My sister’s favourite Lepcha song is not any of the current, modern songs ruling the local charts. Hers is a folk song known as ‘Muntanchi Lungten.’  Written by elders, this song is for the future generations of the Lepcha. It is a plea to remember our roots, and not drift so far in the future that we are unmoored.

Fewer and fewer people speak Lepcha, the language of our Indigenous people in Sikkim, but there are many efforts made to revive and retain our words and stories. We have a saying that a plant without roots is considered dead, similarly, a culture severed from its rich language, is one grasping for air. 

I have translated it here as an act of remembering. It is meant to be sung by children and is usually played during cultural activities of our Lepcha community 

Mutanchi Lungten, Traditions of the Tongue (here mutanchi means Lepcha, referring to our mother tongue, and lungten means tradition)

Mutanchi Lungten Setbolay Ren Ryet Song | Oh elders, please teach the traditions of our tongue

Dun bolay Yuh tho shyo Aungkup Kayu Gun | Tell us and we, children of this generation will learn.

Yuh tho shyo Aungkup Kayu Gun | We children will learn.

Kado Lungten, kado nun muchyam gong | If we don’t preserve our cultural richness 

Kado Amu Ring kado nun Muzyok gong | If we don’t speak in our mother tongue 

Tuh nun Aye! | Then who will!

Ryak nun Chom nun Thobotay  | Do seek it and keep it safely.

Rungutaungmu la chomba | As long as the two mighty rivers (Rungyu and Rungit of Sikkim) meet.

Ithbu Debu Rum sa Thyujee nun | From the blessings of our almighty god.

Rongkup sa Lungten Icha Chom Da moo | Our culture and traditions are preserved.

 

Nimshim Nyu sa Milyu Ray Sonong Zong | Humans are beautiful like snow 

Dun knee Thom ka Sungzot Pong | Tell them about all our stories 

Aungkup song Ryem Tongyet Thomka Auh | Let our children inherit these stories

Mithup Mithup chom shyo sung pong re | These stories will flourish over centuries 

Aungkup Plongka Munlom Zong Tho Thyo Shyo | A gift to our children.

Tomsung Arrey Ikzuh Thet | Stories of our present will be foretold in the future.

 

This song is not as popular among young people in our tribe. With increased global, western cultural influences and urbanization, we risk losing language, stories, and songs of nature and our tribe. Inspired by the song of our roots, here is a poem I wrote:

 

I am because 

We are 

 

We are not known by our surname 

But from our Anum Chu (mountains),

From Anom and Anum Aungkyongsong (rivers) 

Our mother Rungyu and Father Rungeet 

Our eldest brother Anum Kongchen (Mt Kanchenjunga) and 

by all the clans connected 

within us.

 

Tangled in the roots of identity 

I walked across rivers to find mine 

Far from modern complexities 

Through Indigenous pathways 

 

I chose 

 

‘Rongmit’ as I title myself 

I wear my congruity as dumvon,

Ferru (ornaments) and syumbrang bur (a silver ornament around our waist).

I am dweller and protector 

The sounds

Of the trumpets and voices 

Of the thriving 

Roots 

Grow striking the very rocks of uncertainty  

This is not a Shukpot (poem)

This is a 

Spirit of the growing 

Roots within me.

 

Mother this is me 

My identity 

I am rooted but I flow 

 

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Notes:

Ithbu Debu Rum: Known as the creator god of  the Lepchas who resides in the secret village behind Mount Kanchenjunga. The God who looks after her children and nature.We Lepchas also call her Aamu the Mother Creator. 

Rungyu and Rungit: The two major rivers of Sikkim emerging from the sources of Mt Kingchum and Mt Dongka. They eventually flow into the major Bay of Bengal. There is a story which says that Mayel Lyang (Sikkim) was almost flooded due to the outburst of these rivers. Hence on the 8th of August every year the Lepchas celebrate Tendong Lho Rumfaat as remembering the great incident that took place, and our God who saved the people back then.