Conversation about tourism in Chhitkul village captions transcript

Conversation about tourism in Chhitkul village

Ram Kumar and Bhag Singh Negi debate the pros and cons of tourism in Chhitkul village. Neither of them is directly involved in any business related to tourism, which allows for a frank debate. The recording was made at the Government Senior Secondary School in Chhitkul village, where Kumar is a teacher.
Date: October 15, 2018
Creator: Martinez, Philippe Antoine
System: The UNT Digital Library
Conversation about living conditions in Chhitkul village captions transcript

Conversation about living conditions in Chhitkul village

Ravi and Daya discuss living conditions in Chhitkul village, debating whether life there is difficult or not. The recording was made at the Rani Guest House in Chhitkul village.
Date: October 30, 2018
Creator: Martinez, Philippe Antoine
System: The UNT Digital Library
Ram Kumar's favourite place in Kinnaur captions transcript

Ram Kumar's favourite place in Kinnaur

Ram Kumar describes why Rakchham village is his favorite place in Kinnaur District.
Date: October 8, 2018
Creator: Martinez, Philippe Antoine
System: The UNT Digital Library
Ram Kumar's hopes for his children captions transcript

Ram Kumar's hopes for his children

Ram Kumar discusses his hopes for his children and the power of education. The recording was made at Chhitkul's Senior Secondary School, located further down the village, on the river bank, towards the path leading to the military checkpoint.
Date: October 8, 2018
Creator: Martinez, Philippe Antoine
System: The UNT Digital Library
Description of life in Chhitkul village in earlier times captions transcript

Description of life in Chhitkul village in earlier times

Amir Sing describes how life was in Chhitkul village before it was connected to the world by major roads, or the 'highway road.' He emphasizes how hard life was in Chhitkul when the village was still isolated, before the road was built in the 1980s. The recording was made at Amar Guest House, which is run by Amir and his family. The video starts at the back of Chhitkul's main temple and follows the narrow path up to the wooden guest house.
Date: October 12, 2018
Creator: Martinez, Philippe Antoine
System: The UNT Digital Library
Description of life in Chhitkul during summer and winter captions transcript

Description of life in Chhitkul during summer and winter

Vijay describes the passing of the seasons in Chhitkul village. The language spoken in this recording is Amro Boli 'Our Language,' an Indo-Aryan variety spoken throughout Kinnaur district. The recording was made at his workplace, a digital studio.
Date: October 31, 2018
Creator: Martinez, Philippe Antoine
System: The UNT Digital Library
Description of the Flower Festival (Usko) captions transcript

Description of the Flower Festival (Usko)

Ram describes the Flower Festival (‘Pulatʃ’,or 'Usko' in Chhitkul-Rakchham), a five day festival that celebrates the end of summer and crops. It usually takes place during the first week of October. He discusses why it is important for the community, how it concretely takes place, and what he especially likes about the festival. The recording was made at Chhitkul's Government Senior Secondary School, down below the village, on the river bank.
Date: October 8, 2018
Creator: Martinez, Philippe Antoine
System: The UNT Digital Library

Description of village administration

A description of village administration. Smooth functioning of a village life requires certain people to execute certain roles. The two oldest men in the village, known as singko and tingko, provide the mechanism of the social and religious systems. It was their duty to declare prohibitions, taboos, and so on. Kamu, the village shaman, performs funeral for the dead and attend to sick. He would perform all the rituals in the village. Apai, the village council, comprising old men from every clan in the village, look after the village administration.
Date: October 1, 2016
Creator: Daimai, Kailadbou
System: The UNT Digital Library

Performance of the song of a babysitter

When evening sets in, but parents have not yet returned from the field and children are crying, a babysitter carries a child on her back and soothe them in the front yard. Gazing to the direction from where the mother will come, the babysitter pacifies the child by singing these songs.
Date: October 1, 2016
Creator: Daimai, Kailadbou
System: The UNT Digital Library

Performance of the folk dance 'Chabonki lem'

Performance of the Chabonki lem dance by Nkou village youths. Chabonki lem means ‘the dance of the youth’, where chabon means ‘youth’, ki ‘house’ and lem ‘dance’. As the name suggests, this dance is performed mainly by youths of a village on special occasion, such as celebration of good harvest or victory in battle. In the present time, this dance is performed during cultural festivals.
Date: October 5, 2016
Creator: Daimai, Kailadbou
System: The UNT Digital Library

Performance of a war dance

Langmei (Tiang) villagers perform a war dance 'Chari lem'. It was performed when the villager waged war against a neighboring feuding village. The warriors of the village gathered for this dance believing that it would sanctify them and make them stronger, more courageous and more effective while engaging in a fight with the enemy.
Date: October 5, 2016
Creator: Daimai, Kailadbou
System: The UNT Digital Library

Description of traditional folk songs, part 1

This narration is about the importance and role songs played for communication in the traditional life of the Liangmai. Songs were employed in various situations, and they are expressions of different kinds of emotions. Liangmai ancestors used songs to express and convey their feelings and thought. It is a medium to express pleasure and pain, sorrow and joy, spiritual and moral values, and traditional and cultural knowledge. It is a rich form of cultural heritage that contributes towards maintaining the history of the people and plays vital role in connecting generations, establishing cultural identity and helps transmit cultural values, beliefs, knowledge, etc. When one is not happy or angry with another person, songs were used to express the feelings instead of talking and using explicit words. Angry facial countenance was not used; rather, a person used a song as a means to express his feelings or wishes. Then the other person would understand that the one singing the song is not happy or sad or angry. One would listen to the lyric of the song and understand the intended meaning.
Date: October 1, 2016
Creator: Daimai, Kailadbou
System: The UNT Digital Library

Description of traditional folk songs, part 2

This narration is about the importance and role songs played for communication in the traditional life of the Liangmai. Songs were employed in various situations, and they are expressions of different kinds of emotions. Liangmai ancestors used songs to express and convey their feelings and thought. It is a medium to express pleasure and pain, sorrow and joy, spiritual and moral values, and traditional and cultural knowledge. It is a rich form of cultural heritage that contributes towards maintaining the history of the people and plays vital role in connecting generations, establishing cultural identity and helps transmit cultural values, beliefs, knowledge, etc. When one is not happy or angry with another person, songs were used to express the feelings instead of talking and using explicit words. Angry facial countenance was not used; rather, a person used a song as a means to express his feelings or wishes. Then the other person would understand that the one singing the song is not happy or sad or angry. One would listen to the lyric of the song and understand the intended meaning.
Date: October 1, 2016
Creator: Daimai, Kailadbou
System: The UNT Digital Library

Description of field weeding songs

This narration is about songs that are sung while working on field. Some of the first songs sang while going to the field and while working on it are recorded here. Such songs are usually short, and their themes are numerous.
Date: October 1, 2016
Creator: Daimai, Kailadbou
System: The UNT Digital Library

Description and performance of children's songs, part 1

These are songs commonly sung by children. The narrator recollects some songs he used to sing as a kid.
Date: October 1, 2016
Creator: Daimai, Kailadbou
System: The UNT Digital Library

Description and performance of children's songs, part 2

These are songs commonly sung by children. The narrator recollects some songs he used to sing as a kid.
Date: October 1, 2016
Creator: Daimai, Kailadbou
System: The UNT Digital Library

Description of songs of exhaltation

This narration is about the songs of praise sung for someone who has achieved wealth and prosperity, or someone who has done great deeds.
Date: October 1, 2016
Creator: Daimai, Kailadbou
System: The UNT Digital Library

Description of a farewell dance to a girl

When a village girl is to get married, her peers and friends will gather at her house and spend a day singing and dancing with her. This narration is about the songs and dances performed during such gatherings.
Date: October 1, 2016
Creator: Daimai, Kailadbou
System: The UNT Digital Library

Description of youth's songs

The narration is about the songs of the village youth. Back in the days, on some auspicious occasions the youth will gather at a place, sing songs teasing each other, drink rice beer, and celebrate the whole day. The speaker narrates what kind of songs were sung on this day.
Date: October 1, 2016
Creator: Daimai, Kailadbou
System: The UNT Digital Library

Description and performance of children's songs, part 3

These are songs commonly sung by children. The narrator recollects some songs he used to sing as a kid.
Date: October 1, 2016
Creator: Daimai, Kailadbou
System: The UNT Digital Library

Description of village guarding songs

Guarding of village is one of the most important duties of able-bodied young men. While on duty, young men usually sing songs to assure the villagers that they are in good hands.
Date: October 1, 2016
Creator: Daimai, Kailadbou
System: The UNT Digital Library

Description of the gathering of peers

Phiangaobo is the coming together of friends or peers to celebrate after a season of hard agricultural work. This group of friends, usually younger people, would gather at one house where they sing, drink, and eat the whole night.
Date: October 1, 2016
Creator: Daimai, Kailadbou
System: The UNT Digital Library

Description of the songs of the elders

When festive time comes, elderly women will sleep over in their dormitory. They will spend their time together drinking, singing, and celebrating. This narration is about songs sung by old women when they come together to have fun.
Date: October 1, 2016
Creator: Daimai, Kailadbou
System: The UNT Digital Library

Performance of the eagle's dance

Tamei villagers perform the eagle's dance, 'Kaleng ponsi lem'. This dance is about the eagle catching its prey. The song sung during this dance talks about lost love, comparing it with the prey of an eagle. The song narrates about the village girls who were married off to rich men of another village by their parents without the consent of the girl. They are compared to the prey of an eagle.
Date: October 5, 2016
Creator: Daimai, Kailadbou
System: The UNT Digital Library