Hakha Lai, also called Hakha Chin, is a language spoken mostly in the state of Chin, Myanmar. Native speakers list primarily in Northwest Myanmar as well as in neighboring areas of India and Bangladesh.
While the country of Myanmar is predominantly Bhuddist, the Chin people are mostly Christian due to a history of Western missionaries in the region. As a result of substantial religious and cultural differences with the central government, there has been significant emigration to Western countries, including the U.S. Today, there are large communities in Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The Chin Languages Research Project is an ongoing collaboration between Indiana University linguists and members of the Indianapolis Chin community. Learn more about their projects at their website.
Hakha Lai is not taught currently at IU but has been offered previously by the Language Workshop.