Book of Poems by Young Chin Girl to be Launched

18 February 2012: A collection of romantic verses composed by a young Chin girl pen-named Aidii is due to be out for purchase on the Chin National Day in Rangoon, Burma.

The book titled ‘Guitar and Star’ written in both Hakha-Chin and Burmese will be made available as the first of its kind ever published by a Chin woman in the history of Chin literature in this generation.

“I am very excited about the book. I believe this book will become a new breakthrough in Chin literature, especially in the poetic movement. It will encourage other Chin women to make more input in the future,” said one of the Chin youths from Rangoon.

With some poems having artistic drawings by Salai Takawh and cover design by Ko San Htut, the book has its forewords written in Burmese by Burmese poet Khin Aung Aye and in Hakha-Chin by C. Van Lian Tu.

Khin Aung Aye said he felt like he was reading a play as some of her poems have got sub-titles such as friends and audience contributed by her friends, adding: “The readers will at some point feel the poetic taste of an ethnic hand.”

Obtaining an official permit for publication, the author plans to distribute the book to other countries with prices yet to be fixed while it will be sold for 1,500 kyats in Burma starting from Monday, 20 February.

Recently graduated from BARS (Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies) of the Myanmar Institute of Theology in Insein, Rangoon, the Chin amateur poetess-cum-scriptwriter also has a collection of ‘unpublished’ paintings.

Reporting by Thawng Zel Thang
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