Title: Tenemtem [The Hills]

Language: Ao-Chungli

State: Nagaland

Tenemtem

Kenü anogo, teti asoshi
Kü tanelai obula nunger mapang kimong,
Item ayongtem aser tenemtem
Tepela agi sünger mopung sülen nemzütsü.
Molutzü ajangdanga oer
Nisunger ola mangashidak,
Ita aser petinutemi tuyua
Ni mopung sülen anidaktsü.
Mopung, kobai asü lima nung alirtem
Indang otsü abener, iba kasa mopung sülen aotsü.
Mapangi bo iba mopung sülen manidaker.
Kasa mopungi nüktzü kecha maidoktsür.
Iba mopung sülen anidaka oer
Koda anizüngzük tepela ni ajangzüktsü,
Aser tobur tajung lima ni angutsü!
Ku nükrangi aji ngua menürem jakden abener.
Aser kü mulungi ya arur—
“Ashiko, mapangi nüktzü maidoktsü yonga
Item ayongtem ajanga oer, tobur tajung tenemtem ni angutsü,

Koba teti asoshi kü talidak asütsü.

*Molutzü: A huge body of water; and ocean.
Here, it refers to the river of the dead.

The Hills

I want to believe that
One day and many days,
My soul will trail
These hills-my ancestors’ abode.
Across the molutzü,
Beyond human touch,
Beneath the stars,
I will follow the winds—
The winds that carry whispers
Of those that went before me.
Time does not follow the winds
And grief leaves its shadow behind.
The beauty I will see!

And I think to myself, “maybe grief readied me
To explore and live in these hills—
The hills I will make my eternal abode”.