Collection details
Collection ID KK1
Title Kachin folktales told in Jinghpaw
Description Recordings of Kachin folktales and related narratives in Jinghpaw. These materials were collected by Keita Kurabe, Gumtung Lu Awng, Sumdu Ja Seng Roi, Hpauhkum Htu Bu, Labang Tu La, Gumtung Htu Nan, and Lashi Seng Nan as part of a community-based collaborative fieldwork project in northern Myanmar. As of November 4, 2025, the collection includes 2,491 stories, 2,491 ELAN files, 2,481 transcriptions, and 1,710 translations.


Transcriptions were contributed by Gumtung Lu Awng, Pausa La Ring, Galang Lu Hkawng, Sumdu Ja Seng Roi, Hpauhkum Htu Bu, and Keita Kurabe. Translations were prepared by Nbanpa Rita Seng Mai, Sumlut Gun Mai, Lazing Htoi San, Maran Seng Pan, Dumdaw Mike Tu Awng, Nhkum Htoi Awng, and Keita Kurabe.

Related resources on Kachin culture and history are available at:

https://catalog.paradisec.org.au/collections/KK2
https://catalog.paradisec.org.au/collections/KK3
https://www.youtube.com/@kachinfolktales
https://www.facebook.com/KachinStories

This research was supported by JSPS KAKENHI (Grant Numbers JP17H04523, JP20K13024, JP20H01256, JP24K03887), Linguistic Dynamics Science 3 (LingDy3), Description and Documentation of Language Dynamics in Asia and Africa　(DDDLing), and TUFS Field Science Commons (TUFiSCo), all from the Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (ILCAA), Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS), as well as the JSPS Program for Advancing Strategic International Networks to Accelerate the Circulation of Talented Researchers, "A Collaborative Network for Usage-Based Research on Lesser-Studied Languages."
Archive link https://catalog.nabu-prod.paradisec.org.au/repository/KK1
Collector
Keita Kurabe
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Operator
Originating university Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
Countries
Myanmar - MM
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Languages
Jingpho - kac
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Region / village
DOI 10.4225/72/59888e8ab2122
Cite as Keita Kurabe (collector), 2013. Kachin folktales told in Jinghpaw. Collection KK1 at catalog.paradisec.org.au [Open Access]. https://dx.doi.org/10.4225/72/59888e8ab2122

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Edit access Nick Thieberger
Keita Kurabe
Data access conditions Open (subject to agreeing to PDSC access conditions)
Data access details
Items in Collection (2491)

Item Title Actions
2170 Magwi hte jinghpaw dinggai (Elephant and old man) View
2171 Mai aw byep makau kaw nga ai hkaida yen nu (Widow who lives in the reed-grass) View
2172 Masha num hte masha la (Bad widow) View
2173 Palam hte nambya (Butterfly and Nambya) with English translation View
2174 Woi byin mat ai la (Man who became a monkey) View
2175 Matsan la wa grau matsan jat ai (Poor man who became poorer) View
2176 Gabum htu ai la (Young man who dug an earth mound) View
2177 Hkai pyek hte hkrangma mayu ga wa (The duck and the goose that went back to their parents) with English translation View
2178 Jahtung nat (Cruel terrestrial spirit) View
2179 Kanu hpe sat hkyen na ga mayu ai (Man who prepared to kill his mother) View
2180 Lapawp daru nna si ai la (The man killed by a snail bump) with English translation View
2181 Lapu mawmwi (Snake) with English translation View
2182 Mang sha ai num (Ogress who ate bodies) View
2183 Miwa ni zau nat jaw wa ai (How Chinese began to the officiate Zau spirit) View
2184 Myi htan tu tai mat ai num (Woman who became a firefly) View
2185 Shinggyim hkrang hkrang ai nahtam (Human-shaped yam) View
2186 Alawng maumwi (Alawng) View
2187 Hkaida kasha (Son of a widow) View
2188 Lagawn ai jahkrai ma (Lazy orphan) View
2189 Bu hpun palawng grai galai ai hkawhkam (King who changes his clothes frequently.) View
2190 Ga garan jaw ai nat shayi (Spirit girl who gave a half of the land) View
2191 Gumhpraw htemi jaw na gawk ting lu jahpring ya lu ai wa (Man who could make more money from less money) View
2192 Hkrun lam hkawm ai la lahkawng (Two travellers) View
2193 Kanu hpe nyet ai gam ba (Gam Ba who denied his mother) View
2194 How the Indaw lake made View
2195 Bau dum bum a lam (Why we call it Drum-beating mountain) View
2196 Bu hkawm la wa a maumwi (Traveler) View
2198 Du dat du myeng ni a lam (Dishonest lion) View
2199 Hpaga la maumwi (Traders) View
2200 Lagawn ai wa (Lazy man) View
2202 Nhkai bum a hku (Holes in Mount Nhkai) View
2203 Gadai hpe mahtang shagrau na kun (Daughter taken by the ogress) View
2204 Lawhpa ai wa hpang jahtum rai na re (Greedy man) View
2205 Mali Hku Roi Ja (Mali Hku Roi Ja) View
2206 Manu dan dik htum (The most valuable thing) View
2207 Matsan masha wa hkawhkam tai (Poor man who became king) View
2208 Nat dang ai gum zet li (Gum Zet Li who defeated the spirit) View
2209 Nbung e jaw ai kumhpa (Gift given by the wind) View
2210 Num nnan jan (Bride) View
2211 Dingla hte shi a kasha (Old man and his child) View
2212 Dingman ai masha lahkawng (Two honest man) View
2213 Ja sharaw (Golden tiger) with English translation View
2214 Lapu e shawng kawa sat ai masha ni (The first man who was bitten by the snake) with English translation View
2215 Masha a-ngawk masum (Three fool men) View
2216 Masha tai mayu ai woi (Monkey who wants to be human) View
2217 Nam yu hte nta yu (Forest rat and house rat) View
2218 Nga dawn ai dingla (Fish and old man) View
2219 Nyan daw ai sharaw (Tiger which always thinking of an idea) with English translation View
2220 Shinggyim masha ni wan hkru si hpang wa ai lam (The first burnt to death) with English translation View
2221 Yu rim ai hkanghkyi a sak sum ai (Fox that wants to be a lion) with English translation View
2222 Yu shayi sha hte yu shadang sha (Rat girl and rat boy) View
2223 Gwi shat n jaw na mung chyen mi si mat ai (Why people began feeding dogs and cats first) with English translation View
2224 Ladai nhtang tu mayu ai la (Big banyan tree) View
2225 La Gam gaw nda dang ai (Hunter and deer) View
2226 Ahkying yam a npawt (Origin of the fruit-salt) View
2227 Jawgawng wa hte magwi kawng (Hunter and elephant ivory) View
2228 Masha shan la (Couple that doesn't get along) View
2229 Matsan jahkrai ma (Poor orphan) View
2230 Myit kaja ai wa hte myit magaw ai wa (Honest and hishonest men) View
2231 Baw nu kaja ai brangtai (Smart rabbit) with English translation View
2232 Gwi shana myi mu ai (Why dogs can see at night) View
2233 Hkindu pu pu jang (Lizard) View
2234 Jahkan kanu a lam hkawm (Mother crab who taught the baby crab how to walk) with notes View
2235 Jahkrai ma bungli tam (Orphan looking for a job) View
2236 Jahpawt jau jau kasha ni hpe yup jasu ai hkaida jan langai (Widow who wakes up her children early in the morning) View
2237 Kahtawng langai kaw mi n mu ai hpe ma rem shangun ai (Blind babysitter) View
2238 La langai kasha masum hpe hkin htawng jaw da ai (Father's estate) View
2239 Nai lap hta hka ru bun yu mu (Pouring water on the yam leaves) View
2240 Sut su ai wa sut te te matsan ai wa ga tsan le le (Rich man and poor man) View
2242 U tu amu lu ndum (The blue-throated barbet who would not work) View
2243 Jan Shu Mayu Ai Lam (The Frog That Swallowed the Sun) View
2244 La kasha shannau (Brothers) View
2245 Nambya hte jahkrai ma (Orphan and Nambya) View
2246 Nat shachyut (Woman chased by a spirit) View
2253 Nga ni myi hpaw na si ai lam (Why fish die with their eyes open) View
2255 Chyeju n chye dum ai hkam hkam u a lam (Ungrateful Hkam Hkam bird) View
2259 Chyeju htang ai u hka a lam (Crow's return of a favor) View
2261 Si hkrung si htang hpang ai lam (Origin of death) View
2262 Chyeju htang ai u hka a lam (Crow's return of a favor: long version) View
2264 Mam ni hpyi hpun wa ai lam (Why the rice grain came to be hulled) View
2265 Bum sen bum kaw Nhkum Hkawn Lung hpe shapoi la kau ai lam (Nhkum Hkawn Lung) View
2266 Jahkyi baw kaw hpraw mat ai lam (Why the deer's heads turned white) View
2267 Gwi hpa majaw ram shata du jang wu ngoi ai lam (Why dogs bark at the full moon) View
2268 Kataw u a lam (Kataw bird) View
2269 Sharaw matsan aga sha shinggyim matsan anum lam ai lam (Hungry tiger who ate the soil) View
2270 U hka hte hkam hkam u a lam (Crow and Hkam Hkam bird) View
2271 Wuloi wa n tu mat ai lam (Why buffalos lost their teeth) View
2272 Dingla langai hte shabrang masum a lam (Old man and three young men) View
2273 Hpaji rawng ai kaji hte kashu a lam (Clever grandfather and his grandchild) View
2274 Maw hpyi lahkawng a lam (Two beggers) View
2275 Myi set dut ai la hte laika n chye hti ai la langai a lam (Eyeglass seller and non-literate man) View
2276 Wan shabrang hte hka mahkawn a lam (Fire boy and water girl) View
2277 Yin hpaw a lam (Clever grandson) View
2280 Jahkrai ma a lam (Orphan) View
2281 Malu n mai shayawm ai (Happiness of having children) View
2282 Mayam kasha (Servent boy) View
2283 Shan hkau kaba lahkawng (Two friends) View
2285 Nlung baren a lam (Stone dragon) View
2286 Chyeju hkam la ai lam (Those who are kind benefit themselves) View
2287 Hpu nau makyit sumri (Brotherly ties) View

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