Sumi Folktales from J.H. Hutton's 'The Sema Nagas' (1921) - Part 1

                          A Sumi Chief and his Wives (Photo taken by J.H Hutton around 1913 -1923  Pitt Rivers Museum Archive, Oxford)

The following stories are in Sümi language exactly as they appear on the book ‘The Sema Nagas’. I am working on an improvised version of these stories in English and will publish shortly. Till then these are for the Sümi readers – a taste of old tales. I am sure you will share my curiosity and appreciation for our old folktales and rich oral literature. 

Our oral tradition is highly endangered and hundred of stories, songs and poetry are lost forever. However, I believe we can still save some of them if we put dedicated and joint efforts to document them.

Please join The Village Microscope blog and share stories or any form of Naga oral literature if you have any.

Story 1

The Plantain and the Hairbrush-tree

"Eno kaghelomi ni Simi atsa laki anike. Ino ti pini, inzhulone! Auchcbono amoghobovilo ti pike, "Noye amuziilono wuchen' kyo anikalono wuchen' kya ? " ti pi-inzhuke. Amoghobono auchobo pishike, " Niye amuziilono wucheni," pike. Paye kucho keghashi; pa 'muziilono wu-epeghe-puziino tiuve, eno amoghoboye anikalono wuchenike-ghenguno itahe ghi a pike."

Story 2

The Sambar and the Fish-Poison Vine

Kaghelomi ni Simi atsa laki anike. Ino ti pini. Inzhulone!

Akhuh-ngo akha pama ashou shi pike. Akhuhno akhavilo " I-shou, timino atsii sasii i hachekeloye, ino aghokilo polo-eghenike. Nono azii shopfe i-nyepa nhavetsiilone."

Ti pipuziino pano itsuwuve pike. Eno akhano akhuhvilo " I-shou, timino aphitsUbo 'kwola khusa-siiwu i-vekhichenike. No ghi aphi tsiibo o-kibono sochevetsii-lo " pipuziino, akhuh pulo sochevetsiipe pike. Tighenguno etadolo ghi akhuhno aphitsiibo sochechenike.

Story 3

The Squirrel and the Quail

 Khagelomi ni Simi ‘tsa lakhi anike. Ti pini. Inzhulone ! Atsung-ngo akili pama ashou shi pike. “I-shou, ikuzho timi ‘liehe ikani” pike. Allo-pipuzuno pama timi ‘lieche ikawuke. Atsungno atheghushi chekeloye timi ‘lichelono atsung meveke. Akilino ahunoghuthavestu  cheke. Atsungno akilivilo “I-shou niye i-ku’ohno suani. No ghi itheheye atheghushilo.” Pike. Allo-pipuzuno akilino atheghushike. Timi ‘liechelono  akili meveke. Akilino atsungvilo " I-shou, i-ku'oh siiai," pike. Atsungno ahu kahake-ghenguno kuno ghuthavetsiimokeke. Iveno akili tiuveke.    Tighenguno atsungno aghala ilomoike ; alughulo chewuve, pike- thono.

Story 4

The Leopard-cat and the Squirrel

Kaghelomi ni Simi atsa laki anike. Ti pini. Inzhulo! Anyengu-ngo akili pama ashou shike. Akilino anyenguvilo " I-shou, ino asiilo akhibo ghutha-siigheni," pike, " Ino ikhu asii akelono eghan ike ; noye ' I-shou, huhwoi ' pino o-melolo kokhulone." Ti pipuziino anyenguno pa 'melolo kokhukelaoye akhino pa 'bolono ipegheno pa 'nhyeti khuphovetsiike, Tighenguno akilino anyengu musano alaghulo ipeghemoi, musano aghasalo asakhelilo awuve pike,

Story 5

The Leopard-cat and the Nightjar

Kaghelomi 'tsa laki anike. Inzhulone! Anyengu-ngo akaku pama ashou shike. Anyenguno akakuvilo " I-shou, kushiye puthou- no eghachenike?"  ti pi-inzhuke. Akakuno anyenguvilo " I-shou, niye mtake," pino, anyenguno akakuvilo " I-shou, asU akeone ghoghoshicheaye ino oputsaniye chenike, musa alone, eno ayeghilono ghoghoshi-cheaye amulhuke, musakevelone." Ti pipuziino puthouno ayeghilo egheke. Pa'melolo ani chekemopaye pa'shou kumono amulhughasi kumsiizhuno musamo. Hishi akelono pa 'shou egheno akaku tsiichuveke.

Source: Hutton, J.H., (1921), The Sema Nagas, London: Macmillan & Co Limited. (Not in copyright)