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Description of a traditional house interior

Rebot Pegu describes the interior of a traditional family home in Ratanpur village which is built on raised platforms. Méram, the lowest platform made of mud and wood, is where food is cooked. It is cleaned every day. Pérab, the hanging platform made of bamboo, is where dried fish and meats are smoked. Rébbong, another hanging platform, is used to store large items like earthen pots or épo, a traditional platelike utensil made of bamboo which separates husks from grains. Ríːsíng, the open space to the left of méram, is where the elderly people sit. Koktok, the open space to the right of méram, is where the women responsible for the cooking sit. The bamboo pieces are placed close together in ríːsíng, whereas in koktok, they are placed wider apart to allow space for washing. Before electricity was available in the village, lamps were hung on the corners of the méram.
Date: October 16, 2022
Creator: Doley, Normoda
System: The UNT Digital Library

Description of a traditional house exterior

Rebot Pegu describes the exterior of a traditional family home in Ratanpur village called sang okum or taléng okum, which is built on raised platforms. He says different types of foundations made of wood and bamboo are required to construct taléng okum, including 5 joːpong to hold up the house and smaller wooden branches placed vertically called pali kutas. He lists the levels: the lowermost is called bénér; the middle is called porpiyang; the topmost where one can sit is called piso. The roof is made up of five layers including tarte, niːpir, dugying, and bangkung, and an outer layer of leaves called selab. Finally, the wooden stairway to the interior is called koːbang. He says there is typically a lagjum attached, but it is broken.
Date: October 16, 2022
Creator: Doley, Normoda
System: The UNT Digital Library

Description of making potika

Chandrakanta Doley describes the process of making potika along with Dipok Kumar Doley and Obawati Doley. First, jaggery is melted, and then épob (medicinal herb mixture) is sprinkled in. They note how potika is consumed locally and in other areas, observing it is often over-consumed. Chandrakanta Doley warns about low-quality potika made by burning sandals and clothes, instead recommending ones made at home or bought from trusted villagers. This is because low-quality potika is associated with health risks and may contain additives like tobacco which decrease one's longevity. Even high-quality potika must be taken in moderation, as consuming too much can lead to liver and/or lung damage and inflammation. In moderate doses, potika is used for medicinal purposes such as preventing high blood pressure. Chandrakanta Doley recalls how doctors suggested potika as treatment during a recent malaria outbreak in the village. He says he has been consuming potika every night after dinner for 30 years.
Date: October 16, 2022
Creator: Doley, Normoda
System: The UNT Digital Library

Description of weaving implements, part 1

Krishna Pegu describes the process of using the weaving machine while weaving a traditional garment of Mising women called ege gasor. The garment she is weaving has floral patterns in it, called mosang. The flowers are placed in a pattern called kepson which is designed to seem like the flowers are attached or running in a particular direction. She explains how the parts work together for weaving. Paksang is the white thread attached in the middle of the longer threads, where all the flowers are structured. Ya:pa is used to lift the threads which are needed in the making of the patterns. The pointed L-shaped wooden instrument is called keːsanané. It is used to raise the required threads for engraving the gamig (floral pattern). She runs her fingers through the white threads attached to the longer threads, called doːn. Sangkok is a pedal the weaver pushes with their feet. She demonstrates pushing the makung towards the further end, lifting the ya:pa, and placing red and black floral patterns on the lifted threads to make gamig.
Date: October 16, 2022
Creator: Doley, Normoda
System: The UNT Digital Library
Oral History Interview with Jack Hensel, July 21, 2022 transcript

Oral History Interview with Jack Hensel, July 21, 2022

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Jack Hensel. Hensel was drafted into the Navy in June 1943. He trained as an aerial gunner and was eventually assigned to a crew aboard an Avenger. In early 1945, he went aboard USS Franklin (CV-13). In March, when the Franklin was attacked, Hensel was blown overboard and eventually made it onto a raft before being rescued by USS Hickox (DD-673). He went to a hospital at Ulithi to recover from burns before heading back to the US. He was undergoing more training when the war ended.
Date: July 21, 2022
Creator: Metzler, Ed
System: The Portal to Texas History

Conversation about Mising traditions

Dipok Kumar Doley and Bidyeswar Doley discuss childhood living in a chang ghar, a bamboo house built on a raised platform made of thick bamboo. Dipok Kumar Doley says traditional dishes were not fried; green leafy vegetables such as takuk, ombé, onger, pakkom, gurban, mírné koːtuk, takpiyang, beso-beyo, oti oying with fish, deer or pork were boiled. He describes traditional health practices; during pregnancy and after delivery, green leafy vegetables such as rukji and marsang, along with black pepper and local chicken boiled as a stew, and rice beer are given as remedies for the mother. They describe celebrations for weddings and births and local festivals like Ali-aːyé-lígang, held on the first Wednesday of February, where the Misings pray for a better harvest the following year, health, and wealth and eat purang, apong, and oying. Dr. Bidyeswar says that family members of all ages would participate in the prayers and activities, but now this is rarely seen. Dipok Kumar Doley urges youngsters to stay alert and to take proper care of the Mising language, culture, and clothing or else they will become extinct.
Date: October 19, 2022
Creator: Doley, Normoda
System: The UNT Digital Library

Doctoral Recital: 2022-03-06 – Michael Soto, organ

Recital presented at the St. Andrew United Methodist Church in Plano, TX in partial fulfillment of the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree.
Date: March 6, 2022
Creator: Soto, Michael (Organist)
System: The UNT Digital Library
Oral History Interview with Robert Warren, March 28, 2022 transcript

Oral History Interview with Robert Warren, March 28, 2022

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert Warren. Warren was born in Frisco, Texas in February 1921. After graduating from high school, he attended Texas A&M participating in the ROTC program for two years. Upon graduation in 1942 he applied for a commission in the United States Army Air Forces and was accepted. After participating in various stages of flight training, he was assigned as a C-47 pilot. Flying the Northern Route over Greenland, he joined the 439th Troop Carrier Wing, 94th Squadron, 9th Air Force in England. He tells of being involved in Operation Market Garden and of crossing the Rhine, where he pulled Waco CG-4 gliders, and of the Battle of the Bulge where he hauled fuel for General Patton’s tanks.
Date: March 28, 2022
Creator: Warren, Robert
System: The Portal to Texas History

Description of making pitang oying

Joya Medok Doley describes the process of making pitang oying, a traditional dish of the Mising community made with rice and chicken. She begins by washing the rice with water. After washing, a small amount of water is left so the grains expand. She then peels ginger and garlic. Black pepper and chilies should be added based on the amount of curry that is being made. Then, she removes the soaked rice and pounds it with a mortar and pestle. The rice is pounded till it becomes grainy. The hen is put into hot boiling water. This makes it easy to remove the feathers. The hen is then roasted in the fire. For the pitang oying, big pieces of chicken are preferred. These pieces are tied together with a string or leaf so that the pieces of the same hen do not get mixed with other hen's pieces because the dish is being made for a ui (domestic puja). Mustard oil is put on a wok. Then, we wait until it becomes hot. Paanch phoran (Indian masala) is put and stirred until black, then chicken pieces are placed. Onions are added, followed by ginger-garlic paste. Black pepper, chili paste, tumeric, …
Date: October 12, 2022
Creator: Doley, Normoda
System: The UNT Digital Library