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Kachin Manau Dance Myanmar
Posted on December 5, 2007 by Drbabyzet
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Chapter ( I )
The Kachin – Historical Background
There are many racial groups in Myanmar. It is one of the South East Asia Countries. Kachin people are one among them who were a nomadic community. It is important to mention about their origin, migration, name, the location of the Kachin state, traditions and languages.
Most of the Kachins live in their own land .They had a separate country before the British Rule but then it became a part of Myanmar after their regime. Total area of the Kachin land measures about 33,903 square miles, located between 23’ -3 to 28’ -29 N latitude and 96’-99 E longitudes. Kachin land is adjoining with Peoples Republic of China in the East, Democratic Republic of India in the west, Tibet in the north and Myanmar in the South. About 50% of the total area of the Kachin land is hills and mountains up to the height of 5881 meters above the sea level. Kachin land is rich in natural resources .Jade (precious green stone) and teak-timbers are the best in quality, and production of gold per unit area is the highest, in the world.1
1.1. Location of the Kachin state
1.1.1. Seasons and Climate
The land is covered with undisturbed –natural forests. The rarest natural species like Black Orchids, White Pheasants, and golden fishes in the confluence of Mali and Nmai rivers are observed. There are mainly three seasons in the Kachin land viz., Yinam ta, sometimes also written as lanam ta (rainy season) starts from middle of May to middle of October; N’lum ta (Summer Season) is from middle of February to middle of May, and N’Shung ta (winter Season) starts from middle of October and ends in February. Daily Temperature ranges from 4’-36’ C with 60-95% relative Humility. Hill cities, like Putao, have a very low temperature ranging from -4 to 18 C with low humidity. The uppermost part of Kachinland, including the most beautiful Plateau-city (Putao) falls in temperature zone. Annual rainfall ranges from 80 to 200 inches. More rainfall has been observed in mountainous parts of the land.2
1.2 An Etymological explanation – The Kachin
The word Kachins or Kachin is derived from Ga Hkyeng or red soil, which was written as Kakhyeng by earlier authors, including Dr Kincaid in 1837; simplified by the American and the British Officers in the Colonial period. Though many workers attempted to define it from different languages, such as Chinese Ye Jein for wild man, Shan- C’ou for hill-tribes and there were several theories, including the one of Hertz and others, it does not give us a better sense or evidence .Earlier Kachins called themselves as Jinghpaw.3 In modern era, the term Kachin or Kachins refers to all six clans as Jinghpaw, Maru, Lashi, Rawng, Zaiwa and Lisu.
Ga hkyeng Duwa was the name of a Kachin chief who lived in Red soil the area of Mougaung, the western territory of Kachinland in early 18th century. He was one of the most powerful chiefs who fought again the common enemies from Hukong valley to entire Mogaung and Phakant area. He lived there for almost a century. Dingsi Duwa a descendant of Ga Hkyeng Duwa was also a powerful chief that no one was able intrude his territory. His heritages are still kept with the Kachin people .He had more than one thousand slaves.
Earlier spelling of the term Kachin varied greatly (Ka Cheen, Ka-Khyen, Kakhyen), but by the middle of 1880s, Kachin was being used generally, and this spelling has continued to the present. Dr. Ola Hanson and H. F. Hertz thought that the name Kachin came from a combination of Shan and Chinese terms for “wild men.” On the other hand, out of his earlier but more limited contacts with the Kachins, Josiah N. Cushing wrote in 1880, “the name Ka-khyen is an appellation of purely Burmese origin” (Baptist Missionary Magazine 1880: 296).4 The Myanmar found the Kachins sweet to deal with. Ma Khin Mya, herself a Myanmar, has proposed a theory which would find the origin in a combination of the Burmese words for “dance” and “desire,” reflecting a Myanmar view that the Kachins are a happy people who like to dance. The history of Myanmar Kachin’s attitudes and relations, however, hardly supports such theory.5
Lahpai Zau Tu, a centenarian Kachin pastor and chief, believes than the name arose when the foreigner asked the Kachin chief of the Ga Hkyeng area near Magaung their name, and through a misunderstanding applied a corruption of this term to all Kachins it is not possible to verify any theory completely. Whatever the true explanation, there is no doubt that the Kachin people considered Kachin as a foreign term which was applied to them with a derogatory meaning. Only in very recent years they have been willing to accept the term and use it when speaking in Burmese or English.6 However they refer to themselves as Jinghpaw in their own tongue.
1.3 Traditional Account
The knowledge of Kachin’s origin dependents on their own traditions, since neither Myanmar nor Chinese records provides much help. The earliest Western reference to Kachin is primarily from the English in Assam, begins from the first half of the nineteenth century. At that time the Kachins were already established their present location. With the exception of those who have migrated to the northern part of the Shan state.7
The Kachin’s accounts of their origin and movements, as well as other aspects of their folklore are contained in the oral tradition which a professional storyteller recites of special festival. There are local variations at that time in the details of this very involved tradition is not surprising. Rather, the general agreements on major points and in most minor matter are remarkable.
Therefore through their oral tradition, the Kachins trace their ancestry back to Ning Gawn Wa, who was involved in the creation of the earth. He later took a wife, an alligator, and their great-grandson, Wahkyet Wa, became the progenitor of the Jinghpaws. Among Wahkyet Wa’s numerous sons (traditions as to the number of his wives vary from three to thirty), the five eldest sons of his first wife (traditions vary from seven to nine sons by his wife) became the founders of the five major Jinghpaw clans. The five major clans are as follows:
First son, La N-Gam “Marip Wa Gumja”
Golden Father of Marip clan
Second son, La N-Naw “Lahtaw Wa Naw Lawn”
Aggressive Father of Lahtaw clan
Third son, La N-La “Lahpai Wa La Tsan”
Far-spreading Father of Lahpai clan
Fourth son, La N-Tu “Tsit Wa Tu Hkum”
Aggressive Father of N’hkum clan
Fifth son, La N-Tang “Maran Wa ning Shawng”
The first of the Maran clan.”8
Thus, The Kachins have their own clans with five ruling familes such as Lahtaw, Lahpai, Nhkum, Maran and Marip.
1.4. Migrations
Kachins originated from Central Asia (Ka-ang Shingra ) and they mirgrated from Central Asia to South East Asia Via Persia: Tashkent and Sarmakand (Southern Russian ): Mongolia: Huhethot, Kan Su, Tsing Hai Districts Yalo Tsangpo of Republic of China. Then they were back to the Tsing Hai District (China) and landed to the place called: Chengtu (China). Finally they migrated to the present occupied land called: The Kachinland. After migrating to their land, some of them strayed away to India (Singphos), China (Jingpos or Jinghpos, most of them in China speak Zaiwa) and most the Kachins migrated to the northern Burma: Kachin land. It is only about 2662 years old that the Kachins live in the present land. They were explored\s and were moving along the riverbanks where they could find fertile land.9
There is no scientifically strong evidence about the origin of the Kachin people because there are no stone inscriptions left behind by their ancestors and they had no written script until Dr. Ola Hanson came along. However, the tradition states that their cradle was Tibetan Plateou and ancestral home was the “major Shingra Bum,” or “Naturally Flat Mountain,” “which lies for to the north. The exact location is unknown, but a number of authors suggest eastern Tibet or further to the northeast. Four great rivers are mentioned in these ancient traditions. The Mali Hka (Irrawaddy), The N-Mai Hka (east fork of the Irrawaddy), the N-Shawn Hka, and the Hpunggawn Hka (most likely the Brahmaputra). It was from this area that the Kachins began to migrate to the south.10
Today the Kachins are found all along the Yunnan border from Ledo to Kengtung near the Burma – Thailand border. After this great migration, some Kachins settled at their present occupied land called the Kachin land. The Kachins can be seeen not only in Myanmar but also in China as well as in India. Kachin land is adjoining with China in the east, India in the west, Tibet in the north and Myanmar in the south. It was a separate country before the British occupied the whole country, later it became a part of Myanmar. That is why the Kachins became one of the races of Myanmar. “Kachin migration needs to be viewed in the context of movements of other peoples through this mountainous area where Tibet, Yunan, Burma, and India meet a region known to the airman of World War II as ‘the hump.’ Even though there is little corroborative archeological evidence, similarities in culture and language, especially in the traditions of the peoples involved, do support the theory that, previous to the Kachins, a number of other groups had passed through this area on their way south.”11
From generations to generations the Kachin people migrated from one place to another and the higher place to the lower part. As a result of these movements, there is an increasing measure of integration of the Kachin tribes. Especially on the plains, they are living in close proximity to one another inter-marriage is accelerating the process, as young people are now brought into contact in a way unknown a generation age. Among Kachin although the educated families are located in the plain cities and the majority of the uneducated Kachin people remain on the hill side villages. And also of them are in abroad.
1.5. Languages among the Kachins
The Kachins had no written language when the early missionaries arrival among them. The Kachins themselves had made no effort to create a script, in spite of the fact that they had lived for centuries in very close contact with people of great literary accomplishments such as Chinese, Myanmar and Indians. Each of these people had developed a complete script peculiar to themselves and this variety of scripts may have caused them to shy away from trying to find a suitable script for this own particular language. They did, however, find their own way of sending messages to one another, even though they were not able to convey their desire or feeling in written words.
The Kachins are Jinghpaw, Maru (lawngwaw), Lashi(lachit), Zaiwa(Azi), Rawang, Lisu and five other sub-groups. These six major groups including five other different sub-groups are together known as Kachins. They have same traditions, customs, dialects and practices.12
In 1890, Dr. Ola Hanson, one of the American Baptist Missionaries, was sent to Myanmar for literary work. It is technically accurate to speak of the Kachin languages, even though the phrase has sometimes been used to refer to the Jinghpaw tongue. All these Kachin tribes speak at least four distinct languages, Jinghpaw, Maru, Rawang and Atsi. Hanson anticipated that the Jinghpaw which he reduced to writing would indeed become the common language in due course, and this could properly be referred to as the “Kachin language.” Today, however, sixty years after he penned that hope, substantial number of Rawangs, Marus, and Lashis, to say nothing of the more newly-arrived Lisus, either know nothing of Jinghpaw.
Jinghpaw, which Hanson used as the medium for his translation of the Bible and Hymn, is by for the most widely known of the Kachin languages. Maru, Rawang, and their various dialects appear to have a common source with Jinghpaw, but nevertheless are mutually unintelligible. Atsi and Lashi are commonly regarded as daughter language of the Maru, the Atsi evidently having borrowed more heavily from the Jinghpaw.
Rawang is considerably different from any of the above; it in turn has numerous dialects, some of which are in large measure mutually unintelligible. Since 1950, considerable work in Rawang has been done by Robert Morse, a missionary of churches of Christ, aided by his brother. The Lisus, too, had no written language until the advent of the missionary. It group was another group without script. But the effort of missionaries contributed for them a script. It was Froser, assisted by Ba Thaw who worked out a Lisus script, using Romanized letters, some inverted or reversed, which has proven a very effective communication tool for these people.13
Chapter II
Socio -Political and Economic Background
Kachin people have their own social, political, and economic background. In governing system they have their own one. They have beautiful social relationship and own agriculture methods. Kachin are friendly and understanding to other .In this chapter I would like to discuss about their settlement pattern, governing system, economy and their clan and tribes.
2.1. Settlement Pattern
The Kachin have begun living in valley bottoms, but their villages were traditionally on ridge tops or the upper portions of slopes. Because of constant warfare, villages were large and remote from each others, peace has brought a reduction in settlement population size and a dispersal of dwellings water supply often but not always decided locations and some settlement on elevations may be some distance from their water supply.
“Most villages were entered through a sacred grove marked by prayer posts with representation of boons desired from the spirit (such as grain, weapons, and household gods), and by shrines to the spirits, especially the earth spirit. Here the community sacrifices are held. There are no public buildings the main structures are houses and granaries.”14
The house is rectangular, about 50 feet wide, somewhat longer (occasionally as much as 100 feet), and raised 3 or 4 feet off the ground on posts. Posts and beams are of wood; flooring external walls, and internal partitions are of woven bamboo; and the roof usually of thatch, small animals are sheltered under the house front.7 Inside the house is divided lengthwise by a partial portion, the left side being subdivided into a succession of apartments each with a hearth, the right being left open as a strange, cooking, and entertaining area. At the end of the large room is a space sacred to the household spirits and to any ancestral spirits not successfully seen off to the land of the dead.
“In front of the house are altars to spirits, and large posts, customarily X-shaped, to which cattle are bound for sacrifice. There is little internal decoration of houses; the exterior in front may have crude carryings or horns and antlers. Furnishings are limited: traditionally mats, containers, and blankets and nowadays stools and low tables.” 15
Kachin People are not setting in a particular place for along times in the ancient day. Because of their cultivation and farming system depended on the fertilization of the soil in a farm maximum 8 – 10 years.
2.2. Governing System
In Earlier period Kachin People lived under the rule of their chiefs. We used to call them “Duwas”.The oral history revealed that the Duwas were conscious about their people guided them protected and helped them. Duwas were great leaders amongst the Kachin People.
Historically, Kachin people were never under the ruling dynasty any King system till 1889.They were living their own land and their own “Duwa”.16 In 1889 British arrived Kachinland .After nine years on 1st, April, 1898 Kachin people were called to participate in Man Maw Military police, Battalian and the Kachin names were included in the historical book of English King. In 1904-05 Britsih occupied Mali and Nmai (Mali Hkrang Walawng) and the slaves of Kachin Duwas were released on February and March 1927.17Every Duwas had many slaves and those worked in their Duwas’ farms. But today we can not find the slavery system amongst the Kachin People.
There was no central state or political authority encompassing all Kachins, political organization prior to the creation of a Kachin state in 1947. The people were divided into a number of groups each with its own territory under the control and leadership of a chief, “Duwa.” Although the status of chief was hereditary in the male line and from father to youngest son, and although the chief was a member of one of the chiefly sibs the chief was not necessarily an autocrat. His power was usually exercised in concerted with a council of elders. His actual powers seem to have depended largely upon the vigor of his own personality. An energetic commoner could sometimes create for himself the role of front man for the chief, a role sufficiently formalized to have a name, “bawmung.”
The chief has a responsibility for the people of his domain. Their general well-being is related to his arranging for certain annual sacrifices on behalf of the community. In pre-British days, when Kachin raids upon the plains were not uncommon, a chief might receive tribute from non-Kachin villages on the plains in return for “protection” he provided them. Presumably he also had some responsibility towards his own villagers in helping to protect them forth outside raids. Whether or not the chief has definite responsibilities towards the people of his domain, the commoners are usually not in doubt as to what their obligations are towards him. They seek his permission to settle in his area, and he allots to them their house sites and fields.18 Similarly, the village is an important political unit, being composed of a chief, or headman, and his subject, who recognize the chief’s status, his ownership of the land, and his direct influence, in which his elders share, in many aspects of village life.
The chief had no large source of customary income from the villagers. He had the right to the thigh of all large sacrifices, hence the epithet, thigh-eating chief. Most of his income probably came from exactions in the form of tolls and tribute on foreigners i.e. the Shan valley dwellers and Shan and Chinese merchants. On the other hand, the office of chief involved certain liabilities: the worship of certain spirits entailing expensive sacrifices could be performed only by the chief.
“The other formal political status in Kachin society was that of elder. He was an older man and in some cases the head of his sib in the community. The elders, who, with the chief, formed a council, customarily determined the sites of swidden fields for the coming season seldom to have acted contrary to the consensus of the council.”19
The village is an important unit of both social and political structure. In social matters such as mutual assistance in rice cultivation, house-raising “bees,” religious festivals, time of sickness and death, and protection against enemies, the presence of other villagers, some of whom may be closely related as Mayu/Dama, fulfills an important function in Kachin society.Marriage is preferred with a mother’s brother’s daughter or with a daughter of any man of the Eco mother’s sib. Marriage is strictly restricted from own prilineal sib. The mother’s sib is called “Mayu” and the father’s sib as “Dama”. There is an institutionalized circular exchange among five sibs. The bride price is paid by the bridegroom’s father and his local sib mate .Hero-marriage may be acceptable in Modern society but polyandry or polyandry is condemned in our Kachin society. There was a dowry system in Kachin society in which male parents or relatives have to offer dowry to female. Quality and quantity depends on the demand from the female side. Now the system exists just as a tradition.20
2.3. Economic Life of Kachin People
Farming is the way of life for all Kachin, including the chief, there is no full-time occupation, specialization. Based upon the forming of field crops, with hunting gathering, animal husbandly and specialization in manufactures all relatively less important than agriculture Trode, weathers in form produce of the products of other economic activity, plays a minor role. Agriculture thus is the primary occupation in the Kachin area.
“In common with most hilly areas in southeast Asia, the Slah-burn technique, often termed the “swialden method”, has been the usual means of rice cultivation on the steep slopes of the Kachin Hills. This method require nearly a fully year to product one crop of paddy.”21
It begins with the cutting of trees and bushes on the selected hillside from January, and ends in November or December when the harvested grain is carried home. During the intervening months, period of hard labor and comparative to emerge at the beginning of the rains in June, there is the constant responsibility of guarding the fields against birds and animals until the crop is harvested. The women do most of the work connected with swailden cultivation, extent for a few of the heavier tasks that are done by the men, such as cutting down the larger trees, fencing the plot with the larger branches, and building the temporary bamboo house. Along with the rice crop, the Kachin also plant vegetables suitable for rainy season growth, such as maize, beans, mustard, and pumpkins. Hunting was also the need of the Kachin people. The Kachin is at home in the jungle, well-versed in hunting ways. Hunting is common during the cold season and is done with troops, snores, deadfalls, pellet bows, and guns. In fishing they used bamboo wires in the larger creeks and streams and sometimes a poisonous plant is used to stupefy the fish in quiet pools.
All average Kachin is a poor businessman. Although the Kachin are not businessmen, they have been deeply involved in the opium trade. This has come about primarily through their being able to raise the opium poppy in distant corners of the Kachin hills, and produce the crude opium for which that part of Southeast Asia has become well-known. In opposing the opium trade, the early missionaries and Kachin leaders have struggled to find another cash crop t hat would serve as a suitable substitute, but until today it is unsuccessful and still more growing, trading, planting and using among the Kachin.22
Multi-nation companies making money out of developing markets of Burma with no regard for human rights or how the Burmese Junta uses the foreign capital .The Burmese Junta and Chinese merchants are collaborated working Jude (precious green stone) Company and Gold mining as well as logging ( wood producing).The profits go directly to the Junta. Their productivity is not benefit for Kachin People.23
The Kachin economy is heavily dependent upon the use of bamboo. This especially used for posts and house flooring. A few of the multitudinous uses of bamboo include as; house construction, including joists, flooring, woven mat walls, rafters, thatch, and the bamboo splints or cords used to lie these together; tubes in which to carry water from the stream and store it in the house; fencing around the house or garden; clappers used to score birds away from ripening paddy field, parts of the woven baskets in which the women carry heave loads; fire making equipment; pipes for smoking opium; cup for the communion service, flutes, fish traps and wires; pontoons bridges, carrying poles and so many area.24
Every business is illegal .Small among of business are often crushed down by military police in Burma. But Larger among of investments are freed to cross by main road openly. In such cases most of Kachin people are not familiar to trades, they are necessary to be improved. Kachin economic totally depend on natural resources. When we compare to other countries, the economic situation of the Kachin people is even though in their dreams absence .Their incomes or salary are not enough for entire families.
2.4. The Clans and the Tribes
To the Kachins, the extended family or household Htinggaw, and the clan or major lineage Amyu are of the highest importance in determining one’s relationships. In using the term amyu, which refers to anyone of the exogamous divisions among the Kachins which traces its descent from one of the five main sons of Wahkyet Wa. In each clan, descent is consistently traced the clan has been sub-divided into two or more sub-clans. Primarily among the commoners of each clan or sub-clan there have developed numerous Lakung and Lakying, the best translated as “branches” and “twigs.” This represents further division or segregation within a clan, for which we shall use the terms lineage and sub-lineage. There is no consistent pattern for the number of Lakung and Lakying to be found in any one clan.
Herman G. Tegnenfeldt said;
“Although the Jinghpaws there are five major clans such as the “Marip,” Lahtaw, Lahpai, Nhkum, and Maran, there are also other clans that trace in our ancestry to other sons of Wahkyet Wa, rather than to the first five. It must also be painted out that each clan includes both chief and commoners. Thus a chief of one clan may have commoner of all clans living in the villages under his control.”25
Belonging to a certain clan is of the greatest importance in understanding relationships involves definite responsibilities and privileges and it is very powerful factor in Kachin social relationships. In addition to the clan, the tribe is another unit of Kachin social structure. The term tribe is used with the simple connotation of a people who usually occupy the same general territory, commonly speak the same language, and follow the same way of life. Applying this definition to the Kachin groups, one can define the Jinghpaw, Maru, Lashi, Atsi, and Lisu as tribes.26 When two Kachin strangers meet together, they first introduce themselves by asking one’s ruling name whether he or she is lahpai, lahtaw, Maran, Marip or Nhkum. This is an important social contact with the Kachin people.
There are some differences among these groups, such as languages, distinctive dress. Some variation on other aspects of culture such as dress, also a commonality of tradition and a sense of belonging to one another among the tribes and sub-divisions which justify their all being termed Kachin. There are mainly two types of costume dresses; viz., Hkahku Hkring (Upper or Upstream costume) and Sinli Hkring (lower Costume) amongst the Jinghpaw. Almost all the Kachin people’s Labus (sarong or shirt) are similar with a very slight differences; except colors, where Rawang dress has patterns weaved or painted in a white base; rest of the Kachins in a red and black base-garments; other things remain the same. Lisu dress is of two types and both of the costumes have blocks of colors; viz., black, white, red and small yellow lines in between the blocks. Nhtu (sword or machete) and N hpye (bag usually cotton), palawng (shirt or blouses), Bawban or Bawnghkraw (tartan), Labu or Dangbai are worn by Kachin males.27
Culture also very from one group to another. At the same time, however, it should be stated that intertribal marriage is common. Among the other tribes there is a clan system similar to that of the Jinghpaw. Probably the chief reason for any seeming discrepancy between our considering these groups to be tribes, and at the same time recognizing that inter-tribe marriages by no means uncommon, lies in the traditions of their origins. According to Hting Bai Naw Awn, a retired army captain and a Jinghpaw chief’s son from the Hka Hku area, has recorded this tradition, Wahkyet Wa was one of the eight brothers who became the progenitors of as many different tribes.
“La N-Gam first brother and progenitor of Rawang and Nung,
La N-Naw second brother and progenitor of Lisus,
La N-La third brother and progenitor of Maru,
La N-Tu fourth brother and progenitor of Lashi,
La N-Tang fifth (Wahkyet Wa) Jinghpaw,
La N-Yaw sixth brother and progenitor of Atsi,
La N-Hka seventh brother and progenitor of Naga and Chin, La Shawi eight
brother and progenitor of Akha, Wa and Lahu.”28
Therefore, the Kachin have their own clans with five ruling families such as Lahtaw, Lahpai, Nhkum, Maran and Marip.
Chapter III
Cultural and Religious Background
Culture and religion are important for every racial group. Kachin people have their own cultural and religious background. They have festivals, sacrificial system and the belief in Supreme Being. Before they converted to Christianity, all Kachin people were Natural-worshippers but now most of the Kachin people are Christians.
3.1 The Concept of a Supreme Being and the Spirit Worship
Kachin animism involves offering gifts and sacrifices to many spirits. However, back of these various spirits, there is a great spirit, about whom much unknown, but who is recorded as different from the other spirits. They believed in the creator God, the God of omnipotent, Omniscience and Omnipresence. They called upon this God at the time of need. They called this God, “Hpan Wa Ningsang Chye Wa Ningchyang” (Creator and Omniscience God).29 As early as 1882, Neufbille recorded a piece of Kachin mythology which contained a clear reference to great obviously Karai Kasang, who is described as the creator of human being. In addition to his common name, Karai Kasang, he is also known as Hpan Wa Ningsang (the glorious one who creates), and Chye Wa Ning Chyang (the one who knows). Although these names appear very helpful, there are enough variations in the differing accounts about this being to make it difficult to be consistent in describing him and his activities.
“Karai was commonly combined with “Kasang” which is a sign of supernatural power above all nats (spirits) whose shape of form exceeds man’s ability to comprehend. “Karai Kasang” is the term which Hanson used for God in his translation of the scriptures. “Nga rai” was a stable of being where is completely at the mercy of the malevolent spirits. The prefix Nga has a negative meaning. Hanson adopted this term for Hell.30
Kachin animism is basically a fear of Nats, or spirits, coupled with the practice of giving them gifts, either to appease them or toward of evil. They sacrificed livestock to their Nats such as Jan Nat (Spirit of Sun), Mu Nat (Celestial Spirit), Tsu Nat (Ancestral Spirit) etc.31 There are innumerable spirits, which may be classified according to more than one system. Thus there are the primitive Nats who existed at the time of creation or shortly thereafter, and the ancestral Nats, some of them may be recent ancestors. Probably it is more meaningful from a Kachin point of view to classify the Nats as those who are at least potentially benevolent, and those who do nothing but work evil against men.
“There are also ancestral Nat for each Kachin family, the altars for which are usually situated within the house. The three evil spirits, most well-known among the Kachin are “Jahtung” which give the bad luck in fishing and hunting, “Sawm,” which causes trouble and death for women in the time childbirth; and “Lasa” which make responsible for accidental death. Evil spirits of another category are the 39 fates.”32
In spirits worship, the most important and respected of all is the saga-teller “Jaiwa,” who was the high priests of animism. The less important are the more numerous regular priests (dumsa). These officiate at funerals when the spirit must be sent off. Properly, in times of sickness when gifts are presented to the offended Nat, and also at the set times of sacrifice is to be preformed. Two other types of practitioners are the diviner (Ningawt), who determine the will of the spirits, and the medium or prophet (Myihtoi). A medium commonly enters a trance and speaks on behalf of the spirits.33 Occasionally a Myihtoi would be a female.
The animist concept of the role of the Dumsa in contacting the supernatural world on behalf of the individual could be a tendency for the new Kachin Christian to view the pastor as a “Christian Dumsa,” and be satisfied with merely letting the pastor act on his behalf before God, rather than sensing his own responsibility. 34
In view of Kachin belief in the great importance of the spirits in determining man’s experience, that the divination, the will of the Nats, is given high priority in Kachin culture. One can understand the serious conflicts arise when anyone in the village became a Christian and do not consider bound such Animistic practices.
3.2 Festivals and Sacrifices
Annual festivals observed by Kachin animists are related to the agricultural year. Important feasts are observed on such occasions as the burning of the slashed highland fields, the completion of the highland paddy hut for the chief, the reaping, by communal labor, of the chief’s paddy field, and so on. The single most important festival, however, is held just before the sowing of the paddy, commonly in late April or early. May, at the time, the blessing of the earth Nat is sought, with the chief, along with the priests, taking an important part in the ritual.
The Kachin people use to celebrate festivals in any occasions, and the most ceremonious festival of the Kachin people is Manau (manao) festival. Manau is a large gathering intended to celebrate good harvests, to drive out evil spirits and to pray for happiness and successfulness in cultivation and healthy crops to harvest. Manau means “group singing and dancing” in the Kachin language. Manau poi or shapawng yawng manau poi is the national festival of the Kachins. The manau poi is one of the most significant dances in the world. Thousand and thousands or Million people can dance together in the same dancing style, this Manau poi stand for the high value of Kachin culture. It stands for the key of unity and nationalism. Through this culture, though the Kachin belief in different religions and live in different and blood relation of Kachin.35
The Manau festival is a great feast for the Kachins, in which everybody can participate in joyous dance around the newly erected multi-coloured painted totem posts, called Manau shadung, traditionally eleven or eight wooden poles and each about twenty meters high, are erected at the center of the state. They celebrate Manau Festivals such as Padang Manau (Manau of Victory), Sut Manau (Manau of wealth), Kumran Manau (Manau of Exodus), and so on.Kachin People are good dancers and they have wide variety dances. A festival “Nlung N nan” (Harvest Festival) is a beautiful one and People usually celebrate with full of funs, happiness, contentment and thanksgiving as every Kachin is fed this time.36 The basic designs, however, are diamond shapes and curved lines. The top and bottom of the poles are painted with pictures of the sun, moon and earth. The topmost side of the pole is cut, shaped and painted over in the form of bird’s beak. The patterns painted on the poles portray scenes from their history, pictures of colorful small blocks, and symbols of the route of their ancestors traveled when migrating to their current homeland, Manau festival activities are conducted around the eleven Manau poles.
The dance is led by two men, called “nau shawng” (leader), who wear the feather-decorated headdress, called “gup duru”, and dragon embroidered long robe, called “yanghpaw lawng”. All, those who came to the festival, dance in magnitude. The tempo of the dance is followed according to the rhythm of the beating of drum and gongs.37 The Manau festival stands as a sign of the Kachin society, culture and costume.
3.3 Life after Death
Before the Kachin people become the Christian they believed that death is the result of protracted absence of the soul, resulting in the severing of the cord of life. At death, every individual becomes a spirit (tsu), a sort of half-Nat bound for the ancestral region. This journey will take place if the spirit is sent off properly. Otherwise, there is the possibility that the spirit may become a malevolent Nat, and return to trouble the family or village.
The dead is buried. Generally the village or the clan has its own common graveyard. The cutting knives, bows and quivers a man used while he was alive are buried with him. For a woman, her burial objects are her wearing tools, hemp-woven bags and cooking utensils. Generally the mourned on the burial ground was piled one year after the burial, and respects to dead were paid three years after the burial, and offerings ended.38
The Kachins believe that there is a soul in man. They know that the soul can’t die though human body is dead. They have had the particular soul kingdom, called “tsuza,” for each own clan in different places. The animist priest sent his/her soul to that place after he/she is dead. They believe that all of their forefathers’, souls are lived in that particular soul kingdom.39 And they believe that all Souls will meet in that place again after death.
3.4 Kachin’s Society and their Culture
Kachin People are friendly, understanding but determined, God fearing and their social custom and traditions are very polite and formal. They have unbreakable chain of relationship amongst their ruling families. Kachin respect older ones.
3.4.1 Contact and Interaction
When two Kachin strangers meet together, they first introduce themselves by asking one’s ruling Family name (Five progenitors) whether he or she is Lahpai, Lahtaw, Maran, Marip, or Nhkum. This is an important way of social contact with the people. Kachin People say Kaja nga ai i? (How are you?).While one gives a handshake to another, usually between opposite sex. Cuddling or hugging is not a very common greet from female to male and vice versa. Traditionally, Kachin female sit in such a way that they put on the other legs towards left or right, no space between the floor and the legs; one leg put on the other one, hands on either of their knees while talking to an older or respected person is a formal way.
Females usually do not interfere while Masha Kaba ni (big persons or gentlemen, refers to older males) talking .This does not mean that the female gender is inferior in the Kachin society. Kachin males sit like anything they want but two legs across in straight position is a polite or formal way of sitting. Kachin males and some few females have sense of humour and they often poke one’s belly.
The Kachin females, when contact themselves or with the other females, they fondle either on the shoulder or on back or a hug; rarely give a handshake. Kachin males usually give a handshake when they meet one another or to the females.40 These days Kachin people contact and interact like other people in that of a Christian Society.
Humbleness and innocence leads most of Kachin females and some a few males to shyness and little confidence, especially those are living in or coming out from remote areas. This also depends on social and other environmental factors and remains as the issue of all man. Kachin males are energetic, courage, brave, responsive optimistic and cognitive whereas Kachin females are beautiful, intelligent, respectful, faithful and capable to integrate any sort of situation .They rarely find wild in the Society.41
In a family, both the parents are very much respected by their offspring. There is no gender and sex dominance in a family these days. Earlier females’ gender was not given much an important in Kachin society. Kachin people believe that the younger ones have responsibility to respect older ones in the society.
3.4.2. Food and Habits
Rice is a stable food for Kachin people. They prepare typical soup and lave with rice and curry. Kachin used to spend time in hunting and in collecting natural vegetables. Sticky rice mixed with dried pieces of fish or chicken packed in fig leaves are sometimes served in special occasions. Kachin living in lower parts of the land prefer noodles. Hparang Si-Htu (A typical vegetable –mix), containing Asiatic “Palang Lap or Hparang lap” tree –tomato (Solonum kachinnesis var.aersculentum) or common tomato and fermented soybeans is a very popular “Si-Htu” and traditionally served in countryside of Kachinland.42
An older Kachins in ancient time chewed tobacco (Nicotine species) grown and proceeded by them. “Tsa –Pi” or “Malum Tsa”(rice beer)n is very much respected in the society and considered as a second milk from mother .which they called : “Chyanun Chyu”. It is also served to wanted guests at home. This one sounds a bit systematic! “Tsa-Pa” (rice –state- beer) is mostly preferred by women, usually sweeter than the one that is preferred by males. They produce some sort of spirit called “LauHku” evaporated from rice – state-beer, which contains a high percentage of alcohol, Intoxication as considered to be wild in Kachin society.43
Nowadays, almost all Kachins are Christian and lived in that society. Their culture and living style is very simple an exemplary. In the next chapter will going to discuss about the Myanmar’s Historical Background.
CHAPTER – IV
The Growth of Christianity in the Myanmar
4.1 The Early Arrival of Chrsitianity in Myanmar
The Burmans were the largest group in Myanmar; they were more advanced than other people groups. Buddhism was deeply rooted in the life of Burmans widely since the founding of the first Burman kingdom of pagan by king Annawrata in 1044, Buddhism has been adopted as the religion of the state44. Other ethnic group those who were inhabited in hill areas and highlands were known as animist who were known as spirit worshippers. In Myanmar, (formerly known aw burma)there were Nestorians in Pegu in the 10th century ,Roman Catholics from 1544 and Protestants by 1813.Sereval tribes, especially the Karen ,Chin and Kachin peoples have been Christians for many years and have built up strong indigenous Christian communities Christians are only a small minority. Baptists and Roman Catholics are the two main Christian groups.45
Before Judson came to Burma, Roman Catholic missionaries were working since 1599. Some concrete results were recorded as the conversion of Nat sin Naung king of Taungoo. But soon after the conversion of Nat Sin Naung, he and the missionary were on crucified. From then the Roman Catholic missionaries gave up and disappeared. Fr Sagermano said, “Some 2000 believers were remaining faithfully in their faith.”46 The protestant missionaries were working since 1807 in Burma. The London missionary Society sent missionaries to Burma. Because of many reasons and obstacles they hand over to American Baptist Mission (ABM) in 1813.47
Burma was uncivilized when Judson arrived in the year 1813 Judson said, “I am almost the only one who can speak Burmese to present the Gospel to the Burmese people in the world.”48 This chapter mainly concentrates to the situation of Burma politically, economically religiously, socially and culturally during Judson was in Burma.
4.2 Developments in Roman Catholic Mission in Myanmar
The official record of the Roman Catholic mission in Burma begins with the coming of two Jesuit missionaries, Pimenta and Boves, who were accompanied by the Portuguese adventurer and mercenary Philip de Brito Y Nicote. According to Harvey, Debrito started his life as a cabin boy and then he served many years as head of the Portuguese mercenaries employed by King Min Razagyi of Arakan. When Arakan conquered Syrian in 1599, the king appointed him to take charge of the custom house and control the Portuguese living there under their own laws.
De Brito and his Jesuit priests work of the Christianization of the Burma Buddhist was said to have been quite successful. The most significant was the conversion of Nat Shin Naung, king Taungoo, and the most well known poet in the entire history of Burma.
Taking the conversion of Nat Shin Naung, as an insult to Buddhism, King Maha Dhamma Raja of Ava (also known as Anuakphet Lwun Min) marched to the south, and in 1613 crushed the Taungoo and destroyed Syrain. King Maha Dhamma Raja, who happened to be an uncle of Nat Shin Naung, asked him return to Buddhism or face death His nephew refused to return to Buddhism and he received baptism from the white priest. Subsequently Nat Shin Naung and De Brito were crucified as heretics.49
The conversion of Nat Shin seems to have been the high noon of the Catholic mission in Burma. The first missionaries, however, were Portuguese Roman Catholic in the 16th and 17th centuries. Official historical records begin with the appointment of two Italian priests to the kingdom of Ava in1720, The Reverend sigismondo Calchi, and a secular priest, Joseph Vittoni, were sent by Pope Clement XI to the emperor of Chine the previous year. Vittoni and Calchi were directed to establish a mission in Burma. The missionaries perceived that if the king covert to Christianity, then the whole country would follow he and Burma might have become a Christian nation, because for the Burman always regarded their king as the defender of their faith. However, unfortunately for the Roman Catholic mission in Burma, this was not to be the case. High noon was followed soon by the dark hours. Together with the crucifixion of Nat Shin Naung and De Br to, the Portuguese power in Burma in Burma was uprooted and its Catholic mission provokes abortive. The remaining Christian followers were deported to very remote area between the Chindwin and the mu rivers in upper Burma. They and their descendents remained faithfully to their religion, and in the 1780. Fr Sagermano saw them and reported that some 2000 believers were in Burma.50
4.3 Developments in Protestant Mission in Myanmar
The first protestant missionaries to Burma came from Bristish Indian in the year 1807. Their names were Marden and Chater. Marden, who did not stay long, was replaces by Felix Carey, son of the eminent English missionary Dr. William Carey who had turned to take government position and shifted from missionary to ambassador,. After Chater left, Felix Carey was the only missionary who was able to stay in Burma. However, Felix Carey also had encountered many troubles during the “dreadful event of the internal political state of affairs in 1812.51Despite such a dreadful state of internal political affairs, Felix Carey “ Become greatly interested in the Burma” and he had good negotiations with King Bodawpaya in Ava ,then the capital of the Burma or Myanmar Kingdom .Finally ,he “he decided to give up his missionary career and enter the service of King Bowdawpaya”. For this reason the Britsih missionary society’s mission in Burma was handed over to the American Baptist mission in 1813.52
4.4. The Situation during Judson Was In Myanmar (1813-1850)
It seems the Burmese people never saw the white foreigner woman because when they saw Ann Judson they were so amazed to see her. When Judson came to Burma, it was unlikely that he was told in Madras about Burma. The viceroy Mya-day-min gave them permission to settle down in Burma. Due to the politeness of Buddhism they could able to communicate with the local people. Judson found out Burmans were very good in social life and but in religious matter it was difficult to open their spiritual eyes because Buddhism has been rooted in their lives for many centuries. The people were slaves to their king. Kings were the most powerful and authority in the society. Nobody could rise up his or her voice. The people were giving high tax to the king from their business.
4.4.1 Judson’s Early Arrival in Myanmar
Adoniram Judson, first and greatest American missionary landed in Rangoon on 13th July, 1813. He started his life in Burma with difficulties and frustrations. He committed his life to break the stronghold of Buddhism in Burma, but in spite of all the adversities he preserved until, after six long years, he won his first converted.53
Adoniram Judson arrived at the destination, which he had aimed for three years, the place he had dreamed of, the goal of his ambition, and he had never regretted any thing more in his lives.54
4.4.2 Religious Environment
The religious of Burma was Buddhism and it was well organized. Most Burmese speaks were Buddhist. Theravada Buddhism is the practice religion. Burmese Buddhists have been perceived themselves as a bastion of Buddhist orthodoxy. Monasteries have been strongly subscribed in rural Burma, with many makes spending times as monks.55 The People of Kachin, Chins, Karen belongs to non-Buddhist religion, each with its own language and its own animistic tradition. These were more ready than the Buddhist to hear the new tidings from the west.56
Judson said that, it is now two thousand years since Gautama, their last god, began his state of perfection, though he no longer exists now, they still worship a hair of his head, which is enshrined in a huge Pagoda, to which the Burmese go every eight day. They know of no other atonement for sin, than offerings to their priest and pagoda.57
The Buddhist believed that if they had done well, and kept the rules of their religion, then they may move higher up the scale but even then, each new life is a time of suffering and trials. They thought that the only way of escape, from the evil of being born again and in the world of evil, pain, sickness and death, is to reach “Nirvana” – that means just, “nothingness”. They didn’t believe God and they Worshipped Buddha, their great teacher, who reached, the state of Nirvana with his great goodness and purity of life when he was eighty of age.58Judson could see with his spiritual eyes to the Burmese people with sad faces and burdened heart. He felt sorry for the spiritual darkness of the kingdom.59
4.4.3. Economic and Political Environment
Burma also has is famous silver-lead mines. There are marble and alabaster quarries near Mandalay. In the mines at Magok are found the most beautiful pigeon-blood rubies, and beyond Bhamo are some of the world’s finest jade and amber. Yenangyaung, ‘River of Evil-smelling Water’, halfway between Rangoon and Mandalay, is the center of one of the rich oil fields of the world. But it is not any mines or oil fields, but on the rice crop that most of the people depend.60
There was no good facility with regard to house, road, stationary, machinery, etc. “Felix Carey had brought press from Calcutta for king Bodaw-Paya, but this had been lost when the boat carrying it up from Rangoon to Ava along with Lrrawaddy river and capsized in a storm. The English Baptist Missionary at Serampore presented a printing press to ABM for Burma mission in early 1817. Because type writer and printing press were not available in Burma. There were hands written palm leaf books available for study. The Burmese elder said to Judson, you write we write on black paper.”61
The people were giving high tax to the province from their, farming, lumbering and fishing. The country was ruled by a despotic king who had absolute power and his council of landowners. The people were slaves to him. He was very hostile to missionaries.62
When Judson arrived in Burma in 1813, Bodaw pa-ya, the eldest surviving son of king Alaungpaya, founder of Burma’s last dynasty was the ruler of the Burmese Empire. The viceroy in Rangoon was Mya-da-min. King Bodaw – Paya rule a from the capital Ava (Now Ingwa). Bodaw – Paya died in 1819 and his grand son Bagyidaw seated on the throne. Although religious toleration was not officially granted to Burma but wishing to became Christians. During these two reigned, actually the growing Christian community was given considerable freedom so far as the government was concerned. The Church was permitted to carry on its programme in Rangoon and Ava, though missionary activity is such inland towns as Prome was frowned upon. When in 1837 Bagyidaw younger brother, Tharrawaddy, deposed his brother, relation between Britain and Burma rapidly deteriorated; resulting in the breaking of diplomatic relations and repudiation of the Treaty of Yandabo, making a further was practically inevitable. The king began to show symptom of insanity, giving way to period of ungovernable rage. In 1845, his sons put him under restraint.
His eldest son Pagan Min succeeded him by the following year. Under these two kings Tharrawnddy and Pagan Min, the mission was closed but not entirely.63 Between 1824 and 1826, British troop drove the Burmese out of eastern India and conquered Arakan and Tenasserim coast. Through two wars between the British and Burma, in 1824-26, and again 1852, portions of lower Burma fell under the rule of the British viceroy in India.64
4.4.4 Social and Cultural Environment
The Burma has no caste system like in India. Women were not slaves to their husbands. In-fact they were lively, spirited and even quarrelsome to a degree seen nowhere else in Asia. But personal honesty was almost unknown. Lying is so common and universal among them that they say we can not live without telling lies. Judson found that it was easy enough to talk about ordinary subjects, but very difficult to discuss religion.65
In every Burmese village there is to be seen one house which is larger and better than the rest. That is called Zayat, and it serves as a kind of inn, where get up early and do their work in the first of morning. Work is over by midday, and the afternoon and evening are time for rest and pleasant talks. People flack to the Zayats and there they discuss many matters.66
Judson was told that he should not go to the hell of Burma to spare his life and his family and for his future mission work. When he comes to Burma, he found out the stubbornness of Burmese people and he said, Converting one Burma is like drawing a tooth from the mouth of alive tiger.” In-spite of all difficulties and hardship Judson had been shaking the people’s heart, so many inquirers came up to the missionary. This news immediately reached to the emperor and the reactions were taken severely. When Buddhists were converted to Christianity, Buddhism was greatly eroded in many ways. That’s the reactions were taken severely.
When he arrived in Rangoon, he got permission to settle in Burma. He could start his mission work without any restriction. When the Anglo-Burma war broke out in 1824, the war gave him great trouble in his mission while he was gaining the people. The emperor provided him lands for mission quarter. But unexpectedly because of the war he was suspected as spy unnecessarily and the king put him in prison. Even from prison, still he could contribute great things to the emperor. Like Joseph, he was taken out from prison and brought to the most important place between Britain and Burma for treaty.67
In-spite of all difficulties and hardship Judson still contributed many things to the Burmese people. Judson contacts to the Kachin missionaries. In the Next Chapter I would like to discuss about the Kachin People’s their original growth of the Christianity.
CHAPTER V
The Growth of Christianity in the Kachin People
5.1 The early western missionaries contact to the Kachin people
From the time Judson landed in Rangoon to the meeting of the first Kachins by an American Baptist. In 1837 that intrepid missionary traveler, Eugenio Kaincaid, went as far as Mogaung, the northernmost city in Burma at that time, where he met and talked with several Kachins through a Shan interpreter.
But it was nearly four decades before any actual work was undertaken among the Kachins. Brief visits to Bhamo by missionaries A. Taylor Rose, Franscis, Mason, and Josiah N.Cushing challenged each with the opportunity for ministry among these hill tribesmen, though Cushing was designated for work among the Shans. There accompanied him to two young Karen evangelists for missionary labors among the Kachins. These pioneers, Thra Shwe Lin and Thra Bo Gale, stayed only nine months before returning to lower Burma. They were shortly replaced by Thra Swa Pe (S’Peh). Thra Ne Hta, and Thra Ka Te from Bassein. The latter two, along with Saw Pe’s wife, accompanied Cushing with the first missionary couple assigned from America for work among the Kachins, Mr. and Mrs. Albert. Lyon.68
5.2. Sowing the seed laid on the Kachin’s soil
Mr. and Mrs. Lyon reached Bhamo on February 13, 1878. Cushing, with the help of the Karen evangelists, had made a fair beginning in reducing the Kachin languages to written form, using a combination of Burmese, Shan, and Karen characters. Tragically, within a week after his arrival at Bhamo, Lyon fell ill with a fever and within one month of his arrival as the first American missionary to the Kachins, he passed away.
Mr. James A. Freiday, replacement for J.N. Cushing, undertook to supervise the work of the Karen evangelists in the hills. Word went out in America of Lyon’s death and the urgent need for an American missionary to the Kachins. William Henry Roberts, a young pastor in Illinois Volunteered with his wife, arriving in Bhamo on January 12, 1879. Karen evangelists Maw Keh and Shwe Gyaw accompanied them from Rangoon to Bhamo. Mrs. Roberts laid down here life within a year and a half of her arrival, though her husband pioneered among the Kachins for nearly forty years. These early years were trying, with political unrest and Kachin antagonism and indifference to the appeal of the Christian gospel. 69
Roberts returned to America following the death of his wife, again leaving work among the Kachins to the Karen evangelists in the hills, with the assistance of Freiday. The difficulty under which they labored may be measured by a portion of Freiday’s letter to the Mission Headquarters in America, dated in early 1881.
“The past year has been a very trying one for the Bhamo mission …. Attacks and robberies from those who it was hoped would receive the Word gladly… and the destruction of our Shan mission house by fire, the removal of kind sister Roberts from earth to heaven, and the return of Mr. Roberts himself to America. To these losses must be added those occasioned by the sickness and return to British Burma of valuable native helpers much needed here. These losses were easier to bear were there even a single active Christian, or even one known inquirer after the truth, to whom we might point as the fruit of all the labor of the many missionaries who have labored…….in Bhamo.”70
Returning to Burma in December 1881, Mr. Roberts was married in Rangoon to Miss Alice Buell, serving at Kemmendine School. They proceeded to Bhamo with Mr. and Mrs. L.W. Cronkhite, newly appointed missionaries to the Kachins.
5.2.1 Conversion among the Kachin people
Mr. and Mrs. Roberts and Mr. Cronkhite, trudged up the steep paths into the Kachin Hills east of Bhamo. Freiday had informed them that in the village of Bumwa, where Thra Saw Pe had been serving for over four years, several had been asking for baptism. Saw Pe and his family met the missionary party and made them at home in the village. The candidates were carefully examined; Saw Pe had instructed them well. On March 19, 1882, the first Kachins were led down into the waters of baptism. They numbered seven in all. Bawmung La (Paw Min La), an elderly man, and his wife; his son Maran A Yung and his wife; Nangzing Yung and his wife, Lazum Kaw Lum; and finally a deformed man named Gawlu Htang Yawng. Besides the new converts and the American missionaries, the four Karen evenglists, Maw Keh, Saw Peh, Ko The, and Shwe Gyaw, together with their wives, joined in the first communion service for Kachin Christians.71
Development over the next several years was rapid. Baptisms were regular even though standards were high. The establishment of schools, translation of the Scriptures, preparation of a Christian hymnal and catechism in Kachin, Training of new leaders, and reaching out north and south to open new stations were all part of the expanding program of Kachin Baptist Church History.
5.2.2 Bible translation
Mrs. Roberts had taught a few children when she had first arrived in Bhamo. Roberts and his school boys made a beginning in translating the Bible into Kachin. He wrote home with great enthusiasm, that on August 2, 1885, he and they had completed the translation of the Gospel According to Matthew into Kachin, from the Burmese, However, he never conceived of himself as a translator. He repeatedly asked the Mission to recruit a scholar for this important work.72
Ola Hanson arrived in Rangoon to being such work in 1890. Rev. and Mrs. Ola Hanson were appointed by the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society in 1890 to the Kachin people of Upper Burma and they arrived in December of that year. The task before them seemed hopeless. The Kachins in the early days of pioneer missions were described as revengeful, cruel, and treacherous. Even the King of Burma addressed the missionaries who came to work with the Kachins as follows: “So you are to teach the Kachins! Do you see my dogs over there? I tell you, it will be easier to convert and teach these dogs. You are wasting your life.” When the missionaries came to Kachin land, they discovered that this people possessed an extensive mythology. The stories were passed from generation to generation. There were stories dealing with creation, death, resurrection and even a flood. They also told of a book that they had lost. The Kachin version states that God gave each race a book. On their way home from their meeting with God, the Kachins became hungry, so they ate their copy. The Karens, a neighboring tribal group, had a prophecy stating that one day a foreigner would bring the copy of the book back to them. When he heard the story of the lost book, Hanson determined that he would restore the book to the Kachins — he would give the Kachins the Bible in their own tongue. Hanson first gave himself to the task of clarifying the Kachin vocabulary. Hanson would peer into the mouths of the Kachins to see where they placed their tongues, teeth and lips when forming words. Because the Kachin language is tonal there are many difficulties in trying to determine the distinctive meaning depending on its tone. He collected a word list of 25,000 words. Later he edited and published a Kachin-English dictionary of 11,000 words. The Kachins were 100% illiterate in 1890 and now 100 years later all Kachins can read and write in Kachin as well as Burmese the national language.On June 28, 1911, Hanson completed the New Testament translation. After he had completed the New Testament, he revised it three times. Then he proceeded with the Old Testament translation. Hanson completed the Old Testament translation on August 11, 1926. Hanson called his wife and his faithful Kachin assistant to his study where they knelt and poured out their hearts to God in thanksgiving and praise that the Bible was now completed in the Kachin language. He expressed his own feelings in a letter of August 14, 1926:
“It is with heartfelt gratitude that I lay this work at the feet of my Master. I am conscious of the defects of my work. I have tried to master Kachin, and make a translation intelligible to all. Pray with us, that our Divine Master may bless this work to the salvation of the whole Kachin race, while we are still at work here.”73
He translated over 400 hymns from English and Swedish, he also composed 200 hymns for the Kachins, true to their style and culture. Further, he also wrote a catechism, spelling book, a primer, a grammar and Kachins: Their Customs and Traditions.
5.3 Period of Mission Expansion
Growth and outreach into new areas beyond Bhamo District Characterize the last years of the nineteenth century. George J. Geis and his wife arrived in Burma in 1892. He and Roberts journeyed up the Irrawaddy River over one hundred miles to secure land for a new station and myitkyina. There the Geises moved in 1893, happily reporting their first baptisms in 1897, three Kachins and one Burman.
South and eastward from Bhamo lay Namkham in the Shan states. Surrounding this center for Shan evangelism were hundreds of Kachin villages. Shan missionaries had been doing what they could to preach to them, but needed help.
Roberts reported in 1898:
“In March we sent three of our more advanced pupils to teach school and conduct services in three villages during vacation and to help brother Cochrane commence a work among the Kachins in the mountains east of Namkham”. 74
By 1909, the Kachin Baptist Mission was roughly twenty – five years old. Myitkyina and Namkam established separate associations of Christian churches. In these twenty – five years several thousands in widely scattered places had heard the Christian gospel and many had responded. There were now one hundred and fifty Christians, eight of whom had been given sufficient private training to be unordained pastors. It was only a beginning, but it was good!
On December 15, 1901, the first ordination council convened in the Kachin Hills of Burma. The candidates had proven themselves to be called of God: Damau Naw had come as a school boy nearly twenty years before, and following his training in schools in Rangoon, had been helping Hanson in Literary work since 1893. Ning Grawng had accompanied Geis since 1894 in pioneering on the Myitkyina field. Shwe so, one of the Karen missionaries, had been serving since 1884. Other ordinations followed, such as those of Zau Tu of Sinlum Kaba in 1914, Lashi Naw of Mungbaw in 1915, and Zau Mai of Mungmaw in 1919.75 These and others began taking over the responsibilities of the Kachin Baptist Mission formerly shouldered solely by American and Karen missionaries.
5.4 Pioneer period ends
With the passing of Geis, the missionary pioneer period of the Kachin Baptist Mission closed. William Henry Roberts had given thirty – five years of service, retiring to America in 1914 where he passed away five years later. Ola Hanson served from 1890 until retirement in 1928, passing away in 1929. Others have entered the service with deep dedication, but illness or transfer to another field of labor had cut short their services among the Kachins.
The World War II was testing, the Missionaries were forced to evacuate. Station after station was abandoned and schools were closed. Rumor spread that the Japanese invaders were strongly anti-Christian. Church members scattered; some apostatized, erecting once again their traditional Animistic altars. But rumor proved to be worse than reality. Certainly, some Christians suffered at the hands of soldiers, but there were Christians also among the troops! Before long, services were being resumed throughout Kachinland. In spite of some losses in membership, new converts were won. The Shan states Association held its annual Bible conferences; the Bhamo District Association met for fellowship and business. Life settled down to something of a normal pattern during the years of Japanese occupation.
After the world War II,the missionaries returned – Tegenfeldt, England, Misses Bonney, Taylor, and Laughlin. They returned to scenes of destruction everywhere. They investments of sixty years in buildings were gone. Although the Kachins were destitute after the years of war, they gave freely of their time and energy.
New mission policies on schools and post – war independence for Burma created new situations for the Kachin Baptist Mission. These became feeding schools for the large all – Association institutions in the three districts.
Mission grants helped the Kachin Baptist School at Myitkyina and the Roberts school at Bhamo to begin re-building their school plants and reopen classes. The Sumprabum Station decided against a costly association school, choosing instead to emphasize a co-ed Christian boarding program. Scholl buildings and a new mission residence fitted out the station by 1949, but local financial support was not forthcoming. After the pioneer missionaries left from the Kachinland Damau Naw of Nbapa, Zau Tu of Sinlum Kaba, and Lashi Naw of Mungbaw appointed for the future of the Kachin people.76
Among the Kachin people there are different dimension such as Baptist, Roman Catholic, Church or Christ, Anglica, Fundamental Baptist Church and the other Para-churches. The majority is Kachin Baptist Convention; according to Rev.S Sin Wa Naw’s recorded in 2000, there were (13) association and (270) churches, and the second is Roman Catholic Church.77
Conclusion
In conclusion this research work had done by the brief history of the Kachins people such as economic system, political, religious and social structure. Basically the Kachins are Mogonglian speaking at least seven different languages and several dialects; they recognize Jinghpaw as their common tongue. They were a hunting people economically, though by the time of this research work, they were following a hillside rice cultivation way of life.
Sociologically, they are very friendly, understanding but determined, God fearing, and their social custom and tradition are very polite and formal. They have unbreakable chain of relationship among their clans and tribes. This is an important social contact with the other people.
Politically, in an early period Kachin people lived under the rule of their Chiefs such as “Duwas”. The leaders are responsibilities towards for the people of his domain. By this research work, we can find out the early arrival of Christianity in Myanmar. The foreign missionaries were difficulties to work mission under the Buddhism. Adoniram Judson landed the first American mission in Myanmar as well as he is one of the pioneers for the Kachin, Chins, and Karen as tribal people.
Religiously, the pioneer missionaries never dreamed of themselves as head of a Kachin Church. They longed and worked for the day when they should see Kachin Christians in Places of leadership throughout the Church.
We can say that the seed of Christian faith, which was sown in the hard soil, has begun to bear fruit. It has become responsible for the Kachin people and growth of the Kachin society. The Kachin people should nurture this faith with love and care.
In short, the Kachin people realize to restore our identity, culture, customs, and heritages. The researcher expect that the coming generations will do far well than what I had done on this chronological era of the Kachin people.
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Internet materials:
www. Kachinpost.com
www. Kachinland.com
www. Kachinnet.com
Journals and magazines:
The Jinghpaw Times
Kachin National News Beacon.(Wunpawng Shi shaman)
Pyilan Lunghtawn Journal,
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