Hmar, Paite, Mao language extinct: UN report
Tribal languages under threat.
IMPHAL: In a surprising report of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in its online interactive atlas of the world’s languages in danger 2009, some major tribal languages of Manipur have been enlisted as extinct languages while some other languages as endangered.
The extinct languages as mentioned in the UNESCO report are Aimol, Tarao, Purum, Phayeng, Andro and Sekmai while those endangered are Kabui, Hmar, Kom, Gangte, Mao, Maram, Maring, Moyon and Paite.
The report of the UNESCO on the status of major tribal languages of the state is quite questionable as most of these languages are currently spoken by the respective tribes as their mother-tongue.
So as to affirm the validity of this UNESCO report, a team of officials from the Centre for Tribal and Endangered Languages, Centre for Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysore, under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India led by chief research officer Dr. Th. Chandramani Singh along with mediapersons visited the Aimol Khullen Village of Chandel district today.
During the field visit, a substantial number of Aimol tribes were found speaking the Aimol language which has been enlisted as one of the extinct major tribal languages of the state.
The president of Aimol Tribal Union Manipur (ATUM), Athoi Bongte stated that Aimol is a major tribe of Manipur having its own distinct culture, language and tradition. At present there are 15 Aimol villages in Manipur out of which 11 villages are in Chandel and two villages each in Churachandpur and Senapati, he said adding the total population of the Aimol tribe is about 4000, he noted.
He further stated that the report of extinction of Aimol language is quite absurd as the language is spoken extensively by the Aimol tribes as their mother-tongue. Moreover, there is a descriptive grammar of Aimol language compiled by a doctoral scholar of Manipur University, M. Shamungou and there is also an Aimol version of the New Testament which is under printing process with the approval from Bible Society of India, Shillong, Athoi added.
He also said that there is regular transmission of Aimol programmes by the All India Radio Imphal Station and the Aimol tribes have also been singing carols in their own language.
Athoi further pointed out that some Aimol tribes have migrated to Assam and settled down near Silchar many decades ago but due to continuous assimilation of one culture with another these Aimol tribes no longer speak the Aimol language but instead they speak a new language called “Sairem”.
The UNESCO report might have been framed from that figure of Assam but the Aimol tribes numbering more than 4000 in Manipur are still using the Aimol language and there is no question of extinction, he stated.
The chairman of Literary Society of Aimol, SL Warte stated that the Aimol tribes are believed to have originated from Mongolia and came to settle in Manipur in the late 15th Century AD during the reign of King Khagemba of Manipur.
They have their own distinct cultural identity and their language itself is very resourceful, he noted.
The report of UNESCO comes as a thunderbolt to the Aimol tribes of Manipur amidst painstaking efforts to promote the Aimol language with the help of scholars and researchers, Warte asserted.
The officials, whoever are involved in submitting wrong reports to the UNESCO, should work sincerely for the real cause of small indigenous tribes of the country rather than trying to gain some undue benefits from such malicious reports, the Aimol leaders demanded.
The chief resource officer of CIIL, Mysore, Dr. Chandramani stated that the report of extinction of some major tribal languages of the state is quite doubtful as the Aimol language which has been declared as extinct is found spoken extensively among the Aimol tribes of Manipur. The UNESCO report seems to be partial and unaccountable resulting from the malicious reports of some officials, he said.
The Centre for Tribal and Endangered Languages under the Ministry of Human Resource Development is constantly working to uplift and promote the languages but such malicious reports published by UNESCO deserve condemnation from all sections of the society, Chandramani said.
The Imphal Free Press
