Consonant Aspirations - Archive

(I was meant to post this months ago, but only just remembered to do it after my weekend in Dimapur.) One of my favourite places to hang out at when I'm in Dimapur is Hiyo Cafe. I like it because it's pretty quiet (being separated from the main road by a building), it's close to the hotel I usually stay at, and it's run by Sumis. In case you can't see, the name Hiyo (hi: yɔ - someone's even written it in IPA) is a "versatile Sumi word that is usually associated with the Satakha Region of the Zunheboto District in Nagaland, India." According to the explanation, it can be used an adjective, an exclamation or a pronoun. As an adjective, it expresses "satisfaction or fulfillment", but it does seem to have a wider range of meanings which aren't listed here (more linguistic investigation needed!). The cafe has a nice interior with comfortable couches and tables, far nicer than most places you'd find in Dimapur. They serve mos...

I was reading one of the local papers here in Guwahati the other day, and this headline caught my eye. Most English speakers outside of India (and quite a few in India) would probably be wondering what on earth 'social bondage' refers to, and why on earth some students would even want it. I think the word they're actually looking for here is 'bonding' and not 'bondage'. In standard English, bondage refers to 'slavery', or 'the act of being tied up'. On the other hand, bonding refers to 'the establishment and development of a close friendship / relationship'. The related verbs are also somewhat different: you  bind someone by tying them up, but you  bond with someone by develop a relationship with them. Now the reason I thought this was something to write about wasn't to poke fun at the writer, though I can imagine a few of you gagging over the picture. It reminded me of one time I was proofreading a report written by a...

Just saw this making the rounds on Facebook. As I mentioned in my last post, the current conflict between Bodos and Bengalis isn't about religion, but it's being perceived by Muslims in other parts of the country as that. (Note that I'm not a supporter of xenophobia or the discourse that's currently surrounding Bengalis, but I do understand the anxieties people in this state have and continue to have about immigrants, and that little is being done by the government to manage those anxieties.) 

Assam's been making the news for the past few weeks, and I suppose I should add my two cents. It's not unusual to see conflict in this restive part of India (I might have to dedicate another post to my penchant for choosing 'restive' parts of the world to visit.). This time, it's a conflict between Bodos (pronounced 'Boros') and Muslim Bengalis in the district of Kokrajhar, to the west of Guwahati. The BBC gives an explanation for the violence here:  What lies behind Assam violence? The Bodos themselves have been fighting for a separate state, called ' Bodoland ' which includes Kokrajhar district and a few neighbouring districts. One of my Bodo friends said that some people feel the need for statehood because to give them greater autonomy to protect their language and culture from such 'invaders'. The problem is, while there are many recent migrants coming from Bangladesh, there are also many of these so-called 'invaders' are actu...

It's been a few weeks since I was actually there, but thought I'd post some pretty pictures from my short visit to Pokhora. One thing my friend mentioned, was that it rains more in Pokhora than it does in Kathmandu. And it was probably wasn't the best time to visit Pokhora, right in the middle of the monsoon. A few friends recommended paragliding there, but I think that's more a dry season activity. It rained everyday we there, but one afternoon the clouds parted to give a few stunning views of Lake Fewa. We also managed to rent a row boat and go on the lake for a swim. Now, you don't want to swim along the lake's shores because of pollution, but in the middle of the lake, the water's pretty clean. Most locals will be able tell you where the paani is raamro for swimming. For expats, Pokhora's a nice relaxing getaway from Kathmandu. I suppose if I was in Kathmandu long enough, I'd like to get away now and then. Although, compared t...

I'm used to certain labels like 'Asian', 'East Asian' or even 'Oriental' (when I'm in the UK) in contrast to 'South Asian'. But it was only when I first came to South Asia that I realised that I was actually Mongolian. In fact, 'Mongolians' are everywhere in East Asia. Chinese people are 'Mongolian'. Japanese people are 'Mongolian'. Tibetans are 'Mongolian'. Mongolians I can only assume, are also 'Mongolian'. According to a friend in South Asia, 'Mongolians' are quite popular. One of the hosts on Indian Idol was a guy of Chinese origin, Chang Meiyang, who was born in India. The same friend even suggested I create an online profile and call myself 'Mongolian sweetheart' (hence the title of this post). As far as I can tell, what separates 'Mongolians' from 'Indian' people is the shape of their eyes (almond shaped) and their fair complexion. And given how many skin-lightening ...