Chin Association for Christian Communication

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Chin Association for Christian Communication
AbbreviationCACC
Formation1988 (1988) -->
TypeNon-profit, faith-based organization
PurposePreservation of Chin culture and language
Region
Burma
Official language
Chin

The Chin Association for Christian Communication (CACC) is non-profit, faith-based organization dedicated to the preservation of Chin culture and language. [1] CACC is located in Hakha, Burma. The most well-known projects and activities undertaken by CACC are revising and updating Laiholh (also known as Hakha-Chin language). At the moment, CACC is in-charge of standardizing Laiholh, the most widely spoken Chin dialects in Burma. Though there is no common language or official language in Chin State, Laiholh is used as a medium of communication among different Chin groups in Hakha, Thantlang, Matupi, Falam (a different Lai dialect), Burma, and diasporas all over the world.

Contents

History

CACC was started in 1988 with the intention of furthering Chin's language and facilitating communication among Laiholh speakers in central Chin State, Burma. [2] The founding members of CACC were Hakha Baptist Association, Thantlang Association of Baptist Churches, Matu Association of Baptist Churches, Matu Baptist Association, Zotung Baptist Association, Chin Baptist Association (Kaleymyo), and Gangaw Baptist Association. [3] Originally, the organization was called Chin Christian Literature Society. In 1993, the member associations decided to change the name to Chin Association for Christian Communication (CACC) to reflect the broader aim of the organization.

Today, CACC members consist of thirteen regional baptist associations and local members in Mandalay, Yangon, and other cities in Burma. [4] In addition, with the recent surge in the Chin diaspora population in western countries, CACC now has members from Australia, Europe, and United States. The largest financial supporter is Chin Baptist Churches, USA (CBCUSA), with its headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana. [5] In March 2013, CACC celebrated its Silver Jubilee in Hakha, Chin State. [6] The event was attended by guests from the United States, Mizoram, India, and Chins from all over Burma.

Activities

In 2011, CACC completed the sixth revision of Chin's writing system. [7] This latest revision was a collaboration of Chin's linguists from the United States and Burma. The revision purportedly followed international linguistic standard. In 2012, CACC joined with Lairam Jesus Christ Baptist Church, Lawngtlai, India to work together to strengthen Chin's literature in Mizoram. [8] The collaboration resulted in the introduction of Laiholh in Lai Autonomous District, an area occupied by mainly Lai people within Mizoram. In 2013, Lairam Media Group started the first news program in Laiholh from Lawngtlai, Mizoram. [9]

K-12 Curriculum

CACC produced text books in Laiholh from elementary through 10th grade. Most of the new text books produced are being used in local churches in Chin State and Burma, and heavily used in local Chin churches in Europe, Australia, Malaysia, India, and United States. [10] Since the Burmese government prevented the teaching of Chin dialects in government schools in Burma, many young Chins grew up not having a good command of their native language. There is now great effort among Chin people, especially Laiholh speakers, to revive Chin literature in abroad and in Burma with the nominal civilian government relaxing its restriction on teaching native languages.

Controversy

Recently, there was controversy between the Maras and CACC because one of the text books produced by CACC for Laiholh language learner in Australia included derogatory comments about missionary Authur Lorraine. [11] The CACC and Maras resolved the misunderstanding as the comments were inadvertently included in the textbooks.

In 2012, CACC and leaders from Matupi agreed to have Laica or Hakha-Chin taught in government schools in Matupi should the government approve the teaching of ethnic languages. [12] This would mean that Laica would be taught in primary schools in Hakha, Thantlang, and Matupi townships. Before this agreement was implemented, Matu from Yangon, mainly of Roman Catholic background, objected and formed their own Matu literature committee. The committee later voted to have Matu language taught in Matupi area if government approval is granted.

See also

CACC Laica Tialning [13]

Related Research Articles

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Mizo people Ethnic group native to northeastern India

The Mizo people are an ethnic group native to the Indian state of Mizoram and neighbouring regions of Northeast India. The term covers several related ethnic groups or clans inside the Mizo group.

Chin people Southeast Asian ethnic group native to Zomi State of Myanmar

The Chin people are a Southeast Asian Chin people native to Chin State and its neighbouring states of Myanmar. The Chin are one of the founding groups of the Union of Burma. The Chin speak a variety of related languages, share elements of cultures and traditions. According to the British state media BBC News, "The Chin people... are one of the most persecuted minority groups in Burma." These people predominantly live in the Chin State, Bago Division, Ayeyarwady Division, Magwe Division, Rakhine State and Sagaing Region of Myanmar, but are also spread throughout Burma, Bangladesh and India. In the 2014 Burmese ethnic census, the Chin ethnicity was again dismissed by the people of the Chin State.

Hakha Capital City in Chin, Myanmar

Hakha is the capital of Chin State in Myanmar.

The Mara are the native inhabitants of Mizoram in India, native to northeastern India, primarily in the Mara Autonomous District Council of the state of Mizoram, where they form the majority of the population. The Maras are related to Kuki and Mizos in India and Kachin, Karen, Shan and Chins in Myanmar. Significant numbers of Maras also live in the southwestern and south-central parts of Chin State (Burma) in Myanmar - the contiguous area of Mara area in India mostly separated by Kolodyne / Chhimtuipui / Beino river, which forms an international boundary.

Thantlang is a town and the administrative center of Thantlang Township in Chin State, western Myanmar.

Matupi Township Township in Chin State, Burma

Matupi Township is a township of Matupi District in the Chin State of Burma (Myanmar). Matupi is the administrative center for the township.

Falam Township Township in Chin State, Burma

Falam Township is a township of Falam District in the Chin State of Burma (Myanmar). Its administrative seat is the town of Falam. The population, as of 2014, is 41,457. Out of this population, 9,092 live in Falam town and 32,365 live in rural areas.

Thantlang Township Township in Chin State, Burma

Thantlang Township is one of the nine townships in Chin State. Thantlang is the administrative town of inclusive nine circles attributed to the geographical and dialectical arrangements of the area. They are Khualhring Tlang, Vanzang Tlang, Zahnak Tlang, Bual Tlang, Lautu Tlang, Mara Tlang, Vailam Tlang, Zophei Tlang and Bawipa Tlang(Bawipa circle). Only four circles speak Lai dialect. Zophei(Zophei and Bawipa circles), Lautu(Lautu circle), HawThai(Mara circle) speak their tribal language. The other four circles and in Thantlang town speak Lai dialect. In Thantlang township, Lai dialect is the common use dialect. Lai dialect is also spoken at Hakha township and Falam township.

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Hakha Chin, or Lai, is a Kuki-Chin language spoken by 446,264 people, mostly in Myanmar. The total figure includes 2,000 Zokhua and 60,100 Lai speakers. The speakers are largely concentrated in Chin State in western Burma and Mizoram in eastern India, with a small number of speakers in southeastern Bangladesh.

The Kuki-Chin languages are a branch of 50 or so Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in northeastern India, western Myanmar and southeastern Bangladesh. Most speakers of these languages are known as Mizo in Mizoram and Manipur. Also, as Kukī in Assamese and Bengali and as Chin in Burmese; some also identify as Zomi. Mizo is the most widely spoken of the Kuki-Chin languages.

Chin Christian University (CCU) is a Christian university in Hakha, Chin State, Burma. CCU is one of the departments of Chin Association of Christian Communication (CACC). After 25 years (1990-2015), God blessed Chin Christian College's long vision: "To Transform the College into a University" and the name of the institution was changed into Chin Christian University by the 9th Triennial Meeting of Chin Association of Christian Communication, held at Hakha Khuahlun Baptist Church on April 4, 2015.

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Chin Baptist Convention

Chin Baptist Convention, Myanmar was established in 1953 and located in Falam, Chin State, Myanmar. Today, the Chin Baptist Convention is the largest organization in Chin State consisting of 28 associations and is also the second largest member body of the Myanmar Baptist Convention after the Karen Baptist Convention.

Central Kuki-Chin is a branch of the Kuki-Chin languages. Central Kuki-Chin languages are spoken primarily in Mizoram, India and in Hakha Township and Falam Township of Chin State, Myanmar.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.chincacc.org/} [ permanent dead link ]
  2. ↑ http://www.chincacc.org/} [ permanent dead link ]
  3. ↑ http://sealang.net/sala/archives/pdf8/bawi2001literacy.pdf} [ permanent dead link ]
  4. ↑ http://www.chincacc.org/index.php/about-us/cacc-members} [ permanent dead link ]
  5. ↑ http://cbcusa.org/
  6. ↑ "News".
  7. ↑ https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B1fgi_a00wBVd1RfZWNLZUJ6OGc/edit?pli=1/ [ bare URL ]
  8. ↑ http://www.chinlandguardian.com/index.php/news/item/1444-christian-leaders-to-attend-lairam-gospel-centenary-in-india/
  9. ↑ "LAIRAM MEDIA GROUP-Thawngpang thar 7th Sept. 2013". YouTube .
  10. ↑ http://accem.com.au/chin-language-classes/} [ permanent dead link ]
  11. ↑ http://www.chinlandguardian.com/index.php/news/item/1029-mara-church-unhappy-with-remarks-in-cacc-chin-textbook/
  12. ↑ http://www.globalchinnews.org/kawlram/chin-news/cacc-nih-liaca-cawnnak-le-mission-rian-tuantinak-hnatlaknak-an-tuah.html/} [ permanent dead link ]
  13. ↑ https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B1fgi_a00wBVd1RfZWNLZUJ6OGc/edit?pli=1/ [ bare URL ]
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