but if such exist it is shrouded in historical obscurity. These poems were written when my thoughts were free and flying. I have had no intention to hurt anyone sentiments or dilute history but if such is found do let me know. It is my sincere observation of nature and above all as an ardent lover of Inpui literature. Inpui to begin with have a rich vocabulary and you will be awestruck how these vast resources of knowledge are being left wasted. And I hope I make the best use of it and I wish you will find it interesting too. Here is a sneak peek to my writings for all the lover of Inpui literature.

            Inpui Lungsei Ring Dingo

NB:The first collection of this series was published in 2017 titled "Thabaan Sanu Zingpha, In Search of an Audience". 
Copies are available now.  


To my parents with love to whom more is owed than can be said in words

For more of Inpui tribe see: www.isaacnka.blogspot.com
For more of Inpui Naga culture visit: IsaacNka & The Tribal Show (II&TTS) in YouTube.

Chaat Lang Laa Hiak Thangde

Hiakthangde ngaisanu laa,

Hiakthangde mibing bachun nu laazo

Tu ong damdingo khwaseiga.

Mangsa nu meiri,

Naosen karo nu meiri.

Lozaangsanu meiri

Karo kimlat mak nu meiri.

Kanei lat larwe lumikta,

Kanei lat larwe lumik tapekla.

Kakhan lat larwe kama lungning.

Ambasia dam dingo mut mak nu ke hiak

Lungpui bi hem thang nu choung kaang dan.

Laa kathan pwak thangsiade

Tu ong damdingo khwaseiga.

Ngai ong damdingo khwaseiga

Nasoen patso louthwan khwazin theimak.

Sunglian nu laa, lian thou nu laa

Kriangnu laa, chunsanu laa

Sangwan loukra sanu laa

Tachi laa, into laa.

Baluptui swak ka , kuke lak ka

Karam hungnu kum kra sanu langle

Tu ong damdingo khwaseiga.

Ningting nu laa, sungchamnulaa,

Hiak thangde kabin ri ri hungnu thiraang lang.

Inpui nampui, inpui namswan.

Inpui namlui, Inpui namthan laa.

Kasanu hungnu lang, mibing karo kadoi nu lang.

Hiakthangde mibing swanka lang,

Hiakthangde Mmeithaan khutnu lang

Hiak thangde Inpui krwan pon basaang ongdam lang,

Hiak thang de Inpui laa kasanu.

Free Transaltion

(First Verse)

"Let me write a melodious song for the people

A melody love by all.

Let all sing for eternity.

Let me write a story

A good night story.

A story love by children.

 A story of happiness."

NB: This poem was published in Haochong Baptist Church Youth Golden Jubilee Souvenir 2015.

Inpui Ringsei Dingo

Sok raching rakha lunghungnu mi kin

Aniya baan kaphu ongrwe talei taki bali.

He anu Inpui chaat nalaang be

Chounglaa sanu baat mak tingo.

Katwak tingo riangre maisenga nalangna

Khwan natka pao wo nachaat lang

Kabaang dingo ramwan bingbi.

Namta, kaita ngaakle ringthou hanthou lat tingo

Rwan mikphaang bi pem mak ngaak le

Pem dam dingo chaat mik phaang bi.

Chaat khwan nat khit khit tingo

Baluptui swaka riangre lak ngaak le.

Loupui, banglai minbi

Talei tambaan thei chang dingo chaat sungchamnu.

Talei tui,thiraang; bazwan, ramwan;

Naosen patso phun kasem dingo chaat potrit

Aisanu todingo ani mibing lang.

Sung lian lunglian nu michaat swak tingo kin bing bi

Santu (tamphoi) meimaan nudan chok thou dingo.

Basing sem dingo kutzung thiak chan la.

Laak tingo sungcham nu kang

Kabaang dingo tha, lumik khatle insi tang ga.

Natraang nu, thouna sanu katang rangaak chaswak o

Tuipui loungoi ma tammga.

Hoba kitaat potrit phun puiga chaat riangre bapu theiyo.

Kahoi krwan pon kazon dingo Inpui tampaang taan ka bizo.

Kapui thang dingo nu rwan le Ranswak thang nu chaat ting.

Kachaak lungning katswak ka mikphaap karung dingo.

Choungso laa sok sanu khei phun hungo

Mithi mina ripian, minam mikai mak tingo.

Tuipui tuilian tanu danL lianthou dingo inmwanbing bi

Khwasun sunthanga sangbaan kalik kanu dan

Khwabaan swak tingo Inpui talei bi.

Lat thang dingo thing ongnu kapan.

Sengthang nuram ngaakle rithoi sip sanu talei gondingo.

Ramting Kabin, Kadingmwan, Lwanzaang meiri

Tuwo lathem thangga.

Tuilang ra-ah lingkwa lwang bo bo wo

Thourang Baku inbi kutkai karunga

Laam kachak rip rip ongnu Inpui meiri

Phunse wo nukhei sanu nang kadou bing khou.

Sianmu siantwei laak ka laapui to dingo

Lumikswak lumikta,Tuina tuiten

Inpui Ringsei dingo Hozaam paowe.

NB: Published in Kala-khwanbaang 2016(Part of te poem is included in ISUD Anthem).

Inpui Tampaang

Kaikaro anuwo kaikaro Inpui tampaang

Nasa ei sung karo ga phaang ongrwe.

Kaikaro Inpui tampaang aniya kaikaro

India pa, rwan pa bani tampaaang limthwei bi ong ongrwe.

Kaika lamang gabo anu wo anin tampaaang kangounu?

Kaika rizo tampaang bathiangnu aniya

Insi raching chaangkai ka saang mak le

Thingpho thinglu kaika khan ga

Tambaan inkhaan kasun tanga.

Anuwo Kriange achaat

Rwan thwei rwan lak sui kalwei se onngnu.

Phaangnwam rwe anu na om tampaang

Bassang ga kai kanu

Basa nun na zwang baak ka ong ding o

Anu wo taan karo Inpui tampaang aniya.

Free Translation
Raise the flag mother
Raise the Inpui flag
Your son is await the unfurling of the flag
Raise the flag mother
Raise it today.

Kabaang Hungo Nani Chamsanu Bazaamnu Louzam Bi

Kabaang hungo nani chamsanu bazaamnu louzam bi

Rang hungo lozaangsanu kabin ongnu thiraang bi

Kriangge misa lamsek ketzaanga se ongnu ding

Kani khatchale ngaak thango hweiye baning ngam lahga

Kut kai karung nu sut ka kapaang kanoi kanoi ye kriangnu nun ding

Mikthi san ga Karo ong ngam laye nase dam bi

Rinrai seyo chamsanu bing nang senu riak bing bi

Pazaiye sanu cham kazit hunglang nani riaklana

Baning su wo nu na kakou thangnu

Nang se nu briak bingbi

Inbaang thange nani luchungbi kanoi choung

Chansanu to wo, aisanu douwo

Bakoklo bakhiangkra ngaaknu tomaknu tigno nani bi.

Bakaamnu choung baram thangle banim thangsia ye aniya.

Sungchoung kanoi ye miron maaknu, chui maak nu

Nangzabe kasnu hun hungo.

Hweiye selang tu ong nu nating,

Hweiye thoudamnu ding

Chun changnu abaangzaang rwan ngaak rio lumik taga zingdam ding rwe

Meila zale balaan thango

Sin karung maangzo pwansin, karo kadoimangzo bathou balaa ranga.

Ingaanchang pwansin ga kekaam kaam thou ngaak le

Choung biak laa biak sawo no,

ket kaam zaanga thoudamnu nalang thing bom lakdan thange nalampui bi,

Kanei hung lat o bakaan sabi,

Bakaan no nang ngaithango, sui phang thango seswak lamnu batingzo.

Kut kai karung mang zo kapaangkhwazin tang mak blei

Hweiye nikhat ong zing thanglat lang,

Nani chwan sat ting baning ga

Hwei ye nakut sut nu michaa swak lang

Banim thang mak o nasa nanao rwan hung nanu ding

Kanei phaang hungo kekaam soihung bi

Basing sem ongne nachwan sanu ding

Nani ding babwa meila diga.

Nu mei mang mik tam nu dan

Kama ngakro ni lampui ram thang ngak ro

Kama nu ke hiak suizon hungnaye banim thang mak o

Kanoi thango choung sa, rin thango choungsa nu Aniya lumik am ongbi.

Kabaang hungo nani chamsanu bazaamnu louzam bi.

Free Translation
"Let your good news come in open fields.
Let happiness come in the blowing wind.
Pity human for running the life race very fast.
I yearn for you to stay for a single day.
I bid goodbye to the love ones ."

Khwazin Lumik

Khwazin lumik bangiam ban ban

Inlu lungpeng onglu

Balungsia abaan rwanding balungsia.

Talei taki khatla khwabaan swak

Talei khatla kazingnuna hwamlem hung.

Khwazin rakwan le pak hungnarwe.

Balungsia anu ding balungsia

Lumik bazaangga ba-in hanthou darwe

Kanei phange kabinnu thhiraang hungbi

Basanunle zwang tasuk thoudarwe

Kadoulat lang ninge kriangnu nun ding

Kriange lumik senrwai rwai,

Kriange bangiam ban ban

Ramwan lanbi tadam nu ding

Ramuan chung bi han phang ga kriange se khan damnu bing ding

Hweiye ani ongchamlang

Khwazin tamphoi meimaan hungnanudan asung

Kapan mai bi hanga inkai phange tadamnu lumik ting

Ula ramwan kalanla lwatliannu ramla

Bazinren ren thoudarwe.

O misa yo nabachan siat ah

Bata khat chalangza hung,

Ani ya kadou karo be be inswan kapaang chap ka hwei

Chunsia losia, karo lozaangnu kadou le

Katoinu kumzwe

Kanoi ye bazaangga kapaang choung

Inphana kadoulat tingbo bakaansanu

Nusa meiri rai kadoilan lanu

Hwei chaye tambu chungbi babaan sanu

Amikna murwe sedamnu bating

Sungrwan tungga phange khwazin sanuding

Losia ga hweiye bakaano ngak thang rio

Ei hanphang ongme ningamla

Kriange rin le rintangla katoinu lumik tadarwe

Kriangnu ei natingninga chap e ningamla.

Free Translation

"The sun is setting 
i remember my friendsS
While i sit idle in the old village stone slab.
The sun is rising in the other end of the earth
And my horse is rushing back home."

Published in AISU Bulletin 2017

Nu kriang

He anu kriang tak cha

Pa am lang lou pui baat tabo?

He apa kraingtak cha

Pa am lang ramwan phai tum bo?

Nasa ngaiye balang theimak ka.

Lou pui han nu nungai nu chwan dan

Loupui mainu lung riangre maknu dan

Nukriang thukting theitang maka

Nai lat e anu pa am lat lang loupui baat po?

Talei riangre , talei karo asatlu

Potpui potrit phun nu alaangna

Ngamme nang ngamme.

Kasabing alaang kasiabing nalang

Katambing alaang katomnu nalaang;

Khaithange ei karo nuza na pemnudan.

Sanwamnu sasu mak, innwamnu insuma ngaakle

Saro inro lungning lian thang.

Senunwam setang mak ngaak le

Bathan thang ei rwan chaang sega baphaang damlang

Kat swak ka alangna siantui sianlan

Ei inswan karo lungthei ongdam me be diga

Rwanthwei bangiamga eidwak langna

Kazakmaisianu ding bachoung tumaak

Khaang thang rwe misa meisa bala ngaakle.

Intia thukpo Nu Pa kriang

Bakalan badat tanglanu kriangrui

Basui thang rwe asungbi khwaseiga.

Bangiam theinu sung, khaang thei kriangtheinu sung

A om tapon ne Anu a om tapon ne.

Natakhum baan lang seswak

Nangningnu tuthng thei mak le

Nasa talen ne nachwan sat ting

Lung hung katinu kin bing thei damdingo

Am dingo thuktak thuknu batak kriang

Ai paan ancham paan sam ngaakle.

INBEI INBEI. INCHANG INCHANG

Inbei, inbei. Inchang, inchang.

Inbeila selang mu, inchangla selangbo?

Laampui maanga ingai kaamthangni

Kasakla hunglangmu, kathweila talangbo?

Onglangmu?  Selangbo?

Sunpha kasia ba thoudarwe.

Sikpha butaangnu kadou ding?

Phaanglo misa tangem thouna,

Bani bongkhon kaisip thang ongsarwe.

Bathou thanglat ro anu,

In ongnu kathah ding.

Lumikle Loktwan lila tadingbarwe.

Inchan ani mikphaap swak mak ongni?

Kekho deta ga kalumme;

Anu nabalumhsat cho inchanbo?

Rinthang ngo aniya bakaan sabi

Apu inpui inteng baonu mangman ne.

Rwan , rwan gonthou loidarwe.

Ani, ani heizaza!

Sunkazon nu manle pimuthango

Ei hweiye achaat Inpui ding krianga.

Sangwan razana intone?

Sangwan rachingna intone?

Rakhanu sangwan le hungdamzwe.

Apu chemzap, apa kehiak mumak ka

Anu nakehiak sui kadimga hungnaye.

Anungla hungnu maanbe anu aisia chaplune.

Lungning lianthou, sungle lianthou

Ani chunle baanswak, kasanuna

Lumikswak lumikta hung.

Bakuwa lungkhon , Lwanzaang kapan be ambasia dam rwe.

Manukwa, tuipuikwa na nangthou darwe sui hweithang ding?

Into zodi anu wo asung riangre ye

Sungsa nu meila bachoi thango.

Zongminnu leithwan balaan thango

Kabaannu takan khut mak balei

Ningting raan katwak ngam ga lungo rithoi yo.

Anu nang talei laza phanglu

Sangbaan kalaak pantwan lune.

Apa nang sangbaan za phaanglu

Talei khun doulune.

Lungpui bi inkam langle maak

Bakaanzuba loi hung narwe di.

Sangwan heiza, mising heiza di’

Basing sem ongmang bo?

Ringnu ringzoklang ringnu,

Patso meiri ngaiga talei thot sia khit khit.

Jisu ba hungnong lu zungrwa

Ani balumsat na ramwan raan khat la.

Inchang, inchang, inbei inbei!

Ingai selang theimak lungning kabaap ongbi

Rwan ula kadambi

Ani cham ani ket kai kale zodi.

Puithangnu Pa hungrwe

Rithoi saangkra lwakrizo

Zingnu na hwamlem hungmak balei

He anu Inpui.

Free Translation
"Left left, Right right
where should i go
Left or Right?
Should  i go up, or down?
Should i sit down or walk?"

NB: This poem was published in Kala-Khwanbaang, an annual magazine of Inpui Students' Union, Delhi. 2014

IN SEARCH OF A READER

Hiakthangnu bahiak,

Bathuk amnu chongkaang.

Buktanu mu dan

Mikhat nale theimak le

Mong lamzwe kanikhat.

Kasanu bwan nukra

Sasu nonge ning mak.

Hiakthangnu chounglaa

Hiakthangnu bahiak

Ngaak e pathangnu,

Ngaak e pa thanglang.

Nisat sabi naosen nilim bi karo nudan

Thamlai thingpho sabi basa karo nudan

Khatle khwakaangbi khwasun nudan.

Pathango nu hiak,

Raithango pa meiri.

Intun makle inswan,

Inswan makle tipni.

Anikum makle kumthang.

Pathango heiba hiak;

Phangthango heiba chounglaa.

Choungzik sanu ame rin mak e.

Kanunglangle rin basaam thang mak e.

Pathang zalang za lamphaange

Chouk tamdingo tamphoi meimaan nudan.

Pathango pahiak,

Raithango nu meiri.

Balumsat

Bani rinne nang ringnu;

Nang zana kaithangne

Mikna mumaknu tambaan.

Noh lei phun ngaakle kokthangne bakeh bi talutabi.

Balumsat nang tambaan le talei barui bazem.

Kaithango mina rinnu,

Rintangam mak e nuriak cho.

Loh sak mak sui hung naye tambaan nai hungo.

Lat thango  rithoi inkhaan

Khop maknu  alaangle.

Phaangta thango taraanga se ongnu kathah;

Pithanglat o pangkan kathan.

Balumsat, o nang ringriak lampui.

Riangre lak ka hung naye

Kadou thango kathah.

Free Translation

Faith

"They say you are life

You only lead to the place where eyes cannot see.

the debt of sin will be forgiven at his feet.

Faith you are the highway to heaven".

Zingpha Sanu

Thamlai lumik tadarwe

Khwazin le zingpha mun bi

Khumpui khumbeng na bani kapaangla towe.

Lumik baan sa ongbi abaan rwan  kriangnu le

Bachamlu karo lanlanu

Zingpha aria baloi dingbi

Bani ding baningsuga losia ye.

Aniya zingpha mang man mak balei

Kakhan ne intia sabo batak nu kum.

Manglama sanu kumding

Thougoi maknu

Ni’ kapangnu misa.

Zingpha inkhaansa latka phaangswak,

Sambaan la insi raching

Baan chan chan ongme.

Kriang nge bakaan sanu.

Kazingnu takanlu inswan

Louthwan khwabaan amme baning mak e.

Zingpha sambaan la phaangga karo ye

Takhao takit khwansanu le

Zingpha tapon ne.

Tha le insina hei talei baanchang thang

Khwadweinu hungle

Aniya lumik,

Thathit ngakle

Aniya tha than ding baning ga

Ei be karo ongdam rwe.