Kokborok - Language of Borok

Kokborok - Language of Borok
Kokborok is the language of Borok people of Twipra (Tripura) which can be analyzed in a very simple way, 'Kok' means language and 'Borok' means a name of a people group or a nation. Thus the name of this language is called Kokborok. The Kokborok speaking people comprises about 1.5 million spreading in the North-East India and also in the neighbouring countries of Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal etc. The Borok people originally came from Boro people in Assam in North-East India. In the course of history, they separated from each other. Even now 70% of their linguistic terms and cultural life are still maintaining similarities.
Kokborok - Typology
The historical background of Kokborok may be quoted from the book of Sir G.A Grearson, The Linguistic Survey of India. There are about 179 languages having 544 different dialects in India. Out of 179 languages, 116 languages belongs to the Sino-Tibetan linguistic family of which were mostly found in North-East India. The script of Kokborok is called 'KOLOMA'. The Chronicle of the Borok Kings were written in a book namely 'Rajratnakar', this book was originally written in Kokborok and its script KOLOMA by Durlobendra Chontai. Later Sukreswar and Vaneswar translated in into Sanskrit and now again translated into Bengali. Though, the chronicle of Twipra in Kokborok and Rajratnakar are now not available. In view of the above, it is undoubtedly the Kokborok has had developed much even 700 years before. It was why and how the Kokborok was totally vanished, scholars would peep in this regard. So, the written form of Kokborok has shaped thousands of years before indeed. Twipra was ruled by as many as 184 Borok Kings for about 5000 years without break. Unfortunately, the peculiarity of the Kings of Borok nation was that they ignored their mother tongue Kokborok and their culture. Consequently in the 19th century A.D. the then King Birchandra (1862-96 A.D.) introduced Bengali as royal language and since then the Kings given all their efforts to abolish their own language Kokborok and Borok culture. In the course of history, India was set free from British power on 15th August 1947 and divided as Hindustan and Pakistan. When million of Hindu Bengalis flee this country for life from East Pakistan presently known as Bangladesh to Borok land which was still independent country in those days. The then King Bir Chandra Kishore Manikya Bahadur Debbarma rescued them with food and shelter. Now the 1991 census reports the Hindu Bengalis found 70% of the total population of the state. As owner of the soil when they raise their voice for survival they are now interpreted as separates, extremists and so on. On the 15th October in 1949 the independent Twipra become part of the democratic country.
The official identity of the Kokborok speaking community
Kokborok speaking people without any logic behind. This is very unfortunate in regarding to the common identity of the Kokborok speaking people.

• The Debbarma and the part of Tripura surnames are called Tripuri community.
• The Reang community which is one of the Panji of the Bru dialect of Kokborok became a separate community.
• The Jomatia surname itself became a community according to its surname.
• The Rupini and Koloi are recognized as Halam community but there are some Halam community existences among the Non-Kokborok speaking group.

Chini kok

Kokborok language is the native language that is spoken by the Borok people belonging to the state of Tripura. This East Kokborok is one of the richest language in the worldIndian tribal language is also spoken in the neighbouring country of Bangladesh. The term `Kok-borok` is actually a compound of the main words and these are `kok` that literally means `language, and `borok` that means `nation`. But interestingly, the second word is used to denote the Borok people who belong to Tripura. Thus, in simple terms, it can be said that Kokborok literally means `the native language of the Borok people`. Kokborok language has been present in several forms. The Kokborok script was known as `Koloma`. The history of the Borok Kings was originally written down in Kokborok language by using the Koloma script. Later on, this book was translated into Sanskrit language and again the chronicle was translated into Bengali language. Kokborok was related to the dialect of common people during Borok King`s rule in Tripura. In the year 1979, Kokborok language was documented as the official language of the state of Tripura.

Kokborok language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman language family that is a sub-group of the Sino-Tibetan language group. It is the chief language family of East Asian and South East Asian regions. Kokborok language is closely associated with the Bodo language as well as the Dimasa language that are hugely spoken in the state of Assam. Further, Kokborok is also related to Garo language, which is principally spoken in the neighbouring country that is Bangladesh.

In Kokborok language, the letter `w` is used as a sign for a vowel that actually does not exist in English language. Moreover, in this language, `N` is considered as the pronunciation of nasal sound. Majority of the words in Kokborok language are formed by combining the source with an affix. Basically, there are two tones in this tribal language. There is a high tone as well as there is a low tone. In order to mark the high tone in this language, letter h is added with the vowel that symbolizes high tone. The Borok nation actually comprises several communities as well as sub-communities in Tripura, Mizoram and Assam. They have their own dialects that differ from one another.

The communities and their main dialects are mentioned below -

Debbarma, Western

Reang, Eastern and South-eastern

Darlong, part of North

Koloi

Molsom

Tripura, South

Jamatia, South

Rupini

Some of the Tripuri cultural organisations have been working effectively towards the development of the Kokborok language.

Kokborok is one of the richest language in the world

Kokborok is one of the richest language in the world

• It existed more than thousand of years in eastern zone of India Sub-Continent.
• Its Grammar terms and vocabulary prove it.
• The Boroks are ethnically branch of Boro in Assam, India.
• Kokborok speaking people have intermingled with other neighbouring languages too.
• There was Kokborok script called KOLOMA....

Status of Tribal women in Tuipara

Status of tribal women
The popular image and perception of tribal women is that they enjoy much better social status than their non tribal counterparts as the tribal women have no fear of early marriage, no stigma of widow hood, have the freedom of divorce and remarriage, and earns in her own way to get economic independence. But she is less paid on equal work than her male counterparts, she cannot hold the office of the priest, neither is allowed to touch the plough or participate in the roofing of the house. Women of some tribal groups cannot be allowed to enter into the temple or attend any communal worship. The social status of tribal women of Tripura is little bit peculiar compare to their non-tribal sisters. The prevalence of bride price as contrasted to dowry, the existence of matrilineal and matriarchal society mostly sometimes confirm the higher social status of the tribal women. But in tribal society also, there are clearly defined areas of work among the males and females. Along with men folk in economic activities and earning livelihood, tribal women participate in all agricultural operations except ploughing. The division of work is heavily loaded against the tribal women in addition to an equal share in the production of economy. She also bears the burden of all house hold works. The importance of tribal women in their society is significant because of the fact that the tribal women work hard almost relentlessly and the family economy and management depend on them. The unrecognized role of a silent worker primarily because the tribal women are not empowered to take decision both inside and outside of her family which her ancestral property. It must be mentioned that lack of education is the main hindrance in securing the power, establishing the command, placing decision though they are entitled for the property right. Economic development is a problem of women in general and the tribal women in particular. The problem becomes more surmountable of backward hilly regions inhibited by tribal people who reflect the co existence of many problems namely economic, geographical and sociological. The low level of literacy is the most acute problem for any progress of economic development. Literacy, education and subsequent good and sound economy have a great bearing on the status of women by enabling them to take right decision and earn a living. In the last decade or so the empowerment of women has been recognized as a central issue in determining the situational reality of their status. The Government of India has declared the year 2001 as women’s empowerment year and a lot has been and is being done at national and international levels. Yet the question remains unanswered in that despite all the efforts. Why women, particularly the tribal women continue to be so much backward in almost all levels in comparison with their class sisters? The Status and Empowerment of Tribal Women of Tripura, though much better in comparison with other tribal women of India, is on the line of slow but steady progress.