Mizo ṭawng hi ṭawng mawi tak tia sawi tur ni lo mah se ṭawng ṭha tak a ni a. A lam chhuah dan hi a fiah vang nge ni a, hnam dangte hian an zir thiam zung zung mai a ni. He ṭawng hmangtute zingah hian rei vak lo an awm pawhin an ṭawng thei zel mai ṭhin. Mizo hnahthlak chi peng hrang hrang, ṭawng zir miten ‘Mizo-Kuki-Chin group’ tia an sawite tan phei chuan a inzul thui avangin hriat thiam a awl lehzual . Ṭawng hi mihringte rohlu a ni a, he hnam nawlpui khaikhawmtu ber Mizo ṭawng pawh hi a hlu hle a ni. Mizo ṭawng ṭobul leh a hmasawn dan tlangpui han tarlang hmasa ila.
1. Mizo ṭawng group
Mizo ṭawng hi khawvela ṭawng hlawm lianpui pui zinga pakhat ‘Sino-Tibetan’ ṭawng chhungkaw zinga peng pakhat ‘Tibeto -Burman’ an tih zinga mi a ni a. Tibeto-Burman ṭawng huang chhunga mi tam tak chu China chhim chhak aṭangin India hmar tawp thlengin an inzar pharh a, Burma chhim tawp thlengin an awm bawk a, Asia chhim lam leh chhimchhak chhak lama ṭawng hlawm lian tak a ni. Hemi ṭawng hlawm zingah pawh hian ṭawng inhnai zual an awm a, chungte chu ‘Kuki-Chin Group’ tiin an sawi ṭhin a, Mizo ṭawng pawh hi hemi zinga mi hi a ni a. Tunlaia ṭawng zir mi (linguist)-te chuan he ṭawng hlawm sawina atan hian Mizo-Kuki-Chin tih an hmang ta thung a ni. Tibeto-Burman ṭawng lama mi thiam bik Thangi Chhangte chuan, “Mizo ṭawng hi Tibeto-Burman ṭawng zinga peng pakhat, Mizo-Kuki-Chin branch an tih zinga mi a ni,” tiin a sawi. (1)
Mizo-Kuki-Chin group-a ṭawngte hi a inhnai zual tawh hle. Ṭawng inhre tawn sa lo pawh an inbiak chuan, bo lutuk lovin an inhre tawn thei mai a. Ṭawng chipeng pakhat thu sawi chu ngun taka ngaihthlak chuan a sawi tum lam chu a hriat theih ruak zel a ni. Awmna hmun a hran rei tawh avang te, an chheh vel ṭawng dangin a pawlh dal tawh avang tea a thluk dan te, sawi chhuah dan kawngkal hrang hret hret te a ni ber. Ṭawng hrang daih hmang tan phei chuan heng ṭawng chi peng hrang hrangte thu sawi hi hriat hran hleih theih loh khawpin a inhnaih a ni. Hemi chungchang hi T.H.Lewin-a pawhin heti hian a ziak a:
“Hnam peng hrang zawng zawng deuh thawin anmahni ṭawng hrang an nei vek a; tihdan phung leh khawsakna hmun thuhmun loh vangin an lamrik dan leh thil hming sawi dan chu hmun ṭhenkhatah danglam hlek hlek mah se, an thusawi dan hmang chik taka ngaihtuah chuan…Lushai (Mizo) hi an hmang tlang vekin an inhre tawn thei vek a ni. Lushai dialect hi a ram pum ṭawng inṭawm tlan (lingua franca) chu a ni,” tiin. (33)
Mizo-Kuki-Chin ṭawng hlawm chhunga mite hi tunlai chuan Mizo hnahthlak ṭawng emaw Zo hnahthlak ṭawng tiin emaw an hmang lar ta hle a, he sawi dan thar hi Mizoram chhunga miten an hmang ber a, hnam chipeng dang zingah hian he sawi dan thar la ṭawmpui chiah lo an awm bawk. He ṭawng hlawm chhunga ṭawng peng hrang hrangte hi Mizo ṭawng tia sawi tak berah hian a inpawlh nasa hle. Hmeichhe puanbua puanzia rawng hrang hrang hmanga an zep ang mai hian a inzep chiat a. Hla hlui lamah a inpawlh nasa lehzual. Hla thu pangngaiah a inpawlh a, thiam hla leh hlado lamah phei chuan a inpawlh chiat a ni ber. Kan thawnthute pawh a tlangpuiin a inang a, a changtute hming leh a thawnthu sawi chhuah danah a hrang hret hret chauh a ni. Thlahtu chanchin leh khawchhak lam aṭanga thlang an tlak dan chanchin pipute aṭanga ṭawngkaa an inhlanchhawn dan thlengin a inhlat lo vek mai. B. Lalthangliana chuan, Kawlphaiah hian Mizo hnahthlak chi, chipeng leh chi tepeng (clan, sub clan, sub sub clan)-te an chengho vek a, ṭawng khat an hmangho ngei nia rin theih a ni a ti (Mizo..p 25).
Mizo hnahthlakhote hi hmanlai deuh, an awmkhawm lai chuan ṭawng khat an hmang niin a rin theih. Chhan hrang hrang avanga kawl phai aṭanga an darh khan a ṭhen hmar thlang lamah, a ṭhen khawthlang hawiin, a ṭhen chhim thlang lam panin awm hmun an sawn niin a lang a, hmun hran hrana kum za tam an awm hnuah hian an ṭawng ki a dang hret hret ang a, ṭawng bungrua pawh hnam a ṭhan ang zelin a piang belh zel a, chungte avang chuan ṭawng hrang (dialect ) angin an lo awm ta hial a ni thei. A ṭhen chu Kawlho hnaiah an chambang a, hmar lam deuhva kalho chuan Manipur lalram an lut a, thlang lama thleng thui deuh pawl chuan Tripura lalram an lut bawk a, Cachar tlang ram leh chittagong thlengte chu Bengali ṭawng hmangte bulah an khawsa bawk a. Hetianga hnam lian leh chak zawk bula an awm hian an ṭawng kalhmang leh thil sawi chhuah dan kalhmang pawh thui tak chu an zui ngei ang tih a rinawm a. Hemi tichiang tur hian B.Lalthangliana chuan Kawlphaia cheng Mizote thu sawi chhuah dan heti hian a sawi a, “I nau chu a va chum ve,” tih aiah “a va thau ve” an ti a. Miin a thil rit khai chhawk dawn sela, “A ngai lo ve” tih aiah “A pawi lo” an ti hlauh ṭhin. Heta ‘thau’ leh ‘a pawi lo’ tih hi Kawl ṭawng.. Kawl ngaihtuahna hmanga sawi dan a ni,” a ti (29). Mizoram chhunga cheng, Mizo ṭawng hmang hote zingah pawh chhim lam leh hmar lam thil sawi dan hrang a awm thluah a, hetiang hi khawvel ram hrang hrangah pawh a awm hlawm a. Rorelna pakhat hnuaia awm lo, inpawh tawn reng reng tawh lova kum zasarih lai an awm hran hnuah chuan thui tak chu a danglam ve ta a niang tih a rinawm.
2. Mizo ṭawng chu tute ṭawng nge?
Mizo ṭawng kan tih tak ber hi eng tin nge a lo pian a, eng chi peng ṭawng ber nge tih hi sawi fiah awlsam lo tak a ni. Mizo tih thu mal leh Mizo ṭawng tih thute hi a pianna a la rei lo va, tun hma deuhva khawi emaw laiah chuan lo hmang zauh an awm pawhin, tlang hriata heng thu malte hi hman a nih tak tak chu kum zabi 20-na tir lam kha a ni chauh va. C. Chhuanvawra chuan, “Mizo ṭawng hi Mizo ṭawng tia hman a nih hma hian Lusei ṭawng tih a ni a, Lusei ṭawng tih a nih hma chuan Duhlian ṭawng tih a ni ṭhin,” a ti a (p.5). Lusei ṭawng tih leh Duhlian ṭawng tih hi hman pawlh a ni ṭhin a, eng pawh ni se Mizo ṭawng tia sawi a nih hma khan Lusei ṭawng tiin emaw Duhlian ṭawng tiin emaw an sawi ber ṭhin a ni.
Luseiho chu tute nge ni a, Duhlian chu tute nge? tih hi zawhna awm nghal tur chu a ni. Mizo tih chhungah hian hnam hlawm lian pui pui a awm a, chungte chu- Lusei, Ralte, Pawi, Hmar, Paite, Lakher (Mara), Kuki leh Thado-te an awm a. Heng bak pawh hi hnam eng emaw zat an la awm a, chung hnam ṭhenkhatte phei chuan anmahni ṭawng an nei hrang nghe nghe a. A hmasa ber Lusei hi thlang an tlak khan a laili an an chhuk a, tuna Mizoram hi an luah deuh ber a ni. Hun a kal deuh hnuah chung hnam hlawm hrang hrangte chuan anmahni vheuhvin an dinkhawchhuahna atana an chheh vela hnam dangte an do va, anmahni leh mahnite pawh indo chang an nei ṭhin a. Indo leh inrun ṭhinna chuan roreltu neih ṭulna a hring a, a hnam hlawm roreltu ai mahin khaw tin chuan anmahni khaw ‘lal’ an nei ta a. Lusei hnam zinga peng pakhat Sailo-hote chuan rorel an thiam bakah khaw hrang hranga lalte chu an ṭangho thiam bawk a, kum za pawh a ral hmain tuna Mizoram chhunga khaw tam zawkah hian lalna an lo chang ta a. Hemi chungchang hi N.E.Parry chuan heti hian a ziak a:
“Khaw tinin anmahni lal an nei vheuhva; lal zawng zawng deuh thaw chu Sailo an ni a; anni hian British-in Mizoram a awp hma daih aṭang tawhin lalna an lo chang tawh a ni. Hualngo leh Pawi lal tlem an awm bawk a; anni pawh hian Sailo hnuaiah khaw te deuh ṭhutin lalna an chang a ni.” tiin (p.1)
Sailo lalten ram zau tak an awp aṭang khan an ṭawng, Lusei ṭawng chu an hmang lar ta a. Hnam hrang hrang, an khua leh tuite pawhin an hmanpui zel a. Ralte hnam tam zawk phei chuan hun reiloteah anmahni ṭawng bo khawpin anmahni ṭawng ang maiin an lo hmang ta hial a. Lusei ṭawng hi Duhlian ṭawng tia hriat lar a ni zawk mah a. An lalte ṭawng hman ber a nih avangin a lar zel a, reiloteah Mizo hnahthlak hnam hrang hrangte tan pawh inbiak pawhna atana hman ṭawm theih tak, an inkara ṭawng inṭawm tlan theih tak a lo ni ta hial a ni.
‘Duhlian’ tih thu mal hi Luseiho sawina a ni ber a, anmahniin an insawina ni lovin, hnam dangin an sawina niin a lang. B. Lalthangliana chuan Duhlian tih hi, “Paite (Zomi) te, Thado te, Vaiphei ten Lusei an kohna a ni…” a ti a (Zo..154) G.A.Grierson-a erawh chuan Duhlian tih chu anmahni inkohna angin a sawi thung, “Anmahni chuan Duhlian an inti a, an ṭawng chu Duhlian ṭawng an ti” (They usualy called themselves ‘Duhlien’ and their language ‘Dulien Tawng) tiin a ziak a ni (25). Engpawh ni se, Luseiho chu Duhlian tia koh an ni a, an ṭawng pawh Duhlian ṭawng tih a ni a, anni hian rorel an thiam avang leh lal tam berte kha Lusei chi peng, Sailo lal an nih avangin an ṭawng chu Mizo hnahthlak hnam hrang hrang zingah pawh hriat a hlawhin a lo darh zauva ta a ni. Duhlian ṭawng tia hriat ṭhin chu zawi zawiin Mizo ṭawng tih a lo ni ta a ni.
‘Mizo’ tih thu mal pianna hun hi a hla lutuk lovin a lang a. Chi leh hnam bing huam chin nei pawh a ni lo, tun hnua Mizo hnahthlak tia sawi tak hnam hrang hrang, Mizo nia inpawm duhte zawng zawng a huam vek a, vawng erawh chu, Duhlian ṭawng ni ṭhin kha Mizo ṭawng tih a nih tak avangin Mizo chi peng ṭhenkhat tan chuan intih mikhual a awl deuh va, Mizo nih hnial chiah lo turte pawh Mizo ṭawng a pai deuh avangin a inthlahrun phah lawi si a ni. Zo emaw Mizo tih thu mal pian dan leh a awmzia chhui dawnna tam tak a awm thei a, tun ṭumah hian chu lam chu kan thlur dawn lo va.
Ziaka ‘Mizo’ tih thu hmuh theih hmasa ber chu McCabe a ziak kha niin a lang. Heti hian a ziak a, “The Lushais call themselves Mizo or Mizau which terms includes the following castes: Ralte, Molbem, Khuangli, Paithe, Taute, Jahau (Yahow), Dulien, Lakher, Fanai (Molienpui), Poi, Dalang, Tangur, Sukte, Mar, Falam (Tashons), Paukhup, Liellul..”(np). Hemi hma hret hian Saikuti chuan a hlaah, “Mizo lu ngenin..” tiin a hmang tawh a. Zatluanga sawi dan chuan, “Than tlang zova awmho chu Zo-ho khi an tih ṭhin avangin ‘Mizo-ho’ tia koh an ni ta fo va..” tiin a sawi a (1). A enga pawh chu ni se, Mizo tih thu mal hman hi a tlai hle mai a, Mizo tia an sawi hian chi bik sawi nana hmang lovin a hnam nawlpui sawi nan an hmang ṭhin niin a lang. A hnam nawlpui sawi nana tla nghet zel a, chumite ṭawng hman tlang lawn ber pawh chu Mizo ṭawng tih a ni ta a ni.
3. Inbiak pawhna hmanrua
Mizo ṭawng tia sawi a nih hma, Duhlian ṭawng tia sawi a nih lai aṭang rengin Mizo hnahthlak hnam hrang hrangten he ṭawng hi inbiak pawh tawn nan an lo hmang viau tawh a. Lewin-a chuan, 1974 daih tawh khan, “.. Lushai hi an hmang tlang vekin an inhre tawn thei vek a ni. Lushai dialect hi a ram pum ṭawng inṭawm tlan (lingua franca) chu a ni,” tiin a lo sawi tawh a (33). Hetih laia a biak pawhte hi chu mi tlem te an ni a, mahse heti hian a lo sawi der tawh a. J.Shakespear-a pawhin, “ Lusei hnam ṭawng, Lusei tih emaw Duhlian tih emaw a an sawi chu tunah chuan Lushai hills pumpuia an ṭawng hman tawn ber a ni (Lusei or Dulien, which is the dialect of the Lusei clan…is now the lingua franca of the whole Lushai hills ) tiin a lo ziak bawk a (112).
Vumson chuan Mizo ṭawng hi he hnam (tribe) pumpui zinga a darh dan heti hian a sawi a, “Of all Zo dialects, the Lusei or Duhlian dialect is the most widely spoken. It is the common language in West Zoram (Mizoram a sawina), and it is spoken by almost all Zo people in Manipur and the Chittagong Hill Tracts….” tiin. (269). A sawi zelnaah phei chuan Zo hnathlak ram hrang hranga cheng zawng zawng zatve aia tam hian Mizo ṭawng hi an hmang thei vek a ni a ti. A ziah hun hi a rei deuh tawh a, tun dinhmunah phei chuan a hun lai aiin a tlanglawn lehzual tawh ngei ang.
Latin ṭawng hi ṭawng pawimawh tak, tunlaia ṭawng hrang hrang French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian leh Spanish-te ṭawng ṭobul a ni a, hengho suihzawmtu pawimawh tak a ni. Chutiang bawkin Sanskrit leh Greek ṭawngte pawh a ni a. Sap ṭawng hi tunlai khawvel pumpui min suihzawmtu, khawvel hnam hrang hrangte min inpawh tawntirtu ṭawng pawimawh ber a ni ta hial a. Sailo lalte ṭawng hman ber hi a lo larin, a lo darh zau ta bawk a, chuvangin Mizo ṭawng pawh hi he hnam nawlpuite tan hian ṭawng malsawm, an inbiak pawh tawnna ṭawng a lo ni ta a ni.
4. Tunlai huna Mizo ṭawng ṭhan dan leh a darh dan
Mizo ṭawng hi Mizo hnahthlak, L.Keivomin Zo tribe a tihte zingah hian a ṭhangin a darh zau zel a. Sailo lalten he ṭawng hi an tihlarh dan kan tarlang tawh a. Mizoram chu kumpinuin a awp hnu khan, lalte lalna kha tawp mai lo mah se tunhmaa an lal dan nen chuan an thuneihna a dang ta a, Sapho khan an duhsak zawng mi chu lal atan an dah a, hnamchawm lal pawh engemaw zat an awm ta a. Chuti chung chuan Mizo ṭawng chu hman tlanglawn a ni ta deuh deuh zawk a. Hetia Mizo ṭawng hman lar zel a nih chhan hi kawng hrang hrang a awm thei a, tawi te tein han tarlang ila:
1) Chanchin Ṭha leh Zirna: Kum 1894-ah Mizoram ṭhutchilh turin Zosap hmasa Pu Buanga leh Sapupa an thleng a, an hna hmasa chu Mizo ṭawnga hawrawp siamsak a ni. Mizo hawrawp an siam zawh rual rualin zirna sikul an din nghal bawk a. Bul an lo ṭan tawh chu Zosaphluia leh Zosaptharaten an chhunzawm a. Thingtlang khaw tam takah sikul an din zel a, reiloteah Mizoram pumah zirna sikul a ding ta mai a. Mizo ṭawngin fakna hla an letling a, an phuah bawk a, zirlaibu an siam a, lehkhabu an ziak a, chanchinbu an chhuah bawk a. Chuvangin, nasa taka Mizote zinga Chanchin Ṭha leh zirna a darh hian Mizo ṭawng chu a pu darh ve nghal zel a ni.
Mission pawl hrang hrangin Mizoram chhung mai ni lovin Manipur, Tripura, Chin state, Chittagong hill tract leh Arakan thlengin Chanchin Ṭha an hril zel a, chu chuan nasa takin Mizo ṭawng pawh Mizo-Kuki-Chin group-te zingah Mizo ṭawng hi a tilar pah nghal zel bawk a ni.
2) Harhna: Mizoram chhung leh Mizo hnahthlak awmna ramah kristian an nih hnuin harhna a thleng zel hlawm a. Harhnain a hrin, Mizo lengkhawm zai hla thar ṭha tak tak chu harhna thli tleh chuan a keng tel zel a, chuvangin khawi hmuna phuah pawh ni se Zofate chenna ram chu chung hla thar ṭha tak tak chuan a thleng ve nghal zel a, hei hian nasa takin Mizo ṭawng a theh darh a ni a tih theih bawk.
3) Chanchin Ṭha Dak: Harhna chi khat, Chanchin Ṭha Dak bawm zawn harhna chu kum 1946 aṭangin a lo thleng ve leh a. Khawchhak lama an unaute chhiar turin Mizoram lama mite chuan an lehkhabu neih ang ang, a themhlem deuh pawh sawi lovin an theh khawm a. Khaw hrang hrangin bawm engemaw zat an siam a, chutah chuan an lehkhabu pekte chu an dah zel a. Mizoram kil hrang hrang aṭanga aṭangin chung bawmte chu an zawn a, Chin state leh kawlphaia mite an pe chho ta a. Hei hian nasa takin khawchhak lamah Mizo ṭawng a theh darh bawk a ni.
4) Chanchinbu: Hmasawnna in a ken tel pakhat chu Chanchinbu a ni a. Kum zabi tir têah Mizo leh Vai chanchin chhuah ṭan a ni a, a hnu deuhvah Zoram Thupuan te a chhuak leh a, mahse hengte hi a darh zau vak lo. Mizoram Presbyterian Kohhran chuan kum 1911 aṭangin Kristian Tlangau an tichhuak a, hei hian Zoram pawna Zo hnahthlakte awmna hrang hrang a thleng a, chuvangin he chanchinbu hi Mizo ṭawng theh darhtu pawimawh tak a tling.
5) Media : Kum 1957 aṭangin All India Radio, Gauhati chuan Mizo programme a tichhuak ṭan a, zawi zawiin hma a sawn zel a. Zofate chenna hmun hrang hrang Chin state, Kawlphai, Manipur, Tripura leh Bangladesh thlengin a tuam a, a chhuah hun nghakin an ṭhu ṭhuap ṭhin a ni. Tun hnu deuhvah hian Mizo ṭawnga film hrang hrang lehlin hian heng ram hrang hrangte hi a dengchhuak leh a. Mizo zaithiamte aw, Mizoram chhung mai ni lo, Myanmar lama mite, Manipur lama mite zai pawhin Zofate chenna ram a thleng ta zel bawk a. Hengte avang hian Mizo ṭawng hi a la ṭhang zel a, hei hian zawi zawiin Zofate hi a phuarkhawm zel a ni.
Linguist hmingthang Ngugi Wa Thiago chuan, ṭawng hi hnam nunna hnâr (soul of culture) a ni tiin a sawi a (np). Khawvelah ṭawng tam tak a thi tawh a, a thi mek zel a. Mizo-Kuki-Chin group chhunga ṭawng tam tak pawh a thi tawh a, a thi mek bawk a, chutih lai chuan he hnam nawlpui phuar khawmtu ṭawng ṭhang mek zel Mizo ṭawng hi Mizote vanneihna a ni. Mizo ṭawng hian zawi zawiin Mizo hnathlak hnam hrang hrangte hi min pawt khawm a ni tiin a sawi theih. Kan inbiak pawhna hmanrua ber Mizo ṭawng hi mi ṭhenkhatin a zawi zawia a thih mai an hlau va. Mizo chi peng ṭhenkhatte hi chu thi mek te, thi mai thei dinhmuna dingte an awm a, mahse Mizo ṭawng hi erawh chu a ṭhang mek zel a, a hretu leh hmangtu kan pung zel a, he ṭawng hmanga lehkhabu leh thu ziak dang dang a pung zel bawk a. Ṭhang hnih khat a ral leh meuh chuan he ṭawng hi India rama ṭawng lian zingah a la tel ang a, a la ṭhang zel dawn a. Mizo hnahthlak hrang hrangte suihzawmtu leh tipumkhattu lunghlu a la ni deuh deuh dawn a ni.
Works Cited:
- Chhangte. Thangi . Mizo Ṭawng Kalhmang, unpublished.
- Chhuanvawra . C. Mizo Ṭawng Chhuina, JP Offset Printer, 2012.
- Grierson. G.A. Linguistic Survey of India, Vol.3.p.25
- Lalthangliana. B. Mizo Ṭawng Ṭobul leh a chheh vel, Mizo Ṭawng Zirzauna Bu Thar,MILLTA, 2012.
- —. Zotui, 2006.
- Lewin..T.H. A Progressive Colloquial Exercises in the Lushai Dialect, 1874 as quoted by Darchuailova Renthlei, Mizo Ṭawng Hmelhmang, Zoṭawng, Editor.Zoramdinthara, De partment of Mizo, Pachhunga University,2013.
- McCabe. R.B. Our relation with the Estern Lushais prior to the rising on 1st March, 1892, in Collection of some inter esting Correspondences in Mizoram 1890-1896, The Tribal Institute of Mizoram, Aizawl, 1980.
- Parry. N.E. Lushai Custom: A Monograph on Lushai Customs and Ceremonies, 1928, reprinted 1988.
- Shakespear. J. The Lushei Kuki Clans, London, Macmilland & Co.Ltd,1912, Reprint by Tribal Research Institute, Aizawl.
- Thiago.Ngugi Wa .Decolonizing the mind, the politics of language in African Literature, Nairobi: Heinemann, 1986.
- Vumson, Zo History, as quoted by L.Keivom in his article Mizo as a Link Language, Mizo Studies, Vol.II : 3 Editor. R.L.Thanmawia, Department of Mizo, Mizoram University, 2013.
- Zatluanga, Mizo Chanchin, Aizawl.1966.
Cite the original source:
Thanmawia, RL. “Mizo Ṭawng : Mizo Hnahthlak Phuar Khawmtu.” Mizo Studies, IX, no. 1, Mar. 2020, pp. 6–15.
