Editor,
The proposal of the MDC of Mawlai to have the headquarters of the Mawlai C & RD Block at Mawsiatkhnam appears to be a foolish proposition. The reason being that Mawsiatkhnam is located at the corner-most part of Mawlai area and the transport cost from Nongthymmai or lewduh or for that matter from Mawlai to Mawsiatkhnam is beyond the reach of BPL families considering the distance and the remoteness of the place. Imagine a BPL family residing at Nongthymmai who want to approach the Block office for their needs will have to spend a huge amount of money only to reach Mawsiatkhnam. Moreover, it would take them one full day to travel to and fro to get their work done, due to scarcity of public transport in that remote village. Instead it would be easier for the same persons to travel to 5th Mile Upper Shillong which is the existing block.
If the Government succumbs to the pressure of the MDC of Mawlai and some “interested group” the objective of having a new Block will be defeated as it will not serve any purpose, instead will harass the poor and the needy. I would therefore opine that those who want the new Block to be located at Mawlai, should be ready to donate at least one acre of land somewhere in Mawlai town. Asking land from the State Forest Department is a futile exercise as the Department has no authority to part with its land without permission from the Ministry of Environment & Forest, New Delhi and it takes years to obtain such permission, if at all the Ministry gives its clearance. Perhaps the Syiem of Mylliem may allot a portion of the Syiem land at Mawroh for this good cause. If land at Mawlai town is not made available at the earliest, it would be wise to shift the headquarters elsewhere or be happy to remain under the Mylliem Block.
Yours etc.,
Iophi-o-Laloo
Shillong-14
Let Kiang Nangbah rest with that name
Editor,
This has reference to the news item in The Shillong Times (ST Feb 6, 2017), captioned “It’s Kiang Susngi not Nangbah says new book”. We all must congratulate Seriallyone the author of the book for his effort to find and bring out the roots of Kiang Nangbah. However, I may be allowed to dwell on nomenclature of titles as it had and has been the case in Khasi-Jaintia Hills. In many places the surname or title given to a clan indicates the village wherefrom the person or family hails. Here are samples: in Shillong we have what is called Synteng Nongdhar etc: in Jowai we have what is called the Khynriam title. It is interesting to note that the title Nonghuloo in Jowai comes from Nonghyllew village in East Khasi Hills.
A family crossed the Umngot river that separates Khasi Hills from Jaintia Hills, landed in War Jaintia onwards to Dulong in Jowai, and their title like Surong etc. were forgotten. There are about a dozen family titles coming from Sutnga settling in Jowai town with the original titles of Pale, Bamon, Lamare etc. and on setting foot at Jowai they were called by their village name, Sutnga. Nor do they consider themselves outsiders and Jowai fully accepted them, generally with their village names. People who came from Nongtalang were simply called Talang in Jowai. They may tell their original titles but merged with locals. Some of them do stress on their true Kur title like the kur Myrten in place of iong Bhoi. Others like late Edwin Bareh adopted a father’s title in place of Bhoi Balieh. People slowly reached Jowai, the then Sub-divisional headquarter to have access to a bigger market, education, better health facility, also as seat of local Justice.
Different kurs in Jowai as well as Shillong etc. have different stories about their origin. For example, the Lakiang clan, as told to me by my grand maternal uncle (Woh Maina Lakiang), originated on top of what we now call Riat Ka Kiang overlooking the Syntu Ksiar. The title Dum or Dome – whether Dum Laloo, Dum Lakiang or Dum Shylla, all have their own story to tell. On my visit to Jaintiapur some years ago I came across one medical doctor whose title is Latuber. I wasted no time to come to the conclusion that he descended from those Tuber people since they have a tendency to use the word “la” in place “na”. There are a few things for which we are bound to remember the Nangbah family in Jowai. Sah Susngi lived in a place which later is called Wah Nangbah. The government as well as local citizens has joyfully accepted the name Kiang Nangbah Road running by the side. As a child, growing in Dulong Tpep-Pale locality, l wondered who the people were that cremated their dead at the slope of the hillock Moolikso. Even if not many were cremated we all now know that the father of Kiang Nangbah, who would otherwise be known as the freedom fighter of the highest order was cremated there; the Jowai people cremate their dead more on the line of the Kur system. Besides the proud name of the national fighter and martyr, we also have the Kiang Nangbah College where the sons and daughters of Ri Jaintia – including nearby Nangbah village of course – have the opportunity of building one’s life.
I believe that Kiang’s mother never did murmur that she should be known by the clan name Susngi, being satisfied that she had been absorbed in the local society and for good reason. Let us therefore be not narrow and parochial in this regard. Kiang Nangbah is a Jaintia hero for all to know. Kiang is Kiang Nongbah in the eyes of the world. His name stands side by side with that of Tirot Sing Syiem and can be seen by historians like Dr. David Syiemlieh in the famous archives of London. More details about Kiang would be welcome by all. So let both the title Kiang Nongbah appear in history. The title Susngi will appear in the detailed history.
Yours etc.,
PK Lakiang
Shillong-3