Ka Lam Khmat
Ki thied ki jaw jong kane ka drama ki sam shaduh ki thymmei jong ka long rynïeng man rynieng ka jaitbynriew Khasi. Ki pud ki sam jong ka pat, ki ïar kat ban kdup lut ïa ka long briew man briew shi snieh ka pyrthei ha khrum ka beng. Ki tyngshop ki puron ki ïeng na ka bynta bun kiei kiei kiba ym lah jer lut hangne. Ka Nam bad ka kmie jong ka ruh ki ïai kha ïalade bun syrtap ha ka mynta ka jong ngi. Ki long kiei? Ïa kane nga ieh ha ka jingbishar bniah bad ka jingthew sawar jong phi baroh.
Ha kane ka jingpyrshang barit ki don bun kiba la iarap bad kyrshan lem ïa nga. Nga ai khublei kyrpang ïa ki. Nga pynpaw ka jingsngewnguh kaba khraw ia I Kong Temsula Ao, I kong Badaplin War bad I Kong Antoinette Kharmalki ki nongai mynsiem ba rhem. Nga ai khublei ïa I Bah D. Rocker L. Nonglait bad I Kong Mumtaz B. Jyrwa kiba la kloi ban pule bniah ïa kane ka jingpyrshang barit bad ban kdew ruh ïa ki jingduna baroh.
Nga pynpaw ka jingsngewnguh ïa u khunruit uba la ai jingmut ha ka ba thoh, bad ïa u hymmen rangbah uba la kyrshan ha kaba shon їa kane ka kot.
Khublei Shibun
Ka Esther Syiem
'Moor-Ville'
Riatsamthiah
Shillong
July 2006
Ka Nam: Ko mei 'ngi ym don ba pynwit ïa nga. Ki dei tang ki jingpyrkhat jingpuson ki jong nga miet la bad sngi ki bym ailad ïa nga ba ngan ïaid pyrshah ïa ka jingïatiplem jong nga.
Folktales in the oral tradition provide a rich literary and cultural heritage, which speaks volumes about our beliefs, values, principles as a community.
"Ka Nam" (2007) a Khasi play by Dr. Esther Syiem is a reimagination of the Khasi folktale "Ka Nam and the Tiger".
A reimagination is a return, a retracing, a reinterpretation, a reworking that perhaps in the case of this folktale, provides a different angle to the character of "Ka Nam". This reimagination is one that is explored for all the characters of the folktale starting from "Ka Nam". As the author states in the Foreword of the play, the life and limit of the play permeates the depth and pervades the condition of being human.
Ka Nam is a Khasi play written by Dr. Esther Syiem, based on the Khasi folktale of Ka Nam bad u Khla. The play is well-crafted and deeply insightful of man's relationship with Nature. Most importantly, it highlights the will and independence of the human individual through the twist at the end of the play.
The book is available at Ri Khasi Book Agency, Mawkhar, Shillong.
Cover photograph taken by @i_a_duppy_conquerer
Dr. Esther Syiem is a Professor in the Department of English, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, Meghalaya.