A Brief History of Jinghpaw Kasa Press

In 1956, Monsignor Usher decided that the time had come to give his people an informative monthly periodical in their own language. Illiteracy was fast declining in the Hills: in more and more homes, more and more people were now able to read, and wanted something to read. A Catholic periodical had become a necessity. Therefore, Monsignor Usher rightly decided to set a press and instructed Fr. Bernard Way to manage the Press. Fr. Way’s first commission was to produce a monthly magazine, “The Kachin Messenger”, or, in Kachin, “the Jinghpaw Kasa” in Tanghpre village. The first issue of the Messenger appeared in September 1956 – 250 booklets which were composed of ten pages, its material typed by Fr. Bernard Way, and then multiplied on a multigraph duplicator. The first publication of Jinghpaw Kasa was done by Fr. Bernard Way and his students: Hkum Zau Ja, Lahpai Tat, N-gang Sut, Maran Naw and Nhkram La who helped him to bind the booklets. The Messenger magazine was distributed to villages because it is certainly one of the most missionary instruments yet devised for the deepening and extension of the faith among the Hills of Upper Burma.

In 1959, thanks to generous Irish, Australian, and American benefactors, Fr. Bernard Way was able to acquire its current equipment. The printing press came from the States, the generator from England, the stitching machine from Hongkong, and the guillotine from Rangoon. The Kachin boys: Nawhkum La Awng, Maran Zau Seng, and Galang Naw Ja were sent south to the Italian Fathers in Taungoo for training (the Italian missionaries have their own press for the service of their Karens). After training, they came back and worked with Fr. Bernard Way. They published monthly magazine – “Jinghpaw Kasa”.

After Fr. Bernard Way, Fr. Madden continued the work of publication of Jinghpaw Kasa. From 1960 to 1966, Fr. Madden was an editor and Lagang La, Galang Naw Ja, Maran Zau Seng and their friends helped him to publish the monthly magazine. Unfortunately, the publication of Jinghpaw Kasa was banned by the government due to the political instability in 1966.

In 1978, the Jinghpaw Kasa press was moved from Tanghpre to St. Columban Cathedral, Myitkyina. In 1979, Sara K.P Htoi Wa (Manager) and Sara Stephen Bawk Naw (Editor) continued to publish the monthly magazine and other books.

To be continued...