Nti Ngơi Nau Bu Nong (Central Mnong Language Lessons) is a quaint booklet that came to us from one of my evening students who arrived in the US with her husband and family from Vietnam via Cambodia in 1992. It was pretty worn and had penciled notations. Another student also said she had kept her copy from the refugee camp, too.
From the Summer Institute of Linguistics (see http://www.sil.org/). Originally published in 1974 and republished in 1978.
There is a good brief overview in Vietnamese and English and an interesting list of Summer publications at the end of the booklet.
Mnong or Bu Nong (or Bunong)? All the speakers in our classes referred to themselves as Bunong.
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WHO WE ARE
MDA is a non-profit organization formed in 1987 by Montagnards to assist resettlement of refugees in the US. We are based in Greensboro, North Carolina, USA. This area represents the largest population of Montagnards, about 10,000, outside our Central Highlands Vietnam homeland. MDA is the oldest organization of its kind. We help refugees regardless of tribal, religious or political affiliation. We believe Bahnar, Koho, Bunong, Jarai, and Rhade are all one Dega people.
''We believe Bahnar, Koho, Bunong, Jarai, and Rhade are all one Dega people.''
ReplyDeleteI fully disagree the term ''DEGA.'' The words basically mean only for Rhade and Jaria; which mean you guys left out others montagnard such as: Bunong, Koho, and Bahnar. Montanard is ''montagnard'' there is no such things like ''Dega.'' The word ''Dega'' is come from Rhade words which ''they'' called themselves that. Not all montagnard are fully agree with that terms. If we establish the words ''Dega'' it's not the same; it's only included ''one'' tradition and ''one'' ethnic group, which then there no should things as Bunong, Bahnar, and Koho, and also we would speaks the same language or same dialect.
This is a great comment! There should be more discussion in the community about the terms that we've heard used. Other communities in the US with complicated identities and divisions have sometimes been able to reach an understanding about what they will be called and how they see themselves. These include Native Americans or Amerindians and Hmong.
ReplyDeleteWhat we haven't seen yet is a willingness of Montagnard community members to sit down and peacefully discuss the issues you raise. Maybe the younger generation would be willing to do so. We notice that kids in school seem less divided by terms and say they're "Montagnard"...
Writer: would you be willing to start such a dialog in your community? Americans needs to hear about Montagnard problems if they are to understand your community and its problems.