DERIVATION OF RINPI VILLAGE NAME

Introduction

Rinpi village is one the village in Hakha township, Hakha district, Chin state, Myanmar and is situated at 22 degree, 46 minutes latitude and 93 degree, 46minute and its altitude is 1056. (http://1worldmap.com/Burma/Chin-State/Rinpi/1298739#read_wikipedia)

Rinpi village was founded by the five sons of Pu Ral Thang from Simpi. After being hatred by their step mother, their father Pu Ral Thang abandoned them three times. The first two times they came back, singing “Father is father, mother is mother”. But the third times, he threw them into the roaring river called Phau river after putting them inside the box. The current threw them toward the other side of the river. And they could not came back. Then, they made their living there. After monsoon season, Pu Ral Thang went there in order to know whether they died or alive. Fortunately, father and sons reunion at the other side of Phau river. So they named that very place as “Hmunhlipi”. Hmun stand for “the place where father and sons met”. Hli stand for “we are former wife descendants”. Pi means “We are from Simpi”. 

Hmunhlipi to Riimpi

Due to tribal war and famine, the village was destroyed and abandoned many times. After long period of time abandoning, one of the Ciokip clan came back to re-establish the village again. In that year, he had a son and named him “Zo Kaar”, meaning “after being passed through Chinland deep forest and valley, we find our native place”. Within Pu Zo Kaar rule, the village name became “Riimpi”. But nobody know what is the exact meaning of “Riim”. There are many opinions about it.

Some said, “After being hit by the severe famine, two young brother were hid inside wild pig den. When Pu Zo Kaar found them- they couldn’t speak any language except the word “Riim..riim..riim….”. And the village name became Riimpi.

And some said, “Pu Zo Kaar was hunting in the forest and heard the chirping of bird near the river bank “Riim..riim..riim…” and the village was named “Riimpi”.

Some said, “The meaning of Riim in Chin is distancing with wife or husband. After being distance with their native village and came back to reestablish. The village was named “Riimpi” meaning “reunion with distancing native village”.

Some people said, “The villager were rude and sometimes they went to other tribes’ village and killed them. So other tribe called them “Mi Riim” called sneaky killer. The village become Riimpi.

But nobody know which one is the correct derivatives of the village name.

Riimpi to Rimpi

Chin people had no literature before the British colonel rule over the land. There was no written name about the village. The first village name was written by Tuck & Carey in 1896. Pronunciation of “Riim” is the same with “Rim” in English. So Tuck & Carey wrote the village name as “Rimpi” which is the same pronunciation as “Riimpi”. And followed by J. George Scott and J.P Hardiman in “Gazetter of Upper Burma and Shan State” in 1901, they also wrote the village name as “Rimpi”. That was the first written name the village had ever had. 

RIMPI.--A village of Chins of the Haka tribe in the Southern Chin Hills. It lies twelve miles north-east of Haka and can be reached from Haka vid Pai, twelve miles, and from Hanta, fourteen miles.

In 1894 it had one hundred houses. Hlaypaw and Munsum were its resident chiefs. Rimpi was originally a Tashôn village, but was burnt by the Falam chiefs and rebuilt under the protection of Lyen Mo of Haka. The village pays tribute to Lyen Mo and La Sin, and the Falam claims over the village have been disallowed. There is fair camping-ground and water-supply.

SHERRWE.---A village of Chins of the Haka tribe in the Southern Chin Hills. It Ties two miles north-west of Rimpi and can be reached from Haka, crossing the Tonvarr and several other streams. In 1894 it had twenty houses. Hoidun was its resident chief. The village pays tribute to Lyen Mo.

YAMTSIN.--A village of Chins of the Haka tribe in the Southern Chin Hills. It lies five miles north of Rimpi on the Tashôn border, and can be reached from Haka vid. Rimpi. In 1894 it had twenty houses, The resident chief was Byenhno. The village pays tribute to Lyenmo of Haka. It is not stockstied and there is a plentiful water-supply.

Gazetteer of Upper Myanmar (By J.George Scott and J.P Hardiman) 

Rimpi to Rinpi 

Throughout British rule, the village name was “Rimpi”. There was no changing in the village written name until 1965. In 1965 Chin Affair Council, main office was transferred from Kalay myo to Hakha. Chin Affair Council Chairman Bohmu Son Khaw Lian was visiting the township villages in that year. Rimpi village’s chief was Pu Phir Kio at that time and he assigned Pu Kep Luai as his recording secretary. When Bohmu Son Khaw Lian arrived at the village, “Rimpi was difficult to write in Burmese. And you should change the village name into “Rinpi” which is more convenient to write. Some more, Rim in Chin meaning is dirty and smell. But Rin in Chin meaning is reliable and trustworthy”, said Son Khaw Lian. So the name Rimpi was changed into Rinpi.

Throughout the Burmese government rule, there was no complaint arisen about the village name. The villagers and some of the neighbor villages called “Riimpi”. But in writing they write as “Rinpi”. The village was moved to the new place in 2007, and they built a new church temple. One of the former villager who had been left the village to Kalay, donated church signboard and write “Rimpi Baptist Church”. The village written name became two. At the village entry the welcoming signboard was “Welcome to Rinpi” and at the church “Rimpi Baptish Church”. So many visitors highlighted about the village name. Since 2012 arguments were arisen among the villagers. Some villagers want the British name “Rimpi” and some villagers want “Rinpi” as it is our officially registered name today.

Chin Literature

Chin Literature was created by Major Newland in 1894, printed in Yangon, based on Roman Alphabet (a,b,c,d). But it was further amended and improved by Carson (the American Missionary) and followed by Dr. Cope (The American Missionary) and now CACC (Chin Association for Christian Communication). Many changes had happened in our literature.

Most of village’s names written by Tuck & Carey, George Scott and Hardeman had been changed.

Yokwa is now written as Zokhua.

Shimpi is now written as Simpi.

Firthi is now written as Fiarti.

Haka is now written as Hakha.

Naring is now written as Hnaring.

Munhlipi is now written as Hmunhlipi.

Sherrwe is now written as Sahruai.

Yamtsin is now written as Zaamciin.

There are so many dialects in Chinland. Due to our feudal system, the communication between villages to village was not good. Even the same tribe in different villages, their pronunciation was slightly different due to lack of frequent communication. After having literature, due to political government boundaries, even Hakha and Falam written literature was different.

Let’s see the following example. We are from Khualsim tribe in Chin State. Some khualsim villages are in Falam territory, and we are under Hakha territory. The same tribe, the same speaking language, the same name but different written name can happen.

Dawt Sin Par (khualsim)

The one who live in Falam township was registered her name as “Dawt Sin Par”. But from Hakha township villager, we called her name “Dawt Sin Par” but when they registered and write “Dawt Chin Par”, we all follow her registered name, including their family. “Sin” and “Chin” had the same meaning but different word.

San Bik (khualsim)

The one who live in Falam township was registered his name as “San Bik”. But from Hakha township villager, we called him “San Bik” and registered and write as “Chan Bik”.

Followed by San Thong to Chan Thong, Far Sin Sung to Far Chin Sung, San Uk Mang to Chan Uk Mang etc…

So some of the educated Rinpi villagers proposed, to follow our registered name “Rinpi”, even if we called orally ourselves as “Riimpi”.

But some issues are arisen again. They don’t want “Riimpi”, they don’t want “Hmunhlipi”, but the want for “Rimpi” the British written name. Well, then, now we are under 2008 Constitution of Union of Republic of Myanmar. According to the constitution section (54), the ward, village, town, state name can be changed. So the educated villagers urged them to change officially so that we can use without hesitation. But they don’t want to change officially.

Until today, the village name has not been settled. Some write as “Rimpi” and some write as “Rinpi”. Most of educated people follow our registered name.

RINPI

The name Rinpi is widely used since 1965. Such as household list, NIRC, Church Logo, Signboard, Letter Head, Google Map, MIMU Map, Weather Forecast Map etc were labeled as Rinpi. The name Rinpi was added on 1993 December 21. 

In 2014 leaders from Rinpi village also decided to write the village name as “Rinpi”. Signed by Village Head (Pu Rua Hmung), Church Chairman (Pu Rual Khum) and Church Pastor (Rev. Sang Hmun).  All the leaders were attended the meeting. Recording secretary was Pu Hoi Mang.  The attendants were Pu Rua Hmung (Village Chief), Pu Hoi Mang (GRET chairman), Rev. Sang Hmun (Church Pastor), Pu Rua Khum (Church Chairman), Pu Tial Awi (GAD), Pu Al Thang (LDC Chairman), Pu That Lian (Deacon), Pu Sial Uk (Deacon), Pu Thang Cung (Deacon), Pu Cung Lian (Deacon), Pu Bawi Hnin (Deason), Pu Cung Ve (Deacon), Pu Iang Ling (Village Advisor), Salai Ni Peng Ling (Observer), Pu Lian Thang (Village Advisor).  

The name Rimpi was used by former Rinpi villagers but now had been lived in other states or other countries. They instigated the villagers to use the name “Rimpi”. Most of them are now living in Kalay valley, Malaysia and USA.

They don’t care about what the villagers will face due to different village name. The villagers are directly subjected to village name. But for the former villagers who had been lived in foreign countries or other states in Myanmar. They don’t need village name for their household list, for their NIRC, for their address and for their postal. But for the present villagers, we have to follow our registered village name. If we write village name different from registered name, which university will issued a certificate? Which country will accept irrelevant documents? For worse, in IT age, form fill up have to be done online, will the system accept the different village name between, IC and filled up form?

Actually since we follow our registered name e.g “Dawt Sin Par” as “Dawt Chin Par”, we should also follow the village name as well as its registration.

RIMPI In Finland

There is already the village name “Rimpi” in Finland. Internet search engines also produce “Rimpi in Finland”. For Myanmar, Chin State, the village name is labeled as “Rinpi”.

Conclusion

There is a law that we can use for changing the village name. (Republic of Union of Myanmar Constitution, section 54). Before we change the village registered name which had been added on the world map on 1993 December 21, we have to follow the registered name “Rinpi”. When the registered name had been changed, we need to follow as changed name regardless of its meaning or whatever.

Now our problem is that no one is willing to change the village registered name according to the law, and still want to change by ourselves at local level. It is unreasonable and irresponsible.

And the former villagers should not instigate the present villager to do so, regarding official matter. The present villagers should decide and take action as they want as they are directly subjected.

Since Rinpi is widely used already and Rimpi was not our original written name, we should use Rinpi as the written village name. 

There is also other Rimpi village name on the world, it is also important that the village has its significant name. 

And Rimpi is the English written depends on its pronunciation, not on its meaning. Our original name was used to be Hmunhlipi and Riimpi, it’s had been registered as Rinpi. 

So any legal organization also should respect the law when writing the village name. We should not anyhow write. We should follow the legal name or registered name.