Purum Bible Translation

Mark Ning Amije Chongkahoi (PUBEBL)

Overview

Mark Ning Amije Chongkahoi is a translation of the Gospel of Mark into Purum, a critically endangered Kuki-Chin language spoken in the Kangpokpi District of Manipur, northeastern India. [1] [2] The translation was produced through a collaboration between The Word for the World International and the North East Centre for Training and Research, with a copyright date of 2022. [3] Purum is spoken by a very small community, with an estimated population of only around 350-570 individuals concentrated in a few hillside villages including Purum Khullen and Purum Likli in the Saikul sub-division. [1] The language has been classified as critically endangered by UNESCO due to rapid population decline, intermarriage with speakers of other languages, and dominance of the Meitei (Manipuri) language in the region. [1]

Language and People

Purum is a Tibeto-Burman language belonging to the Northwestern or “Old Kuki” subfamily within the Kuki-Chin language family. [2] Despite this linguistic classification, speakers consider themselves to be ethnic Naga people rather than Kuki or Chin. [2] The language faces severe pressure from linguistic assimilation into dominant languages such as Meitei, Hindi, and English, which are prioritized in education, administration, and media. [1]

References

  • [1] Purum - Centre for Endangered Languages - Rajiv Gandhi University. Documentation of the Purum language including population, location, and endangerment status.
  • [2] Purum language - Wikipedia. Overview of Purum language classification, speakers, and ethnic identity.
  • [3] PUBEBL conf.toml metadata. Copyright and organizational attribution.
  • bible.com - YouVersion.
  • ebible.org entry - ebible.org.