KK1-0495 - Hkungran poi ngut ai hpang hpa majaw nbaw hpe bang ra ai lam (Why Kachin people need to put sticky rice in a gift basket when the groom-to-be asks the bride's family for the bride-to-be's hand) with English translation

Translation (Rita Seng Mai) I am going to tell why Kachin people need to put sticky rice in a gift basket when the groom-to-be asks the bride's family for the bride-to-be's hand. Once upon a time, there was a beautiful girl in a village. One morning, her mother asked her, "My sweetheart, do you conceal something from me?" Then, she answered, "Yes, Mom. I have a lover. I'm sorry I didn't tell you." Her mother said, "Then, tell him to ask you for your hand." When the boy came to the girl's house and asked for the girl's hand, the boy's family brought a gift basket with sticky rice, sugar, and milk. The girl's mother seemed like she didn't know much about culture. She asked them, "Why did you take only this basket with rice, sugar, and milk? Why didn't you take valuable jades as a bride price?" The groom's father was surprised to hear what she said, so he explained, "We, Kachin people, have a unique culture and tradition. Putting the sticky rice is that we want the new bride and groom to be close and love each other. No one can ever separate them. Putting sugar and milk in this gift basket is to have only sweet moments for the bride and groom. We want them to be happy forever, so we put these things in the gift basket." The bride's father explained it patiently. Then, the groom's mother understood the reasons for putting those things in the gift basket. When she let her second and third daughters marry, there was no problem for her since she had already learned the culture. People these days think, "Putting the sticky rice in a gift basket is just because the bride and groom's family want it." Actually, it is not because someone wants it. Putting the sticky rice is for the newlywed couple to love each other, and no one can separate them till they die. The reason for putting sugar is that the love between the couple is uncountable like sugar and their love will grow more and more. The reason for putting milk is that their love will always be sweet like this milk. When Kachin man asks Kachin woman's hand for marriage, they need to put the sticky rice, sugar, and milk. Since then, the culture has passed generation by generation. No matter which tribe the groom is in, he needs to put those kinds of things in the gift basket when he asks Kachin girl's hand for marriage. Kachin girls are more priceless and valuable than even gold and jades. So, when someone asks the hands of Kachin girl for marriage, he needs to know this culture. Transcription (La Ring) Ya ngai tsun na htung hkying a lam gaw anhte Jinghpaw Wunpawng num sha ni hpe hpyi ai shaloi e hkungran poi ngut ai hpang jaw sha dat ai shaloi i hpa na ndai nbaw hpe bang ra ai lam hpe ngai hku na e tsun dan na hku re. Um ndai gaw gara hku i nga jang moi shawng de da mare langai mi hta grai tsawm ai num sha langai mi nga ai da. Num sha langai mi nga re shaloi gaw dai hpe i kanu gaw i shi hpe tsun ai da "Ma nang kaw e myit da ai lam ni hpa mi nga ai kun" ngu na shi hpe san ai da. "Re anu nang pawt na majaw ma ntsun ai ma kaw gaw i ma hte grai tsawra hkat ai la langai mi nga ai" ngu na shi hpe atsawm di tsun dan ai. Tsun dan re shaloi ndai kanu mung da "Sa hpyi shangun u le" ngu sha tsun ai da. "Sa hpyi shangun u le" nga na sa hpyi ai shaloi gaw da hpabaw ni lawm ai i nga jang da ndai nbaw ni lawm ai da jum dwi ni lawm ai da ndai nga chyu ni lawm ai da. Dan re ni lawm rai yang she i ndai kanu gaw i dinggai raitim moi na htung hkying hpe nau nchyoi ai dinggai rai na hku nga. Dan rai jang she dai mau ai da i "Nanhte gaw nye kasha hpe sa h pyi ai gaw ja lung seng ni gaw nlawm na me ndai nbaw ni jum dwi ni nga chyu ni hte sha sa ai hpabaw di na ma" ngu na tsun dat ai da. Ndai la sha a kawa gaw mau mat ai da. Kawa gaw mau mat na shi hpe tsun dan ai da "Anhte Jinghpaw kaw i htung hkying kaw masha ni hta lak lak lai lai htung hkying nan nga ai ndai gaw hpabaw hpe tsun mayu i nga jang ndai nbaw gaw magyep kap ai majaw ndai nye a kasha ndai la kasha hku na na a kasha num sha hpe tsawra myit kaba let magyep kap mat sai nmai gawng la sai" dai hpe tsun mayu ai re. Ngut jang she ndai jum dwi hte nga chyu rai yang gaw nhpa baw hpe tsun mayu i nga jang da e jum dwi gaw dwi ai nga chyu mung dwi ai ndai gaw na na kasha hpe ngai na kasha hte jaw sha ai shaloi da pyaw hpa lam myit pyaw lam myit pyaw hpa ni hpe dai hku i tawn da ya na atsawm di tawn da ya na ngu ai dai hpe tsun ai ga re" ngu. Dai majaw anhte sa hpyi ai shaloi ndai nbaw ni nga chyu ni jum dwi ni hte sa hpyi ai re" ngu na shi hpe ndai hku sang lang dan ai da. Sang lang dan ai shaloi ndai um ndai kanu gaw i la dai tsun ai ndai ndai la dai tsun ai shi na kasha hpe sa hpyi ai shaloi shi na ndai kasha hpe sa hpyi shaloi ndai nbaw ni nga chyu ni jum dwi ni nang labau hpe mung shi chye ai da. Shi i dingla dai sang lang dan na shi mung chye sai da. Chye na shi na kasha Malu ni Maroi ni hpe jaw sha ai shaloi mung i htung hkying hpe shi chye mat ai majaw mayak mahkak n nga ai da. Dai shani kaw na ndai kaw na ni hku nga jang "Ndai nbaw ni gaw shi na ra ai majaw rai nga ai" ngu dai hku myit la ai da. Dai hku myit la ai da kaja nga jang dai hku nre ai ndai nbaw ngu gaw ndai tsawra myit kade ram hkyik hkam ai nga tsawra myit kade ram kaba ai kade ram i shi nang kaw magyep kap mat sai nmai hka la sai nmai sai ngu dai hpe tsun mayu ai. Ngu na she ndai jum dwi ngu gaw i shi hpe tsawra ai kade ram law htam mat ai hpe ndai jum dwi ndai htuk kaw yu na nlu hti ai le grai law ai majaw i "Ndai daram ting law ai" ngu hpe tsun mayu ai ga re ai da. Rai na she ndai nga chyu ngu ai gaw i grai dwi ai i dwi dwi nga jang ndai dwi hpa i "Dwi hpa zawn zawn myit pyaw lam hpe mung jaw na nngai" ngu ai dai ga sadi ni re ai. Dai shani kaw nna da anhte Jinghpaw Wunpawng amyu sha ni gaw da Jinghpaw jet ai num hpe hpyi hkawm ai shaloi da hpyi shaloi i ndai nbaw ni hpe ra ai ngut nna she e nbaw ni hpe ra ai ngut na ndai jum dwi ni hpe ra ai ngut nna she ndai ndai nga chyu ni hpe ra ai dai labau hpe mung dinggai dai chye mat ai. Dinggai dai chye mat na she shi na ndai e ban hte ban prat hte prat prat hte prat dai hku na ya aten du wa du hkra timung da Jinghpaw num ni hpe sa hpyi na nga jang gaw da kaning re Myen la mi raitim kaning re Sam la mi raitim i Jinghpaw num ni gaw kade ram manu dan ai i nga jang ndai ja lung seng hte pyi nlu galai hkra manu dan ai. Ja lung seng hte pyi nlu galai ja hte pyi nlu galai hkra ndai ram ting manu dan ai re ai. Dai majaw anhte num kasha ni hpe sa hpyi shaloi gaw ndai nbaw ni jum dwi ni ndai nga chyu ni hpe lawm ra ai. Dai ndai a labau gaw ndai ram mi re ai. . Language as given: Jinghpaw

译文（Rita Seng Mai）我将讲述景颇族（Kachin）男子向女方家求娶新娘时，为何需在礼品篮中放入糯米。从前，某个村庄里有一位十分美丽的姑娘。一天清晨，她的母亲问她：“我的心肝，你是否有心事瞒着我？”姑娘回答道：“是的，妈妈。我有一个心上人，很抱歉之前没有告诉您。”母亲说：“那便让他来求婚吧。”当男子前来求婚时，他的家人带来了装有糯米、糖和牛奶的礼品篮。姑娘的母亲似乎对本民族的习俗知之甚少，便问道：“你们为何只带了装有糯米、糖和牛奶的篮子？为何不拿珍贵的玉器作为聘礼呢？”男子的父亲听闻后十分惊讶，解释道：“我们景颇族有着独特的文化与传统。放入糯米，是希望新人能够亲密相爱，永不分离；放入糖和牛奶，则是祝愿他们的婚姻时刻充满甜蜜与幸福，永远快乐。”母亲听后恍然大悟。如今，有些人认为“放入糯米不过是应对方要求”，但事实并非如此。糯米象征着新人之间深厚不渝的爱情，直至生命尽头也无人能将他们分开；糖寓意着两人的爱意如糖粒般数不胜数，且会愈发浓郁；牛奶则代表着他们的爱情将永远如牛奶般甜蜜。自那时起，这一习俗便代代相传。无论求婚男子来自哪个支系，向景颇族姑娘求娶时，礼品篮中都必须放入这些物品。景颇族姑娘比金玉更为珍贵，因此，向景颇族姑娘求婚者必须了解这一文化。

转录文本（La Ring）我接下来要讲述的是，当我们景颇族（Jinghpaw Wunpawng）男子向女子求婚、准备缔结婚约时，为何要在礼品篮中放入糯米这一习俗的由来。从前，某个村庄里有一位十分美丽的姑娘。姑娘的母亲问她：“我的孩子，你是否有心事瞒着我？”姑娘坦白道：“是的，妈妈，我有一个十分相爱的心上人。”母亲听后说：“那便让他来求婚吧。”男子前来求婚时，带来了装有糯米、糖和牛奶的礼品篮。姑娘的母亲似乎对本民族的习俗知之甚少，便问道：“你们求婚为何只带糯米、糖和牛奶这些东西，而非珍贵的玉器呢？”男子的父亲听闻后十分惊讶，解释道：“我们景颇族有着独特的文化习俗。放入糯米，是希望新人能够亲密相守，爱意深厚且永不分离；放入糖和牛奶，则是祝愿他们的婚姻时刻充满甜蜜与幸福。”母亲听后恍然大悟。此后，当她的二女儿、三女儿出嫁时，因已了解这一习俗，便未再产生疑问。如今，有些人认为“放入糯米不过是对方要求如此”，但事实并非如此。糯米象征着新人之间至死不渝的深厚爱情；糖寓意着爱意如糖粒般无穷无尽，且会愈发浓郁；牛奶则代表着爱情将永远如牛奶般甜蜜。自此，这一习俗在景颇族中代代相传。无论求婚男子来自哪个支系，向景颇族姑娘求娶时，礼品篮中都必须放入这些物品。景颇族姑娘比金玉更为珍贵，因此求婚者必须了解这一文化。

所提供的语言：景颇语（Jinghpaw）