Hiazu Meru and others during the launch of the Zeliangrong
common language wordbook "Luangdilat Khuang" at Jubilee Hall, St.
Xavier Church, Jalukie town, on Tuesday.
DIMAPUR — The "Luangdilat Khuang", a
common language wordbook of the Zeliangrong community, was officially launched
by Peren Deputy Commissioner Hiazu Meru on Tuesday at Jubilee Hall, St. Xavier
Church, Jalukie town.
This wordbook, prepared by a seven-member Luangdilat
Language Commission, comprises 4,000 words and aims to foster linguistic unity
among the Zeliangrong people, according to an update.
The "Luangdilat Khuang" is a Luangdilat-English
dictionary and a key component of an ambitious initiative spearheaded by the
Luangdimai Citizens Forum (LCF).
This project seeks to establish Luangdilat as
a lingua franca by integrating elements from the four Luangdilat variants,
ensuring both linguistic integrity and mutual comprehension.
Speaking as the special guest at the event, Meru commended
the LCF for its historic endeavour. He highlighted the significance of language
as a fundamental pillar of social interaction, cultural transmission, and
self-expression.
Meru also touched on the National Education Policy (NEP)
2020, emphasising both its importance in preserving indigenous languages and
its unintended consequences of creating divisions among various tribes.
He stressed the need for unity among the Zeliangrong people,
who are administratively spread across Nagaland, Manipur, and Assam. He also
urged the community to strengthen their emotional ties to foster greater
solidarity.
The DC further emphasised the importance of road
connectivity as a crucial factor in regional development and integration.
Despite Peren district’s agricultural potential, he pointed out that economic
and educational challenges persist. He urged the community to prioritise
education, as strengthening the village economy would ultimately lead to an
improved quality of life.
In his keynote address, additional Central PF Commissioner,
Government of India, and member of the LCF Elders Board, Dai Remmei, described
the launch as a living testament to the rich Zeliangrong heritage.
He said that the project was a result of relentless
determination and collective efforts. He further revealed that future editions
of the wordbook would include conversational speech and grammar, making it a
valuable resource for schools.
Remmei acknowledged the painstaking efforts of the
seven-member Language Commission, which took four years to compile the
wordbook. He stressed the necessity of a common language to enable
communication within the community without reliance on foreign languages in the
future. Reflecting on their shared history, he urged the people to embrace
unity and look forward rather than dwell on past divisions.
Director at the Ministry of Defence and vice chairman of the
Luangdilat Commission, Aaron Pamei, also addressed the gathering, expressing
his aspiration to communicate in Luangdilat in the future.
He acknowledged that while the wordbook might not be
perfect, it laid a strong foundation for the coming generations. Pamei also
shared the challenges faced in compiling the wordbook, which required over
6,000 hours of dedicated effort.
He encouraged the community to commit to learning and using
Luangdilat, suggesting that Jalukie, with its diverse population, could serve
as a potential hub for linguistic and cultural integration.
Several prominent figures, including All Zeliangrong
Students’ Union (Assam, Manipur, Nagaland) vice president Edward Nring;
Zeliangrong Baudi (AMN) president K Akhang; and author, poet, and associate
professor at the University of Delhi, Dr. Achingliu Kamei, also spoke at the
event. They lauded the initiative and expressed hope that it would strengthen
cultural identity and unity among the Zeliangrong people.
