Return them all to me

Return them all to me

Translated into English

When I was babling
At my tender age,
I was forcibly taught an alien language;
From my very tongue
Taking away deliberately
My birth right;
Return my mother tongue.

In my early teens
I was misled into alien ways;
From my very inner heart
Wrested away
My youthful spirit;
Return my joy and happiness
Of my Lepcha culture and tradition;

And

From inside my traditional Lepcha house,
From my pure and holy altar
Snatched away
My own Deities,
My Gods of the Mountains and Lakes;
The belief and faith of my old Lepcha men and women,
Of my original Lepcha traditional religion,
Customs, rules and regulations;
Return them all to me.




Laovoong bo
(Transliteration)

Gautam Lepcha
2004

Aaboong mazyelbaado aongthookkaa
Kumdoong aaring rokkaonnu
Kasa aaleelomdo
Kitboo naonboo
Aagyek aalaatsaa khaokgyen
Aamoo aaring laovoong bo.

Aadyoor thaakkung saa
Kumdoong laommyookaa loongnaongnu
Kasa samnaong lomdo
Kitboo naongboo
Aonglatsaa gaatsho
Dunggit aagao aakyet laovoongbo

An

Kaadyenlee sagaonlom
Kasa aatsaong rumthaomlom
Kitboo naonboo
Kasa rumdaar
Chyoo rum Da rum
Dyenree patnyaom numproomsaa
Kasa saonggyao loongtyensaa
Greehrim gunlaa laovoongbo.







The Lepchas’ Fortune
Gautam Lepcha
2004
A firm belief
Among the Lepchas,
That
At the time of creation,
The Creator
Commanded the Lepchas
Not to loose and destroy;
And with blessings
To do well and live,
Handed over the ‘God’s Language’
To the Lepchas.

The Creator’s words are true
Because
The Lepcha elders
Advising their children,
Tell them that it is their ‘power’.

My children!
Speak in Lepcha,
The God’s language,
They always tell them.
My children!
Study the Lepcha language
And read the Lepcha books.

It is true
Because
It is like a treasure hidden underground;
The ‘Lepchas’ Fortune’ is hidden
Inside the Lepcha literature;
The Lepchas’ Future’ is written
Inside the Lepcha literature.




Kaayoo saa Kingchoom Rong
Chhyo kaa Peetho ma
Gautam Rongkup
2004
Dyenree kaat aatim nyee,
Aaeet tachat kaa Eetboo Rum na
Kaosung bee na
Maphaat masaot o yong
Aong bee na
Jook jo o yong
Kaayoom taat tho boo Rong Aaring,
Eetboo Rum saa Aaring
A na do yumbaa ryen rit song na
Kaa jaon kup kaa myelchyaok syaok dun baa
Ae Ingngaasong wa!
Rong ring dun O!
Rong Ring jyaok O!
Huyoo na rongjying do lee baa;
Ae aakup song wa!
Rong chyoo rok O!
Rong chhyo hlaap O!
Thang paa,
Syoo maat na gong
Noor maatho jong faat sagaong kaa,
Kingchoom maatho yumbaa Rongkup saa,
Rong chhyo naong kaa,
Chungring peetho yumbaa Rongkup saa,
Rong Chhyo do kaa.