KWAM TO MUANG: BLACK TAI CHRONICLES

Abstract

This article presents the translation of the initial chapters of a famous Black Tai chronicle: Kwam To Muang, from a book printed by the Black Tai Community in Iowa, USA. The Black Tai script, complete with tone markers, is significantly different from a previous version which was rewritten from memory by Black Tai migrants outside Vietnam.

Black Tai are an ethnic group living mostly in Dien Bien, Son La provinces, Vietnam, speaking a dialect of Tai. While the Vietnamese have used the Chinese script for over a millennium, the Black Tais originated their own script long ago.

Vietnamese scholars have already collected around thirty different versions of the Kwam To Muang chronicle; indeed this author has another significant version of the chronicle he plans to translate at a later date.

This translation was submitted to Mr. Cam Trong for review, who graciously corrected the first chapters before his death—the author wishes to express his sincere gratitude to the highly respected Black Tai scholar.

the Black Tai, Vietnamese and IPA fonts used in this article were created by the author more than a decade ago.