Durham E-Theses Lengkhawm Zai: A Singing Tradition of Mizo Christianity in Northeast India HEATH, JOANNA How to cite: HEATH, JOANNA (2013) Lengkhawm Zai: A Singing Tradition of Mizo Christianity in Northeast India, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/6376/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk Lengkhawm Zai A Singing Tradition of Mizo Christianity in Northeast India Joanna Heath (2012) A thesis presented in complete fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts by Research in Musicology at Durham University. 2 Soli Deo Gloria 3 Contents Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... 5 Abbreviations and Glossary ............................................................................................................ 6 1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 8 1.1 Ethnography ........................................................................................................................... 10 1.2 Research Context and Methodology..................................................................................... 13 1.3 Limitations and Scope ........................................................................................................... 15 1.4 Thesis Structure .................................................................................................................... 17 2. Birth of a Tradition: The History of Lengkhawm ......................................................... 20 2.1 Before Christianity ................................................................................................................. 21 2.2 Encountering the British ..................................................................................................... 25 2.3 The Revival Movement ........................................................................................................ 28 2.3.1 The First and Second Revivals: 1905-1918 ...................................................................... 29 2.3.2 The Third Revival: 1919-1929 .......................................................................................... 33 2.3.4 The Fourth Revival: 1930 ................................................................................................35 2.4 Created Traditions: A Preliminary Analysis ....................................................................... 38 3. Singing Tradition: Melody and Voice in Lengkhawm ................................................... 43 3.1 The Thluk in Lengkhawm Zai ............................................................................................... 45 3.1.1 Meter ............................................................................................................................... 46 3.1.2 Structure ......................................................................................................................... 50 3.1.3 Contour ...........................................................................................................................53 3.1.4 Pitch ............................................................................................................................... 58 3.1.5 The Thluk: A Summary .................................................................................................. 68 3.2 The Thluk in Sol-fa zai .......................................................................................................... 71 4. A Spiritual Society: Lengkhawm and Traditional Values .............................................79 4.1 Encountering Christianity ................................................................................................... 79 4.2 The ‘Beautiful Mizo Life’ ..................................................................................................... 82 4.2.1 Community .................................................................................................................... 83 4.2.2 Perceptions of Gender .................................................................................................. 86 4 4.2.3 Sentimentality and Spirituality .................................................................................... 90 4.3 Summary .............................................................................................................................. 98 5. A Modern Tradition: Lengkhawm Today ..................................................................... 103 5.1 Lengkhawm in Context ........................................................................................................ 103 5.1.1 Lengkhawm Upstairs: The Church Service ................................................................... 104 5.1.2 Lengkhawm Downstairs: The Zaikhawm ..................................................................... 107 5.2 Past Tradition and Present Identity ................................................................................... 109 5.2.1 The Instrumentalists ...................................................................................................... 110 5.2.2 The Hlahriltu ................................................................................................................. 116 5.2.3 The Dancing ................................................................................................................. 122 5.2.4 The Zaikhawm Context in Radio and Television ........................................................ 126 6. Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 132 Appendix A: Fieldwork Locations and Map ................................................................................ 137 Appendix B: Song Collection ....................................................................................................... 139 Appendix C: DVD Guide ............................................................................................................... 141 Appendix D: Tempo Graphs ........................................................................................................ 143 Appendix E: Transcriptions ......................................................................................................... 146 Bibliography .................................................................................................................................. 161 5 Acknowledgements This thesis is the product of six months at the Academy of Integrated Christian Studies, Mizoram, as well as six months back in Durham, which have transformed my perspective and provided me with new opportunities, challenges and friendships for which I consider myself greatly privileged. I begin by offering my humble gratitude to AICS, a vibrant and welcoming community of staff and students from all over Northeast India. In particular I thank my colleague Moses Sailo and his family for their kind support, and my housemates Mary Hnamte and Jenny Zodinpuii for their selfless friendship and advice. Most of all, the principal Dr. RL Hnuni and her family gave me overwhelming hospitality throughout my stay, such that I came to feel like a daughter among them. I also deeply appreciated the welcome of the Baptist Church of Mizoram and all the churches with whom I could share in worship. I travelled to Mizoram under the supervision of BMS World Mission, who organised the visit in response to AICS’s request for a music teacher. I offer my thanks to them, as well as Rayners Lane Baptist Church, Redhill Baptist Church, Ashby Baptist Church and Durham City Baptist Church. I also thank my family and the individuals and small groups who faithfully supported me. I was also honoured to receive generous assistance from St John’s College, Durham and the Timios Trust. I am grateful to Emily Burgoyne at the Angus Library (Oxford) and the staff at the British Library, Durham’s Palace Green Library (Pratt Green Collection) and the Archives and Research Centre for Ethnomusicology (Delhi) for their assistance. Having already enjoyed three years at Durham for my undergraduate studies, it has been a delight to continue as a postgraduate member of the Music Department. I thank Dr. Simone Tarsitani and Martin Allison for their technical support, but most of all I wish to thank my supervisors, Professor Dr. Martin Clayton and Dr. Simon Mills, whose patience and valuable insights gave me a depth of focus for which I am truly grateful. Joanna “Lalzovi” Heath Durham, September 2012 6 Abbreviations and Glossary This is by no means an exhaustive list, and includes only the terms which are used in this thesis. The reader is directed