The Chakma, who are also known as the Changma, is a Mongoloid tribe inhabiting in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. Their language is known as Changma vaj or Changma Kodha, which uses their native script known as Ojhopath. Originally belonging to the Tibeto-Burman family, Changma Vaj had been heavily influenced by Bengali. They were originally the rulers of Chittagong under the control of a king, although the power of the King today, Devasish Roy, is no more than an association chief.

Their population of 350,000 is concentrated in the Rangamati and Khagrachhari districts of Chittagong in Bangladesh and Mizoram in India, although smaller numbers can be found in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Tripura and in America.

Their ancestors came from Arakan and settled in Cox's Bazaar and Korpos Mohol, the name which was used for the Chittagong Hill Tracts until 1860.

Vocabulary

The following is a list of the transcripted version of Chakma words:

• Biju (changma' new year)
• Juh (good morning)
• ashidbad (thanks)
• vei (brother)
• ma (mother)
• bab (father)
• kudhu (where)
• idhu (here)
• age (befor)
• pore (later)
• mui (I)
• tui (you)
• te (he/ she)
• ami (we)
• tumi (you)
• tara (they)
• Kenjan agosh? (How are you?)
• Mui gom aghong. (I am fine)
• mui zangor (I am going)
• tui zor (you are going)
• te zar (he/she is going)
• ami zer (we are going)
• tumi zor (you are going)
• tara zadond (they are going)
• mui zang (I go)
• tui zash (you go)
• te zaï (he/she goes)
• ami zei (we go)
• tumi zo (you go)
• tara zand (they go)

External links

• Interview with the Chakma King (http://www.shobak.org/jumma_comments.php?id=52_0_10_0_C)