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Discussion about changes in language, culture, and lifestyle in Zangskar

This is a discussion with Norbu Tashi, an elder from the Sani village, about the shifts in language, culture, and lifestyle that Zangskar has witnessed over the recent years. Recorded in Sani village, Ladakh Union Territory, India.
Date: August 7, 2022
Creator: Dolma, Tshering
Object Type: Video
System: The UNT Digital Library

Discussion about changes in Zangskari culture and agricultural practices

In this recording, Kunzang Chhuskit, an elder from Sani village, discusses the changes in Zangskar's agricultural practices. Prompted by questions from Dr. Jamphel Sheyan and students of GMDC, Zangskar, Chhuskit contrasts the recent adoption of machine harvesting and flour grinding with the traditional practices of hand-harvesting and water-mill grinding. Additionally, she recounts a tale about a prince named Kargyen Chocho. Concluding her discourse, she touches upon transformations in the dowry system and the broader changes Zangskar has undergone in its journey towards development. Recorded in Sani village, Ladakh Union Territory, India.
Date: August 7, 2022
Creator: Namgyal, Tshering
Object Type: Video
System: The UNT Digital Library

Discussion about changes in language, culture, and environment in Zangskar

This is a discussion with Tshering Tashi, a Lama (monk) at the Bardan Monastery, who hails from the Sani village. Lama Tashi delves into the shifts that have taken place in Zangskar in terms of language, culture, lifestyle, and the environment over recent years. He explains how these alterations have affected the local Zangskari populace. In addition, Lama Tashi addresses questions from the students of GMDC, Zangskar, about the observed transformations within Zangskar's monasteries. Recorded in Sani village, Ladakh Union Territory, India.
Date: August 7, 2022
Creator: Dolma, Tshering
Object Type: Video
System: The UNT Digital Library

Elicitation of word list on pronouns, kinship terms, and abstract concepts

This is an elicitation of a word list of temporal and directional words and concepts, color terms, religious terms, words related to profession, metals and precious stones, adjectives (related to physical sensation, size and shape, quality and quantity), person-related words, abstract terms, personal pronouns, and family relations in the Central (Zhung) variety of the Zangskari language. Recorded in Youlang village, Ladakh Union Territory, India.
Date: September 24, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
Object Type: Sound
System: The UNT Digital Library

Monologue on the advent of Sunni Islam in Zangskar

Ghulam Abbas describes Sunni Islam in the Zangskar region, beginning with the tale of a Leh king dispatching his son to govern Zangskar. In a poignant letter to his father, the prince pleads for his companion "Ju," a Muslim, to join him. This tale takes a pivotal turn when Ju, desiring halal meat, invites a Muslim butcher to Zangskar. The butcher’s eventual settlement and matrimony mark the beginning of the Muslim community in the region. Abbas also draws attention to the abodes of these early Muslim settlers, enriching the narrative’s depth. Recorded in Padum village, Ladakh Union Territory, India.
Date: September 28, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
Object Type: Sound
System: The UNT Digital Library

Personal narrative of two sisters from Karsha village

Tshering Garmo and Tshering Dolma, sisters from the village of Karsha in Zangskar, share personal narratives about their family and life in Zangskar. Assisted by Sonam Phalkay, we delve into memories of his grandmother and her younger sister. A candid pre-interview exchange unfolds between the Tshering sisters and Chhuskit Angmo (Sonam's mother) while the recording equipment was being set up, which enriches the narrative. Recorded in Youlang village, Ladakh Union Territory, India.
Date: September 28, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
Object Type: Video
System: The UNT Digital Library

Retelling of the Epic of Rgyalam Gesar, part 1

The Epic of Gesar (also spelled Kesar) is one of the world's longest epics and is widely sung and narrated across the Tibetan Plateau and in parts of Central Asia. This grand narrative chronicles the life and adventures of the heroic figure, Gesar of Ling. The saga unfolds through numerous episodes, with one of its earliest segments detailing the miraculous birth of Gesar. Before this event, the kingdom of Ling found itself in dire need of a leader. In the inaugural episode, Tashi Zangmo from Sani village—one of the last remaining bards in Zangskar—narrates how Agu Gani, Gesar’s uncle and an elder in the kingdom, persuades the warrior God, Tshangspa Karpo, to bestow the kingdom of Ling with a king. This divine intervention culminates in the miraculous birth of Gesar. Recorded in Sani village, Ladakh Union Territory, India.
Date: August 7, 2022
Creator: Dolma, Yangchan
Object Type: Video
System: The UNT Digital Library

Elicitation of word list on fuel, flora, and fauna

This is an elicitation of a word list consisting of words related to fire and fuel, flora and fauna in the Central (Zhung) variety of the Zangskari language. Recorded in Youlang village, Ladakh Union Territory, India.
Date: September 22, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
Object Type: Sound
System: The UNT Digital Library

Elicitation of word list on multiple topics

This recording captures an in-depth elicitation session of words in the Central (Zhung) variety of the Zangskari language, encompassing several diverse categories such as celestial entities, nature-related elements, household and farm equipment, food items, temporal and directional concepts, color terms, religious terminology, professional words, metals, precious stones, and various adjectives detailing physical sensation, size, shape, quality, and quantity. With Chhuskit Angmo as the consultant, this session revisits the same word list earlier elicited from Tshering Garmo, serving as a cross-check for consistency and variation. Recorded in Youlang village, Ladakh Union Territory, India.
Date: September 27, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
Object Type: Sound
System: The UNT Digital Library

Elicitation of word list on numerals and body parts

This is an elicitation of a word list consisting of numerals (mainly cardinal and some ordinal) and a few body parts in the Central (Zhung) variety of the Zangskari language. Recorded in Youlang village, Ladakh Union Territory, India.
Date: September 20, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
Object Type: Sound
System: The UNT Digital Library

Elicitation of word list on person and the physical universe

This is an elicitation of a word list consisting of numerals, words related to person (body parts, body functions), the physical universe (celestial entities, nature-related objects, and events), house and household items, farm and farming equipment, and food items in the Central (Zhung) variety of the Zangskari language. Recorded in Youlang village, Ladakh Union Territory, India.
Date: September 22, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
Object Type: Sound
System: The UNT Digital Library
Discussion about Zangskari traditions and the winds of change captions transcript

Discussion about Zangskari traditions and the winds of change

In this enlightening discussion, Prof. Tadeusz Slupski of Poland, a visitor to Zangskar since November 1977, discusses the cultural shifts over the decades with a couple from Sani village. Slupski narrates the socio-cultural transformations he witnessed since his initial visit and invites the couple to expand on these changes from their firsthand experiences. They discuss the nuances of the architectural evolution of Zangskari houses, delving into traditional heating and lighting methods, recalling cherished olden poems, songs, and dances—emphasizing the "chham" (Chham) dance and costumes, and reminisce about traditional weddings marked by horseback marriage processions. Dr. Jamphel Sheyan, Assistant Professor of English at GMDC, skillfully interprets the conversation, bridging Zangskari and English. Recorded in Sani village, Ladakh Union Territory, India.
Date: August 7, 2022
Creator: Dolma, Yangchan
Object Type: Video
System: The UNT Digital Library

Elicitation of evidential constructions in verbs

This is an elicitation of evidentiality in Zangskari verbal constructions, including tense and aspect. Recorded in Youlang village, Ladakh Union Territory, India.
Date: September 25, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
Object Type: Sound
System: The UNT Digital Library

Discussion about language and cultural changes in Zangskar

Stanzin Choszin and her parents discuss the transformation Zangskar has witnessed in recent decades with Tshering Namgyal. Stanzin Choszin is a student at the Government Model Degree College (GMDC), Zangskar. Tshering Namgyal is a GMDC BA student. They discuss shifts in language, changing tastes in food and liquor, evolving work cultures, and matrimonial traditions. this discussion captures the essence of a rapidly transforming Zangskari society. Recorded at Choszin's residence in Sani village, Ladakh Union Territory, India.
Date: August 7, 2022
Creator: Dolma, Yangchan
Object Type: Video
System: The UNT Digital Library
Manuscript of fieldnotes on Azamgarhi language (open access)

Manuscript of fieldnotes on Azamgarhi language

This is a manuscript of handwritten fieldnotes on Azamgarhi language by Maaz Shaikh. These fieldnotes are of initial elicitation of words and some basic sentences. Later on, the researcher shifts to ‘Discourse-centered approach’.
Date: 2019-12/2020-11
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
COVID-19 Information Flyer in Azamgarhi language (open access)

COVID-19 Information Flyer in Azamgarhi language

This is an Information Flyer in the Azamgarhi language. These flyers were designed in different languages of India and the Indian subcontinent, as an initiative by Society for Endangered Languages (SEL India) to create awareness about the COVID-19 pandemic.
Date: July 24, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library

Performance of an imitation of the Far-north or Dewārā variety of Northern Azamgarhi

This is a video recording of a monologue by eight year old Yusuf. He can be seen imitating the Far-north or Dewārā (floodplain) variety of the Northern dialect of Azamgarhi spoken in Mehrā, his mother’s village. Drawl is a stereotypical feature of that variety. Those speakers are often mocked by other speakers of Azamgarhi for their highly prolonged vowels.
Date: December 3, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
Object Type: Video
System: The UNT Digital Library

Conversation at an agricultural farm

This is a video recording of a conversation between Aquil Ahmad and two women farm laborers who can be seen braiding the stalks of paddy in someone's farms while others are heaping the stalks in the background. The conversation starts with Mr. Aquil discussing a laborer who had ditched him. Then he talks about the current year's weather condition and the farm produce.
Date: November 26, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
Object Type: Video
System: The UNT Digital Library

Traditional narrative about a poor old lady and a magician

This is a story of a destitute old lady who had two sons, and she could barely feed them. After some time, an aged man comes to that old lady and asks her to hand over her sons to him to raise them. The old woman agrees to this while saying that she’ll keep one of them when they became adults, whereas he can take the other one. The old man — who was a magician — takes care of them. He educates one, whereas he keeps the other for household chores, who later learns magic from him. The latter is desperate to be reunited with his mother, but the magician wants to keep him with himself. This story narrates how by using magic, the boy tries to return.
Date: November 26, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
Object Type: Video
System: The UNT Digital Library

Traditional narrative about a poor old lady and a magician

This is a story of a destitute old lady who had two sons, and she could barely feed them. After some time, an aged man comes to that old lady and asks her to hand over her sons to him to raise them. The old woman agrees to this while saying that she’ll keep one of them when they became adults, whereas he can take the other one. The old man — who was a magician — takes care of them. He educates one, whereas he keeps the other for household chores, who later learns magic from him. The latter is desperate to be reunited with his mother, but the magician wants to keep him with himself. This story narrates how by using magic, the boy tries to return.
Date: November 26, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
Object Type: Sound
System: The UNT Digital Library

Conversation between Tauqeer Ahmad and the children of Bindawal village

This is a conversation between Tauqeer Ahmad and the children of Bindawal village in the Northern Azamgarhi dialect as they were warming themselves in front of a fire. The children seeing the researcher and Mr. Tauqeer, try to escape but Mr. Tauqeer asks them to stay at their places. He then starts questioning an incident that took place the previous night wherein police arrived at the village and fined someone who was fishing illegally.
Date: November 23, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
Object Type: Sound
System: The UNT Digital Library

Conversation on the language of Rampur with Mr. Akhlaque (in Urdu)

This is a conversation primarily with Mr. Akhlaque. After recording some conversations in Rāmpūr village, the researcher learns the language of the Muslims to be Bhojpuri and almost the same as that of the Hindu population, unlike that in Fatehpūr. He then moves near to Mr. Akhlaque to enquire about this. Mr. Jameel then joins the conversation and adds his opinion on the ongoing topic.
Date: November 22, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
Object Type: Sound
System: The UNT Digital Library

Discussion on languages of the Purvanchal region of UP and Urdu

This is a discussion about the language and language varieties spoken in the districts of the Pūrvānchal region of the state of Uttar Pradesh, such as Maū, Balliā, and Āzamgaṛh. The speaker Mr. Maqsood Khan initiates with a short monologue on the election season in his mother tongue Bhojpuri spoken in his village Jogarī. He then proceeds to the varieties spoken in the region as he seems to have excellent knowledge on the same. The monologue then turns into a discussion about the differences of culture and language of Āzamgaṛh and Maū. It then shifts to the state of Urdu in India.
Date: November 22, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
Object Type: Sound
System: The UNT Digital Library

Discussion on languages of the Purvanchal region of UP and Urdu

This is a discussion about the language and language varieties spoken in the districts of the Pūrvānchal region of the state of Uttar Pradesh, such as Maū, Balliā, and Āzamgaṛh. The speaker Mr. Maqsood Khan initiates with a short monologue on the election season in his mother tongue Bhojpuri spoken in his village Jogarī. He then proceeds to the varieties spoken in the region as he seems to have excellent knowledge on the same. The monologue then turns into a discussion about the differences of culture and language of Āzamgaṛh and Maū. It then shifts to the state of Urdu in India.
Date: November 22, 2020
Creator: Shaikh, Maaz
Object Type: Video
System: The UNT Digital Library