Nikay Besa Konyak
Konyak language which is one of the most neglected languagesof the Tibeto-Burman descent is a language spoken by the people of Konyaks.According to 1971 Census Reports, there are numbered 72, 338 speakers of Konyak Language and according to 2001 Census Reports, there are 250,000 native speakers of Konyak language. Despite the increase in the number of speakers, some researches showthat this language still faces the risk of losing its speakers if not properly preserved at the earliest. According to the Atlas of the World’s languages in danger, the status of the Konyak language is at the vulnerable state. Apart from a few books that were written and small researches conducted by a few foreigners and Naga researchers mostly constituting of people from tribes outside the Konyak realm, no thorough research has been made till date.This could be accounted to the complexities caused by the multiple variations of languages within the tribe which have had a heftydisadvantage on researchers. Every Konyak village even 2 kilometres apart speaks variant dialects and communication among these village folks is carried out using a common language which some people are unfortunately inept at. Language diversity is very high in this region unlike the bigger Tibetan and Burman speakers. However, with the emergence of modernisation and constructive educational policy, the needfor documentation of different aspects of the Konyak language is being viewed as an integral area of study among young enthusiasticlinguists, scholars and researchers. Konyak has many Dialects; according to Marrison (1967) there are 24 dialects (all named after the village names where they are spoken). They are the following: Angphang, Wakching or Angwanku of Tableng, Aopao, Changaya, Chen, Chingkao, Chinglang, Longkhai, Choka, Elokidoria, Takphang, Kongson, Longching, Longmein, Longwa, Mohung, Mon, Mulung, Ngangching, sang, Shalang, Shayno, Tolamleinyno and Totok. According to the Ethnologue languages of the world, there are 30 Konyak dialects. They are the following: Angphang, Hopao, Changnyu, Chen, Chingkao, Chinglang, Choha, Gelekidoria, Jakphang, Longching, Longkhai (Lungkhai, Lungkhi), Longmein, Longwa, Mon, Mulung, Ngangching, Sang, Shanlang, Shunyuo, Shengha, Sima, Sowa, Shamnyuyanga, Tableng (Angwangku, Kongon, Mohung, Wakching), Tabu, Tamkhungnyuo, Tang, Tobunyuo, Tolamleinyua, Totok. Among all the varieties (Dialects), The “Tableng” or “Angwanku” Dialect spoken in Wakching and Wanching Area is considered to be the Standard Dialect of Konyak.At the beginning of the 19th Century, the Missionaries used the Roman Script to write this Language. However it lacks its own script that can be directly attributed to the Konyak tribe. Looking back at History, the communitydid not consciously choose the Tableng dialectto be their standard language. The one reason why they chose the Tableng dialect could possibly be due to the arrival of the Whites (English Missionary) during the 19th and 20th Century particularly in Ngamsang Village and Wakching Village. These Missionaries began writing books using this dialectgradually becoming the norm of writingto teach the non-native learners. Typically, varieties that become standardized are the local dialects spoken in the centres of commerce and governments;therefore a need arises for a variety that will cater tothe needs of a more local audience. If we are to look at the development process of Konyak Language during the 19thand 20thcentury, the Konyak community was not very conscious of their linguistic identities. They were rich in oral literaturebut did not record them in writing. As a group of people (villages), they mostly remained primitive in their outlook living in antiquated societies and did not create any avenues to further enhance their language culture. Another factor to support thismight bethe breaking down of one race into multiple small groups (villages). These groupsmostly remained isolated from one another and as a result failed to develop a linguistic bond between the villages. The life style and social-setin human societies develop unconsciously but the same does not apply for language. Instead of having an idea to develop its unconsciously chosen common language, thebroken Assamese language was frequently used which served as the lingua franca of the community.As far as literature and books are concerned, no such writings had appeared on the scene except, perhaps, some reports by foreign people who served in the Konyak Hills. Even much of the “travelogues” by serving foreign officers would appear later. These weremostly descriptive in nature. Gradually, learning the needs of the community, the foreigners and the local people from neighbouring communities contributed the first literatures to be recorded historically and slowly the needs of writing and documentation using the local dialect came into being. The first book to be written in Konyak Language was in 1840 by Mrs. Bronson who wrote a first reader in Konyak Naga Languagenamed “Natahema Heran Kabanva Nyapran” which someresearchers claimed to be“the first ever written in any Naga dialect”. The other book which is regarded as the first book to systematically provide some light on the social and cultural aspects of the Konyak people was Furer Haimendorf's“Naked Nagas”. The first reader in Tableng Dialect was written by Missionary Longri Ao in 1951 titled, “Vwanppa Konyak Kak Lori”. Furthermore, with the coming of Christianity, translations on religious books came about. For the first time, between 1947-1950,C.E Hunter, the American Baptist church Missionary at Impur, and Henkong Konyak worked towards translating the four Gospels, Acts of Apostles and the Church Hymnalto Konyak Language which were then thoroughly revised by Longri Ao. TheNew Testament was translated by Rev. Chingang which was completed in the year 1972 who then completed the translation of the Bible in the year 1992. Another work in Konyak language that emerged during this period is the dictionary titled, “Konyak Engko Kahjemlai” (1990) compiled by Rev. Chingang. Along with theseworks, The formation of Konyak Literature Board in the year 1968 with Mr. Sheiching Konyak as the president and Rev. Chingang Konyak as the Secretary shed light on the need and the importance of Konyak Language among the natives. Some of theresearchand documentations of the language that touched upon aspects of Konyak language during 19th and 20th Centuries are recorded below:
a) ‘The Sal languages’ (Burling 1983) b) ‘Linguistic Survey of India’ (1927) ( G.A. Grierson) c) ‘The Classification of the Naga the languages of North-East India’ (Geoffrey Marrison 1967) d) ‘Konyak Kinship’ (K.S. Nagaraja 1990) e) ‘Konyak Folk Literature’ ( K.S. Nagaraja1994) f) ‘Konyak- Hindi- English Dictionary’ (K.S Nagaraja 1994) g) ‘Classification of Tibeto- Burman Languages’ (Scot De Lancy 1987) h) ‘Primer for adults in Konyak language’ (Ine Jongne Jame 1957) i) ‘Hindi-Konyak Dictionary’ (Brij Bihari Kumar 1972) j) ‘Konyak Vyakaran ki Ruprekha’ (Brij Bihari Kumar 1972)
