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The use of Figures of Speech

in A·chik Kurang by Howard Denison Momin,

Basako by Jonmoni D. Shira and Ang Chakki by Evelyn R. Marak

-Dr. Barbara S. Sangma

Howard Denison Momin (1913-1944), Jonmoni D. Shira (1914-1946) and Evelyn R.

Marak (1919-1975) were contemporaries. H. D. Momin is known as “Father of Modern Garo
Literature” and was a lecturer of English in Cotton College where Jonmoni D. Shira and
Evelyn R. Marak were students. The three of them played an active role in forming a group
known as P.M.K. or Pante Metrarangni Ku·monggrikani (Fellowship of young men and
women) in Cotton College. The trio composed poems on different topics. The association
among the three poets was reinforced by their deep love for their motherland-Garo Hills and
their language A·chikku. The years 1940 to 1942 appear to be the most productive years for
the three of them. During this period they wrote the following:

(i) H. D. Momin : A·chik Ku·rang (1940), Nang·ko Gisik Ra·gen (1941), Do·maskini
Git (1941), Seng·nat (1941), Bilsi Gital (1942) and Me·chik aro Ta·makku;

(ii) J. D. Shira: Dokru (1941), Daisy (1941), Anga Me·chik (1941), Mikjumang
A·gilsak (1942), Basako and Miksongani;

(iii) E. R. Marak: O A·chik Song (1942), Golap Bibal (1942), Hobani Sinteani (1941),
July 16, 1918 (1941), Ang Chame (1940), Skie Ra·ani (1940), Game Cha·gipani Suk (1941),
Ang Chakki (1941), Ka·sakugen, Nang·na, Ang’ Song Tura, Dora, Ama, Ka·saani, and Nang
Mikronrang

A·chik Ku·rang (The Voice of A·chiks: 1940) by Howard Denison Momin, Basako
(When) by Jonmoni D. Shira and Ang Chakki (My Lamp: 1941) by Evelyn R. Marak are
connected to one another by common theme and treatment of light and darkness. The poets
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bring to the fore the inter-play of light and darkness with the use of various figures of speech
The above mentioned three poems are also richly wrought in imagery and symbolism.

At a time when the whole world was reeling under the devastating effect of World
War II and enveloped by fumes of gloom and darkness, of hatred and hostility, the three
poets- Howard Denison Momin, Jonmoni D. Shira and Evelyn R. Marak felt that their
tribesmen, the A·chiks were groping in darkness. The poems under discussion are made more
appealing by the interplay and juxtaposition of light and darkness. In these poems light is
represented by lamp, torch, sun, stars, daylight, breath, voice articulation and being awake;
and darkness is represented by blindness, ignorance, silence, elusiveness, concealment, sleep,
etc.

In his poem A·chik Kurang, Howard Denison Momin calls on A·chik young men and
women to come out of the darkness and to light up their torches and spread light all
throughout their land. The poet makes it very clear that he meant knowledge or education
when he referred to light or torch and breath. He used the phrase “mikandala A·chik song..”-
mik is the short form of mikron meaning eyes, andala means darkness and A·chik song means
land of the A·chiks. He urges the young boys and girls to come out of ignorance and kindle
their torches from the great body of learning. He appeals to them:

Seng·aona ong·katboha: (Come out into the light)

Sko de·doe, mik songdoe (Holding your head and eyes aloft),

Kenmangija nichaoboha, (Come on look up fearlessly),

Bidan bilchamko nate (By lighting up the torch of knowledge)

So·rikrikna, me·tra pante; (kindle one torch after another, young boys and girls;)

Mikandala A·chik Songna (Let the blind land of the Achiks)

Bidan wa·al ching·chipchina! (Be enlightened by the flame of knowledge)

........

Mikbrape mikgaochina; (Let brightness strike and make them open their eyes)

Snilchimda, pante metra! (Kindle your torches, young boys and girls)
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....................

Walgrigipa jareba·e. (The traveller without light)

Wal·bimao sobakchina; (Let him come and kindle his torch from the roaring flame)

In her poem Basako, Jonmoni D. Shira uses the metaphor of sleep and contrasts it
with the metaphor of awakening. She puts forward a poignant Interrogation:

Mikrakja salni sal sari gri tuaoni, (There is no awakening from prolonged untroubled sleep)

An·pilgen basako andala waloni? (When are you going to turn away from the dark night?)

She ends her poem by revealing her confusion and lack of knowledge as to when
understanding will dawn on A·chiks and when they will awaken from their sleep.

Dongenga tusie mikronko ogija, (One goes on sleeping without opening the eyes)

Mikrakgen basako somoeko u·ija. (When will he awaken, the time, no one knows.)

Here sleep is clearly symbolic of inaction, ignorance, lack of knowledge and

education. When one is in inert position, one is not able to ‘do’ anything. The idea of the
land of the A·chiks lying hidden behind others and being overshadowed by others in the
opening lines speaks about lack of action, action that would reveal the A·chik land to others.
She also compares the A·chik land to treasures and mines lying unexploited underneath the
ground. However, she expresses her helplessness and ignorance of the time when these
treasures will be discovered and come to the surface.

In Ang Chakki (My Lamp) Evelyn R. Marak personifies andala or darkness and
chakki or lamp. He describes that darkness lurks around the house dark and gloomy:

Andala timengake simdik (Gloomy darkness lies in ambush)

Noksam nokgil du’le (Round about the house).

The lamp is urged by the poet to shoot its arrows sharp and fast.

Tang·en brako goat sriksrik (Quietly shoot the arrows far)

Ong·katna ka·donge (Go forth in courage).

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Here the rays of light are effectively compared to arrows. The poet further asks light
to peep out through the holes in the walls with clear eyes and dispel darkness.

Niuat pakman kolgipuko (Peep out through the holes in walls)

Mikjrangjrang iachi (With clear eyes yonder).

With the use of a hyperbole Evelyn R. Marak describes the thickness of ignorance
thus:

Napo rim·manake jakchi (As I enter I could feel with my hands)

Andalan’ bimangko (The body of darkness)

........................

Ching·aibo Ang’ chakki, pangnan, (Shine on forevermore, my lamp)

Rukugen an·chiko; (Shall pour in my blood as fuel for you;)

A·chik Ku·rang is an inspirational poem inviting especially the young to be

metaphorical torch-bearers. The poem begins with an apostrophe, a passionate appeal to
Do·kua to sing and let others know that it is the voice of A·chiks. The first eight lines serve
both as apostrophes and metaphors. The poet makes use of the metaphor of two most
beautiful birds found in Garo Hills and compare them to the image/profile of A·chiks and
voice of A·chiks. The two birds- do·kua is known for its beautiful voice and do·raja is
known for its impeccable good looks. And it is these two birds that the poet calls upon to
articulate the voice of the A·chiks and to show the portrait of the A·chiks.

Miko, Do·kua, A·chikni Ku·rang! (Cry, Do·kua, the voice of the A·chiks!)

Inchakpachong abri a·kong (Resounding in the hills and valleys.)

Mesok Do·raja, A·chikni bimang! (Display, Do·raja, the image of A·chiks!)

Nitoana mikchapachong. (Let people fall for your beauty.)

Ring·bo Do·kua, A·chikni Ku·rang, (Sing, Do·kua, the voice of the A·chiks)

A·chikni Bimang, A·chikni Rasong! (A·chik’s image, A·chik’s glory!)

Chakat A·chik me·a me·chik! (Rise up young A·chik boys and girls)
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Snilchimda, pante metra! (Enkindle the torch, young boys and girls.)

Howard Denison urges the young A·chik boys and girls to imbibe education, to
embrace light and to spread it to all the corners of Garo Hills. H.W. Momin expresses his
desire that the Achiks from one end of Garo Hills to the other inhale and breathe in the breath
of knowledge and education with the aid of hyperboles.

Nokrek salgi totaoni (From Nokrek hills reaching the heavens)

Simsang chigrik pakramona (To the estuary of the clear Simsang river)

Mikandala A·chik Songna (Let the blind land of the A·chiks)

Bidan wa·al chingchipchina! (Let the flame of knowledge glow everywhere!)

Chipat, A·chik me·a me·chik (Spread it, young A·chik boys and girls)

Bidan gunko gingsikchina; (Let them breathe in the breath of learning)

Rajasimla noksikoni (From the corners of Rajasimla)

Do·bakkol kolkumangona! (To the mouth of Do·bakkol)

Spoat, bidan ku·bibako (Blow out, the breath of education)

Watat, bidan ku·bibako, (Send forth the breath of education)

Balsrisri Balpakramona! (To the breezy land of Balpakram!)

Me·mang songni chigaoba (Even in the stream of the land of spirits)

Smildingding ringsochina. (Let them breathe in the fragrant breath)

The poet stresses on the vital exigency of instilling learning and imparting education
to everyone. He also makes use of the metaphor and the Biblical allusion of breath and says
that education is like a breath blown into the nostrils of people, giving people a transformed
life that even that gods and angels get reluctant to leave the land of the A·chiks.

Watat, bidan ku·bibako, (Send forth, the breath of education)

Muni nange tusigipa (Let the one who sleeps under spell)

Balgirani balpongako (Breathe in the gently blowing breeze)

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Rang·sitmane mikselchina! (And wake up!)

Nikatmana mikjumangchi (This is what I see in my dreams)

The poet exhorts A·chik youth to animate their land with the breath of education,
knowledge and learning saying:

Bidan gunko gingsikchina; (Let people breathe in the goodness of education)

He makes a point that nature is alive with sound, movement and activity, and there is
reverberation of sound and activity among the objects of nature. He makes a pertinent point
when he says that even nature responds to the dawning of day and the advent of light.

Bolgrim rong·grim, do·jinma grim (Groves, crags, flocks of birds)

Do·rajaming a·dingpaa: (All join the chatter of Doraja:)

Do·koreni wakwakana (To the laughter of the lunatic bird)

Dare chiring rong·kuchaka. (The slopes and streams echo in reponse)

Ku·chakboda pante me·tra (Come on, respond, young man and woman)

Inchroboda A·chik Songna! (Exult for the land of Achiks!)

Do·kru nosan ma·ringanan (Even when the pigeon sisters pine and coo)

‘Bri gittim ka·a moa: (The hills and villages are moved in their hearts)

Salgra wa·al natbaana (When Salgra come forth with flaming torch)

Do·regipu gisiksoa. (The cock announces by crowing.)

The poet, H. D. Momin provokes the Achiks and poses an Interrogation or Erotesis.

Ku·onboda metra pante! (Speak up young girls and boys)

Ring·paboda – ku·grimade? (Sing out- don’t you have voice?)

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While Jonmoni D. Shira also makes her point with the help of the following
Interrogation or Erotesis

Re·genma watange on·gimin a·songko? (Would I go away leaving behind the land
apportioned to me?)

Ingenma jechake ang’ song ong·jasa? (Would I deny and say, it is not my land?)

Krengjama dal·atna pangnana batesa? (Would I not strive to make it better than ever?)

Dongenga gamrang rong·kolo gitasa? (Are the treasures lying hidden as in a cave?)

Ong·katgen urang badia salosa? (When are they going to see the light of day?)

There is an undercurrent of impatience on the part of H. D. Momin when he writes

that even the moth rushes into the flame attracted by its brightness. There is a veiled
reference of the A·chiks being reluctant (perhaps lethargic) to accept light when he writes:
“Do·bakrangsa nichakman·ja. (Only the bats cannot bear the light)

Walni jo·ong me·pilipan (Even moth, the night insect,)

Chakkiona bilpinnapa. (Rushes in to the flame.)

The three poets state that the land of the A·chiks is as beautiful as the lotus (Mongnal
ganda nitoriri- H. D. Momin) and endowed with rich hidden treasures (a·ningni gam-
Jonmoni D. Shira). With the use of similes the poet emphasize on the beauty that will array
their land with the attainment of education and learning and stress on the need to come out
from ignorance and darkness thus:

Mite sa·gre watmatgija (Making gods and angels reluctant to leave)

A·chik a·song balgaochina! (Let A·chik land blossom so!

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References:

1. Marak, Evelyn R. Chimonggimin Achik Ku·rang (Compilation), Viola Sonachi B. Sangma,

Tura: 1985

2. Cuddon, J.A. A Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory 4th ed. Delhi: Maya

Blackwell, 1998.

3. Bose & Sterling. Elements of English Rhetoric and Prosody. Chuckervetty, Chatterjee &

Co. Ltd. Kolkata: 2008