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Kuki people
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Kukis are an ethnic group that spread throughout the Kuki People Northeastern region of India, Northwest Burma and Chittagong Regions w ith significant populations Hill Tracts in Bangladesh. In Northeast India they are present Languages in all the states except Arunachal Pradesh. This dispersal Various Kukish languages across international borders is mainly attributed to the British Religion colonial policy. [1] According to Lt. Colonel Shakespeare,the Christianity, Judaism term Kuki has a definite meaning and include Aimol, Anal, Related ethnic groups Chothe, Chiru, Koireng, Kom, Purum, Lamkang, Moyon, Other ChinMizo Monsang, Gangte, Vaiphei, Simte, Paite, Thadou, Hmar, Zou etc. G.A. Grierson in Linguistic Survey of India, 1867 stated that the tribes connoted by Kuki are able to understand others dialect. The term Kuki, in literature, first appeared in the writing of Rawlins when he wrote about the tribes of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. It refers to "wild tribe" comprising numerous clans. These clans share a common past, culture, customs and tradition. They speak in dialects that have a common root language belonging to the Tibeto-Burman group. [2] The Kukis have Mongoloid features and are generally short-stature with straight black hair and dark brown eyes. The different Kuki clans are recognised as scheduled tribe of India. [3] This
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tribe recognition is based on the dialect spoken and region. They spread out in the contiguous regions of Northeast India, Northwest Burma (Myanmar), and the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh. They are most prominent in Manipur, Nagaland, Assam and Mizoram. Kuki is composed of many different entities and clans.
Contents [hide] 1 History 1.1 Early history 1.2 Contact with outside world and resistance 2 Customs and traditions 2.1 Sawm 2.2 Lawm 3 Laws and government 3.1 Governance 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

History

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Early history

The ancient sanskrit literature mentions the Kirata people, which are identified with the Mongoloid tribes like Kuki. [4] In 1909, the researcher GR Gereni identified the Kukis with the Tiladai tribe mentioned by the Greco-Roman geographer Claudius Ptolemy (90-168 CE). Ptolemy mentions the Tiladai as residing "to the north of Maiandros", which Gereni identifies with the Garo Hills and Silhet. [5] If this theory were to be accepted, it could be possible that the Kukis have been living in this area since the pre-historic times. [6] According to Professor Gangumei Kabui, "some Kuki tribes migrated to Manipur Hills in the pre-historic times along with or after the Meitei advent into the Manipur valley". [7]
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Contact with outside world and resistance

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An important landmark in the history of the Kuki people with considerable social, cultural and political ramifications is the arrival of missionaries and the spread of Christianity among the Kuki's. The acceptance of Christianity marks a departure from their many tribal customs and traditions, and along with the spread of English education, heralds the arrival of modernity within the Kuki People. The first foreign missionary ever to have landed on the soil of Manipur on the 6th February, 1894 was William Pettigrew, sponsored by the American Baptist Mission Union. He, together with Dr. Crozier, worked together in the North and the Northeast of Manipur. In the south, Watkins Robert of the Welsh Presbytery mission organized the IndoBurma Thadou-Kuki Pioneer Mission in 1913. To have a broader scope, the missions name was changed to North East India General Mission (NEIGM). [8] The first resistance movement by the Kuki people was the Kuki Rebellion of 1917-19. Which was against the British hegemony. Kuki country was subjugated by the British and divided between British India and British Burma administrations following the 'Kuki Uprising of 1917-19'. [9] Up until the defeat in 1919, the Kukis were an independent people ruled by their chieftains. During WWII, seizing the opportunity to regain independence, Kuki fought with the Imperial Japanese Army and the Indian National Army led by Subhas Chandra Bose. The success of the Allied forces over the Axis group dashed the aspiration of the Kuki people. [citation needed]

Customs and traditions

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The land of the Kukis has a number of customs and traditions.

Sawm

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Sawm, a community center for boys was the center of learning in which Sawm-upa (an elder) did the teaching, while Sawm-nu took care of chores, such as combing of the boys hair, washing of the garments and making the beds, etc. The best students were recommended to the Kings or the Chiefs service, and eventually would become as Semang & Pachong (ministers) in the courts, or gal lamkai (leaders/ warriors) in the army.[10]
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Lawm

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Lawm (a traditional form of youth club) was an institution in which, boys and girls engaged in social activities, for the benefit of the individual and the community. It was also another learning institution. Every Lawm has lawm-upa (a senior member), Tollai-pao (overseer or superintendent), and Lawm-tangvo (assistant superintendent). Besides being a source of traditional learning, Lawm was also useful for imparting technical and practical knowledge to its members, especially with regard to farming methods, hunting, fishing, and sporting activities such as- Kung Kal (high jump, especially over a choice mithum), Kang Kap, Kangchoi Kap (top game), Suhtumkhaw (javelin throw using the heavy wooden implement for pounding-de-husking-paddy) and Songse (shot put). The Lawm was also a center where the young people learned discipline and social etiquette. After harvest season, Lawm meet is celebrated with a Lawm-sel (on the occasion, a mithun is slaughtered for the feast) and, as a commemoration, a pillar is erected. The event is accompanied by dance and drinking rice-beer, which sometimes continues for days and nights. [11]

Laws and government

Governance
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With regard to governance, Semang (cabinet) is the annual assembly of a Kuki village community held at the Chiefs residence represents the Inpi (Assembly). In such an assembly, the Chief and his Semang and Pachong (cabinet members and auxiliary of Inpi) and all the household heads of the village congregate to discuss and resolve matters relating to the village and the community. [12]

See also

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Kuki State Demand Committee The Kukis of Northeast India: Politics and Culture

References

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1. ^ Thongkholal Haokip, 'The Kuki Tribes of Meghalaya: A Study of their Socio-Political Problems', in Soubhagya Ranjan Padhi (Ed.). Tribal Development Situation in India: Strategies for Planning, Welfare and

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2.

3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

11.

12.

Sustainable Livelihood of Tribes. New Delhi: Abhijeet publication, 2011. ^ Grierson (1909), Linguistic Survey of India, Vol. 111, Tibeto-Burman Family, General Introduction, Specimens of the Tibetan Dialects, The Himalayan Dialects and The North Assam Group, Pt. II, with Grierson (1903), Specimens of the Bodo, Naga and Kachin Groups, Pt. III, Grierson (1904) Specimens of the Kuki, Chin and Burma Groups, Pt. 111, Vol. 111 ^ Alphabetical List of India's Scheduled Tribes ^ Mrinal Miri (1 January 2003). Linguistic Situation in North-East India . Concept Publishing Company. p. 77. ISBN 978-81-8069-026-6. Retrieved 28 August 2013. ^ Gereni, GR (1909, 53), Researches on Ptolemys Geography of Eastern Asia (further India and Indo-Malay archipelago), Published in conjunction with the Royal Geographical Society, London ^ Phukan, JN, The Late Home of Migration of the Mizos, International Seminar, Aizawl, Mizoram, studies on the Minority Nationalities of Northeast India The Mizos, 1992, 10 ^ Gangumei Kabui, History of Manipur, p24 ^ Thongkholal Haokip, 'Kuki Churches Unification Movements', Ahsijolneng Annual Magazine,2003 , pp. 1213. ^ Burma and Assam Frontier, Kuki rising, 1917-1919, L/PS/10/724, Oriental and India Office Collections (OIOC), British Library, London ^ Paokhohao Haokp, "Reinculcating Traditional Values of the Kukis with Special Reference to Lom and Som", in Thongkholal Haokip (ed.). The Kukis of Northeast India: Politics and Culture. New Delhi: Bookwell, 2012, Chapter 11. ^ Paokhohao Haokp, "Reinculcating Traditional Values of the Kukis with Special Reference to Lom and Som", in Thongkholal Haokip (ed.). The Kukis of Northeast India: Politics and Culture. New Delhi: Bookwell, 2012, Chapter 11. ^ T. Lunkim, "Traditional System of Kuki Administration", in Thongkholal Haokip (ed.). The Kukis of Northeast India: Politics and Culture. New Delhi: Bookwell, 2012, Chapter 1.

External links
KSO Hyderabad Kuki Forum
V T E

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kuki people

Zangle'n-gam: The Kuki Nation

Scheduled tribes of India

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V T E

List of ethnic groups in Bangladesh

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Categories: Indo-Mongoloid Ethnic groups in Bangladesh Ethnic groups in Manipur Ethnic groups in Tripura Ethnic groups in Burma Tribes of Assam Social groups of Assam Mizo clans

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