CHAKHESANG NAGA FOLKTALE, SONGS AND POEMS.

 Chakhesang Naga Folktales

1. The Importance Of Time. 

In a small village, there lived a mother and her son. One day they were working in the field and it was getting late in the evening.  As the sun sets, the villagers working in the fields have already headed back home.  It was getting dark and the small boy called her mom that they should leave work for the next day and return home. The mother on hearing a typical bird (thunu- which has a heavy faint voice ) chirping told her son that people near their field are still working and and insisted that they work for some more time. In the days when headhunting was prevalent, the small boy feeling scared and insecure repeatedly called her mom that they should head home now but his mother refused to listen and kept busy working with her tools. After some moments, the enemy headhunters heard their voices and invaded their fields. They beheaded the mother and the child in no time and left.

 (Moral: What we have learned from this story is the importance of time in everything. Even as a farmer, there are certain works which are to be done during daytime and nighttime respectively. Ignorance may bring an undesirable fate to oneself. )

2. Unity Is Strength. 

Once there lived an old man who had 5 sons. He became very old and he was nearing his death in his sick bed. As he was about to breathe his last,  he called all the 5 sons together near his deathbed. He gave them a task, to fetch and bring a piece of stick each. They went out of the way and came back with their stick each near their father. He then asked them to break the stick with their knees one after another.  And they could easily break the sticks. He then asked them to go fetch and bring a piece of stick each again.  As they arrived, he asked them to pile the sticks and tie them with a rope. He asked them to break the bundle of sticks one after another. After giving much strength and effort, none could break it.  He then replied,  as seen in the experiment anyone can break a piece of stick easily but when all the sticks are tied together firmly, no force can break it. In the same way, when an individual is capable of many things and good on his /her own,  people can break it easily. But when a family in brotherhood lives together as a unified stronghold, no outside force can break the bond. So he advised them to love and respect one another and live together as brothers. As the old man was done speaking, he slowly panted and breathed his last. 

Chakhesang Naga Folk Songs. 

1.Thiri mave li. 

We.. Hu wehii we...... Wehii wehii

i) Ho-o-o Zhesa Chozu we

    Ho-o-o Sokha mirhe

ii) Ho-o-o Lozaphuhu we

     Ho-o-o Thika mutsu nyi

iii) Ho-o-o Phola chozu we

      Ho-o-o Dahu humonyi

Iv) Ho-o-o Poriiba zu we

      Ho-o-o Zale zathire

Ch... Didi puno hehepuno -adana-a-a sukha

She ii we .... Wehii shela nya no o pu kaho

She ii we... Wehu ... Satso tsode chede pino

Chede khro no thhma kuthi tih

Ho..... Yi.... Ho.... Yi

This folk song is particularly made for the Naga warriors, the strongest headhunters in the village who guard people against an enemy.

2. Nizaa Li

Ha ... Niza eh .... Niza nimo ..... Niza

Ni zanimo...... Niza

Hi... Ruku... Leko ... Chele ... Sii .... Teho

Jesu zalu khe.... Tasuto... 

     Tsuche ru hi eh... 

     Kuiii.... Nii.. Rii..ii.. Sulo

     O.o........ Hi ... Hai.... 

Tsuzo sahi.... Hali tsoteho.... 

Ha..... Nizaeh... Niza nimo niza

Ni zanimo..... Niza. 

This is the story of a child who called her mother to have lunch at the field because he was hungry but his mother rejected it repeatedly. So a child decided to fly away by making his wing with his shirt. 

Chakhesang Naga Poems. 

1. Gone are our forefather's days

With no standard calendar; 

Patterns of moon and stars

Studied to count days and seasons; 

Festival and sowing patterns followed accordingly!; 

Young bamboo shoots observed for weather conditions ; 

Taller bamboo shoots than the previous year signifies favourable weather for the year; 

Old people observe and advise people accordingly. 

Leaves and trees shed at irregular timings, 

New leaves bud or sprout at different intervals ; 

Signifies early retreating season. 

People are advised to complete cropping on time; 

Early breeding of mosquitoes and flies; 

Signifies the arrival of the early warm season; 

People warmed by plagues and flu with the warm weather; 

The elderly instruct the people's safety and precautions. 

A halo rainbow circling the sun; 

Warms of less annual rainfall and possible warfare; 

People warmed to take stock of food at home; 

To prepare themselves for any calamities ahead; 

The calendar of the old it was. 

2. The Great Barbets Bell. 

In the older days with no clock or watch, 

The chirping of the great barbet tells people the time; 

Comes the first call of the great barbet,

10:00 a.m. now as they say.

The farmers had to call for a short break.

The second bell comes mid-afternoon ;

12:00 pm noon now as they say; 

The farmers call it a lunch hour; 

A fill to their stomach and they bend to toil again. 

Ring the last bell of the day by the great barbet; 

Almost evening when farmers retire for the day. ; 

Calls for a rest and set foot back home; 

The great barbet never miss a day.