The Mizo people (
Mizo: ''Mizo hnam'') are an ethnic group native to the
Indian state
India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories, with a total of 36 entities. The states and union territories are further subdivided into districts and smaller administrative divisions.
History
Pre-indepen ...
of
Mizoram
Mizoram () is a state in Northeast India, with Aizawl as its seat of government and capital city. The name of the state is derived from "Mizo people, Mizo", the endonym, self-described name of the native inhabitants, and "Ram", which in the Mizo ...
and neighbouring regions of
Northeast India
, native_name_lang = mni
, settlement_type =
, image_skyline =
, image_alt =
, image_caption =
, motto =
, image_map = Northeast india.png
, ...
. The term covers several related ethnic groups or clans inside the Mizo group.
All Mizo tribes and clans claim in their folk legends that
Sinlung
Sinlung, sometimes called Chhinlung, Khur or Khul, is the ancestral home of the Chin, Kuki or Zo people ( Zohnahthlâk ). The Mizo, Hmars, and other Zo people trace their origin to Chhinlung / Sinlung. Most of the tribes/clans in Mizoram an ...
(alternatively called "Chhinlung" or "Khul") was the
cradle
Cradle may refer to:
* Cradle (bed)
* Bassinet, a small bed, often on rockers, in which babies and small children sleep
Mechanical devices
* Cradle (circus act), or aerial cradle or casting cradle used in an aerial circus act
* Cradling (paintin ...
of the Mizos. Sinlung can either refer to "enclosed with a rock" in the
Mizo languages
Central Kuki-Chin is a branch of the Kuki-Chin languages. Central Kuki-Chin languages are spoken primarily in Mizoram and other parts of North East India and also in Hakha Township and Falam Township of Chin State, Myanmar.
Official use
Mizo is ...
or to a main ancestor named "Chin-Laung" from whom Mizo, Chin and other clans descended.
The present Indian state of Mizoram (literally "Mizoland") was historically called the
Lushai Hills
The Lushai (Pron: ˌlʊˈʃaɪ) Hills (or Mizo Hills) are a mountain range in Mizoram and Manipur, India. The range is part of the Patkai range system and its highest point is 2,157 m high Phawngpui, also known as 'Blue Mountain'.
Flora and fau ...
or Lushai District. The Lushai Hills area was defined as an excluded area during the
British Raj
The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent;
*
* it is also called Crown rule in India,
*
*
*
*
or Direct rule in India,
* Quote: "Mill, who was himsel ...
, and as a district of
Assam
Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...
in independent India.
The Mizo are divided into several clans, including The RALTE, PAITE, LAI, HMAR, LUSEI, MARA, THADOU/KUKI. Other Mizo people reside in other states in the immediate vicinity of Mizoram, such as Tripura, Assam, Manipur, and Nagaland. The majority of Mizo outside India live across the border in neighbouring
Chin State
Chin State (, ) is a state in western Myanmar. The Chin State is bordered by Sagaing Division and Magway Division to the east, Rakhine State to the south, Bangladesh to the south-west, and the Indian states of Mizoram to the west and Manipur t ...
and
Sagaing Region
Sagaing Region ( my, စစ်ကိုင်းတိုင်းဒေသကြီး, ; formerly Sagaing Division) is an administrative region of Myanmar, located in the north-western part of the country between latitude 21° 30' north and lon ...
,
Burma
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...
.
The dispersed distribution of Mizo people can be attributed to two factors: migratory practices due to the slash-and-burn
Jhum
The traditional shifting cultivation farming technique of indigenous communities and Bengalis in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh and nearby regions in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and Nagaland in India is known as jhum cultivation.
Tec ...
agriculture by villagers, which in turn led to a rapid expansion of their territory during the 18th and 19th centuries, and the pacification of India under British rule. ''
Khawnglung Run
''Khawnglung Run'' (English: ''The Massacre of Khawnglung'' or ''The Raid of Khawnglung'') is a 2012 Mizo-language Action Romantic epic film
Epic films are a style of filmmaking with large-scale, sweeping scope, and spectacle. The usage of t ...
'' is a Mizo-language film, based on true events of the historical massacre of Khawnglung during 1856–1859.
The Mizo were particularly dissatisfied with the government's inadequate response to the 1959–60
mautâm famine. The Mizo National Famine Front, a body formed for famine relief in 1959, later developed into a new political organisation, the
Mizo National Front
The Mizo National Front ( MNF) is a regional political party in Mizoram, India. MNF emerged from the Mizo National Famine Front, which was formed by Pu Laldenga to protest against the inaction of the Indian central government towards the famin ...
(MNF) in 1961.
A period of protests and
armed insurgency followed in the 1960s, with the MNF seeking independence from India.
[Dommen, A. J. (1967). Separatist Tendencies in Eastern India. Asian Survey, Vol. 7, No. 10 (Oct. 1967), 726-739]
In 1971, the government agreed to convert the Mizo Hills into a Union Territory, which came into being as Mizoram in 1972. Following the
Mizoram Peace Accord
The Mizoram Peace Accord, 1986 was an official agreement between the Government of India and the Mizo National Front (MNF) to end insurgency and violence in Mizoram, India, that started in 1966. The Mizo National Front was an organisation of Miz ...
(1986) between the Government and the MNF, Mizoram was declared a full-fledged state of India in 1987.
The Mizo people historically speak the
Tibeto-Burman
The Tibeto-Burman languages are the non- Sinitic members of the Sino-Tibetan language family, over 400 of which are spoken throughout the Southeast Asian Massif ("Zomia") as well as parts of East Asia and South Asia. Around 60 million people spea ...
Mizo language. There are multiple varieties corresponding to the various clans, but the official and most widely spoken is Duhlian language, which serves as a lingua franca among the Mizo clans. English is the most widely used language for non-Mizo speakers in Mizoram. The state has one of the highest literacy rates in India, at more than 90%.
Etymology
The term Mizo is derived from two Mizo words: ''Mi'' and ''Zo''. ''Mi'' in Mizo means "person" or "people". The term ''Zo'' has two meanings. According to one view, ''Zo'' means 'highland' or perhaps 'remote' (cf. van Schendel's term
''Zomia''). Another meaning is "cool" or "crisp" (i.e., a sense/feeling of cool and refreshing air/environment of higher altitude. "Zo" is never used to denote all cool/cold temperatures; the term for such temperature is "vawt"). ''Zo'', in its contemporary sense as well as its usage in terms like Mizo, is cultural and denotes an
ethnolinguistic group
An ethnolinguistic group (or ethno-linguistic group) is a group that is unified by both a common ethnicity and language. Most ethnic groups share a first language. However, "ethnolinguistic" is often used to emphasise that language is a major bas ...
and identity. Hence, while ''Mizo'' may be translated as "highlanders" or "people living in high hills" or "remote areas," the term specifically denotes a person with
Zo ethnic membership; that is, Mizo literally means "A Zo person".
The term Mizo has a broad ethnic classification of subgroups inhabiting the regions then known as
Lushai Hills
The Lushai (Pron: ˌlʊˈʃaɪ) Hills (or Mizo Hills) are a mountain range in Mizoram and Manipur, India. The range is part of the Patkai range system and its highest point is 2,157 m high Phawngpui, also known as 'Blue Mountain'.
Flora and fau ...
in India,
Chin Hills
The Chin Hills are a range of mountains in Chin State, northwestern Burma, Burma (Myanmar), that extends northward into India's Manipur state.
Geography
The highest peak in the Chin Hills is Khonu Msung, or Mount Victoria, in southern Chin State ...
in
Myanmar
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...
and
Chittagong Hills
The Chittagong Hill Tracts ( bn, পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রাম, Parbotto Chottogram), often shortened to simply the Hill Tracts and abbreviated to CHT, are group of districts within the Chittagong Division in southeas ...
in Bangladesh. Mizo generally refers to those residing in
Mizoram
Mizoram () is a state in Northeast India, with Aizawl as its seat of government and capital city. The name of the state is derived from "Mizo people, Mizo", the endonym, self-described name of the native inhabitants, and "Ram", which in the Mizo ...
, and various subgroups of the Zo Family have joined and adopted "Mizo" while others have not.
Though the term Mizo is often used to name an overall ethnicity, it is also an umbrella term to denote the various clans, such as the
Hmar
Hmar may refer to:
*Hmars or Hmar people
*Hmar language
Hmar language, also known by its endonym Khawsak Ṭawng, belongs to the Kukish branch of the Sino-Tibetan family of languages. The speakers of the language are also known as Hmar. Acc ...
,
Ralte {{unreferenced, date=June 2016
The Ralte tribes were mostly found scattered in the northern part of today's Aizawl, Kolasib and Serchhip Mamit, Lunglei District and all over Mizoram. Tahan (Myanmar) Bangladesh, Tripura, Assam and Manipur India . Th ...
,
Lusei
The Mizo people ( Mizo: ''Mizo hnam'') are an ethnic group native to the Indian state of Mizoram and neighbouring regions of Northeast India. The term covers several related ethnic groups or clans inside the Mizo group.
All Mizo tribes and cla ...
,
Mara,
Paite,
Bawm, Pang,
Thadou,
Vaiphei,
Gangte
Gangte is an ethnic group mainly living in the Indian state of Manipur. They belong to the Zo people and are parts of the Kuki or under Mizo tribe and are recognised a tribe of Manipur, India. They are also indigenous inhabitants of Mizoram, ...
, and
Biate. A number of dialects are still spoken under the umbrella of these mentioned clans; some of them are
Mizo ṭawng (which is an official language of Mizoram), the
Hmar languages
The Hmar languages(Hmar Ṭawng) are a subbranch of the Kukish branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family which comprises Hmar proper (Khawsak) , Biete , Hrangkhol , Sakachep ,Zote ,Thiek, Saihriem(Faihriem),etc,. The Hmar languages are often ...
, the
Paite language
Paite is a Sino-Tibetan Language spoken by a subgroup of the Chin Kuki people. There are different Paite dialects. The language exhibits mutual intelligibility with the other languages of the region including Hmar, Vaiphei, Simte, Kom, Ga ...
s, the
Lai languages
The Lai languages or Pawih/Pawi languages are various Central Kuki-Chin-Mizo languages spoken by the Lai people or Pawi. They include “ Laiṭong” ( Falam-Chin) spoken in Falam district, ''Laiholh'' ( Hakha-Chin) spoken around the Haka (Hakha ...
,
Ralte language
Ralte is a Kuki-Chin language of India. Fewer than a thousand Ralte people speak the language.
Geographical distribution
Ralte is spoken in the following locations (''Ethnologue'').
*Mizoram (mainly Aizawl district, and also scattered in Lung ...
, and
Paang language.
Demography
Sandwiched between
Myanmar
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...
to the east and south and
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
to the west, the Indian State of
Mizoram
Mizoram () is a state in Northeast India, with Aizawl as its seat of government and capital city. The name of the state is derived from "Mizo people, Mizo", the endonym, self-described name of the native inhabitants, and "Ram", which in the Mizo ...
and its surrounding areas are inhabited by the Mizo people. They are found in the Indian states of Mizoram,
Manipur
Manipur () ( mni, Kangleipak) is a state in Northeast India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. It is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west. It also borders two regions of Myanm ...
,
Tripura
Tripura (, Bengali: ) is a state in Northeast India. The third-smallest state in the country, it covers ; and the seventh-least populous state with a population of 36.71 lakh ( 3.67 million). It is bordered by Assam and Mizoram to the east a ...
and the neighboring Bangladesh and Myanmar. According to Rev Liangkhaia, the clergyman and Mizo historian, in his book ''Mizo Chanchin'' – the first-ever published historical account of the Mizo – the Mizo people migrated from China in around 750 AD and stayed in western Myanmar. They then slowly began migrating towards the present-day Mizoram during the fourth decade of the 16th century. Most of the Mizos and their clans had completely migrated to their present location by the third decade of the 18th century.
Mizo people were influenced by British
missionaries
A missionary is a member of a religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Mi ...
in the 19th century, as the
British Raj
The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent;
*
* it is also called Crown rule in India,
*
*
*
*
or Direct rule in India,
* Quote: "Mill, who was himsel ...
subjugated the chieftainship under its dominance, which they later abolished by a
Actcalled the Assam-Lushai District (Acquisition of Chief's Rights) Act in 1954. The spread of education by
Christian missionaries
A Christian mission is an organized effort for the propagation of the Christian faith. Missions involve sending individuals and groups across boundaries, most commonly geographical boundaries, to carry on evangelism or other activities, such as ...
led to a high literacy rate of 91.58% by 2011. Almost all the Mizos also adopted Christianity, and most continue to be so to the present day.
[Census of India 2011, Provisional Population.]
Religion
Lushai Animism
Pre-colonialist Mizos were
animists
Animism (from Latin: ' meaning 'breath, spirit, life') is the belief that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence. Potentially, animism perceives all things—animals, plants, rocks, rivers, weather systems, huma ...
, i.e they followed ''Lushai animism'' in which the Lushai tribes believed in nature-based spirits and other natural living objects.
Christianity
Once the
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
colonized the area, British Missionaries converted most of the population to Christianity from their practice of animism, i.e. worshipping nature (e.g., the sun, the moon, rivers, mountains and spirits). Khuma and Khara were the first to be converted to
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
among the Mizos. As of today, more than 98% of Mizos describe themselves as Christians.
The major
Christian denominations
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
in the area are
Presbyterian
Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
(majority, influenced by the affiliations of the early missionaries),
Baptist
Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...
,
Wesleyan Methodist,
United Pentecostal Church International
The United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI) is a Oneness Pentecostal denomination headquartered in Weldon Spring, Missouri, United States. The United Pentecostal Church International was formed in 1945 by a merger of the former Pentecostal C ...
,
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army (TSA) is a Protestant church and an international charitable organisation headquartered in London, England. The organisation reports a worldwide membership of over 1.7million, comprising soldiers, officers and adherents col ...
,
Seventh-day Adventist
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventism, Adventist Protestantism, Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the Names of the days of the week#Numbered days of the week, seventh day of the ...
, and
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
. The Chin Baptist Church is in the Champhai area in the eastern part of the state.
Bnei Menashe
In the 19th century, European Christian missionary activity in the region led to conversion of some Chin, Kuki, and Mizo peoples. In the mid-to-late 20th century, a rather small number of Mizo and related ethnic peoples in
Assam
Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...
and
Mizoram
Mizoram () is a state in Northeast India, with Aizawl as its seat of government and capital city. The name of the state is derived from "Mizo people, Mizo", the endonym, self-described name of the native inhabitants, and "Ram", which in the Mizo ...
began practicing Judaism, after a community leader had a dream in 1951 that they were descendants of the biblical figure
Manasseh
Manasseh () is both a given name and a surname. Its variants include Manasses and Manasse (surname), Manasse.
Notable people with the name include:
Surname
* Ezekiel Saleh Manasseh (died 1944), Singaporean rice and opium merchant and hotelier
* J ...
, a
lost tribe of Israel
The ten lost tribes were the ten of the Twelve Tribes of Israel that were said to have been exiled from the Kingdom of Israel after its conquest by the Neo-Assyrian Empire BCE. These are the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Ashe ...
. They number, at most, several thousand in a population of more than 3.7 million in these states. Genetic studies have shown very low affinity with Middle Eastern peoples (including ethnic Jews), and rabbinic authorities in Israel have acknowledged Bnei Menashe people as Jews subsequent to their conversion to Judaism under normative Jewish practices. Several hundred have already emigrated to Israel, where they must undergo complete conversion to be accepted as Jews.
Historical perspective
During the later part of British rule, the people in
Lushai Hills
The Lushai (Pron: ˌlʊˈʃaɪ) Hills (or Mizo Hills) are a mountain range in Mizoram and Manipur, India. The range is part of the Patkai range system and its highest point is 2,157 m high Phawngpui, also known as 'Blue Mountain'.
Flora and fau ...
as well as in
Manipur
Manipur () ( mni, Kangleipak) is a state in Northeast India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. It is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west. It also borders two regions of Myanm ...
hills held that the
British administration was trying to exert control through the chiefs of the communities. There were several rebellions against the British rule as a result, and an anti-chief movement gained ground.
In 1946, the Mizo Common Peoples' Union (MCPU) was formed. Upon India becoming independent, the
Mizo Union
Mizo Union (6 April 1946 – 12 January 1974) was the first political party in Mizoram, northeast India. It was founded on 6 April 1946 at Aizawl as the Mizo Common People's Union. At the time of Independence Day (India), independence of India fro ...
, as it was soon called, demanded that Mizoram should be with
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
rather than adjoined to
Myanmar
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...
, as the pro-chief party advocated.
With the independence of India, a secessionist group in the Union favored joining with Myanmar, to which they were linked historically, ethnically and linguistically, with common roots to their languages. The separation of India from Myanmar in the year 1937, the partition of India in 1947, and the government's administrative extension over the Indian part of the area reduced the free mobility of the inhabitants. The rules to allow free passage across the
India-Myanmar and India-East Pakistan (now
India-Bangladesh) international borders were not regularly honored. Chafing at the restrictions, many of the Mizo never accepted the new territorial boundaries; they rebelled in the
March 1966 Mizo National Front uprising
The Mizo National Front uprising was a revolt against the government of India aimed at establishing a sovereign nation state for the Mizo people, which started on 28 February 1966. On 1 March 1966, the Mizo National Front (MNF) made a declaratio ...
.
Sociolinguistic variance
The multi-ethnic and pluralistic state of Mizoram has numerous communities, such as the Mizo (majority)
Pawi-Lusei
The Pawi-Lusei people are the descendants of Thatinkuala and his fellowmen, who came from Daidin village near
Gangaw
Gangaw ( my, ဂန့်ဂေါမြို့, ) is a town of Gangaw Township in Gangaw District in the Magway Division in Myanmar. Gangaw is also known as the City of Yaw, a certain region in Myanmar including Gangaw (), Tilin (), Saw () an ...
. They have a hairstyle like the Muan tribes (people living in
Mindat Township
Mindat Township ( my, မင်းတပ်မြို့နယ်) is a township located in Mindat District in the Chin State of Myanmar. The township is located between latitude 21.19 and 21.47, longitude 93.23 and 94.29. The third highest pe ...
,
Chin State
Chin State (, ) is a state in western Myanmar. The Chin State is bordered by Sagaing Division and Magway Division to the east, Rakhine State to the south, Bangladesh to the south-west, and the Indian states of Mizoram to the west and Manipur t ...
) in the front side, including the Lusei hair style at the back side. However, they lost their language and assimilated with other peoples of their surroundings. Their clan names are Bawitlung, Hlawndo, Hniarthul, Hniarcheng, Chenhrang, Fanai, Nihliap, Airawn, Ruahngai, Zakham, Suakling, and Tluangzachhawn. The Fanai have eight sub-clans: Chhuanchhir, Rilian, Khintin, Pakhup, Torel, Zarep, Thaai, and Hrangtling. Pakhup have three branches: Thathrang, Ralzatlung and Khawtinnawl. Khawtinnawl have three cadet branches: Aithangvung, Khualsawi, Khawtindal. Aithangvung have four family branches: Zadun, Lianchem, Zakap, and Pazik. Khualsawi have three family branches: Nochhum, Pahnun, and Lalthawm. Khawtindal have seven family branches: Lalchhum, Hleibawr, Dophung, Aiburh, Aitlawh, Sawithang, and Rothang.
Tlau
This tribe came to be known after establishing their first village at Tlauhmun,
Chin State
Chin State (, ) is a state in western Myanmar. The Chin State is bordered by Sagaing Division and Magway Division to the east, Rakhine State to the south, Bangladesh to the south-west, and the Indian states of Mizoram to the west and Manipur t ...
, but due to a quarrel between their Chief and the Zahau Laizo chiefs, they migrated to a place called Bual/Bualhmun, Chin State. At this site, the various subtribes or clans formed. They are Bualchhuak, Bawlchhim, Vantawl, Thlengngam, Chawntung, Khukhau/Khukhan, and Vanling. The first four migrated to
Mizoram
Mizoram () is a state in Northeast India, with Aizawl as its seat of government and capital city. The name of the state is derived from "Mizo people, Mizo", the endonym, self-described name of the native inhabitants, and "Ram", which in the Mizo ...
, while the last three stayed back.
Hualhnam
This tribe is also known as Vualnam/Gualnam. Main clans include Muansuan, Lamtun, Mitsum, Zuisang, Hangman, Melheu, Helbik, and Matsuan.
Khiangte
The Khiangtes are the descendants of Pu Thuantak. They have two brothers, Sizang/Siyin and Thaute. It is believed that they came to the present
Mizo Hills
The Lushai (Pron: ˌlʊˈʃaɪ) Hills (or Mizo Hills) are a mountain range in Mizoram and Manipur, India. The range is part of the Patkai range system and its highest point is 2,157 m high Phawngpui, also known as 'Blue Mountain'.
Flora and fau ...
along with the successive migrations of the Luseis between 1600 A.D. to 1700 A.D. Khiangte is composed of Khupthlang, Khupchhung, Tumchhung, Mualvum, Khello, Chhinghel and Chawngte (Tuichhung, Pamte, Lungte and Muchhipchhuak) clans. They spread throughout
Mizoram
Mizoram () is a state in Northeast India, with Aizawl as its seat of government and capital city. The name of the state is derived from "Mizo people, Mizo", the endonym, self-described name of the native inhabitants, and "Ram", which in the Mizo ...
,
Assam
Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...
,
Manipur
Manipur () ( mni, Kangleipak) is a state in Northeast India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. It is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west. It also borders two regions of Myanm ...
and
Tripura
Tripura (, Bengali: ) is a state in Northeast India. The third-smallest state in the country, it covers ; and the seventh-least populous state with a population of 36.71 lakh ( 3.67 million). It is bordered by Assam and Mizoram to the east a ...
in India;
Chittagong hills tracts in Bangladesh, and the
Chin State
Chin State (, ) is a state in western Myanmar. The Chin State is bordered by Sagaing Division and Magway Division to the east, Rakhine State to the south, Bangladesh to the south-west, and the Indian states of Mizoram to the west and Manipur t ...
and
Sagaing Division
Sagaing Region ( my, စစ်ကိုင်းတိုင်းဒေသကြီး, ; formerly Sagaing Division) is an administrative region of Myanmar, located in the north-western part of the country between latitude 21° 30' north and lon ...
.
Paite
The Paites are indigenous tribes of
Mizoram
Mizoram () is a state in Northeast India, with Aizawl as its seat of government and capital city. The name of the state is derived from "Mizo people, Mizo", the endonym, self-described name of the native inhabitants, and "Ram", which in the Mizo ...
under the Greater Assam state since 1750 AD. The Tribal Research Institute of Mizoram in their published book,"
Paite in Mizoram" stated that the Paite people with their
Guite
Guite is the progenitor clan of Mizo people He is also said to be the Older Brother of Thadou progenitor of the Thadou people. Mostly the Guite clan speak mizo language . Some known as Zomi and few also as kuki in India and as Zogam in Myanmar ...
chiefs entered the present Mizoram along with Palian Chief of
Lushai
The Mizo people (Mizo: ''Mizo hnam'') are an ethnic group native to the Indian state of Mizoram and neighbouring regions of Northeast India. The term covers several related ethnic groups or clans inside the Mizo group.
All Mizo tribes and clan ...
around the first half of the 18th century. The Union Government has recognised Paite as one of the tribes in Mizoram via The Gazette of India Notice No. 10 of 2003 date 8 January 2003 of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (Amendment) Act, 2002.
The Paites are socially and culturally distinct from other tribes of Mizoram. Major Shakespeare, the first Superintendent of
Lushai Hills
The Lushai (Pron: ˌlʊˈʃaɪ) Hills (or Mizo Hills) are a mountain range in Mizoram and Manipur, India. The range is part of the Patkai range system and its highest point is 2,157 m high Phawngpui, also known as 'Blue Mountain'.
Flora and fau ...
said that
Paite dialect is unintelligible to Lushai. He also recorded that Paite have a distinct culture and customs. They now have a separate semi-autonomous body called the Sialkal Range Development Council in the northern part of Champhai, with headquarters at Mimbung. Most of the Paites in Mizoram belong to the Dapzar Paite or Lamjang tribe.
Lai
In 1953, India adopted a constitution defining itself as a Sovereign Democratic Republic. At that time, the Lai people of the southern part of Mizoram, a segment of the much larger population of Lai/Chin, were granted an
Autonomous District Council
The Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India allows for the formation of autonomous administrative divisions which have been given autonomy within their respective states. Most of these autonomous district councils are located in North Ea ...
under the Sixth Schedule of the constitution, to support their identity.
Lawngtlai
Lawngtlai is the district headquarters of Lawngtlai district in the state of Mizoram in India. It is also the headquarters of Lai Autonomous District Council, one of the three autonomous district councils in Mizoram (the other two being Mara Au ...
was created as the headquarters of
Lai Autonomous District Council
The Lai Autonomous District Council (LADC) is one of the three Autonomous District Councils in Mizoram state in north-east India. It covers the Lawngtlai and Sangau subdivisions of the Lawngtlai district. It is an autonomous district council for ...
.
The people have maintained use of their language in the community and in their education. Maintenance of language as a symbol of identity has been inculcated up to middle school standard. The Lai Autonomous District Council manage their education from primary to middle stage, in which the state government (Mizoram) has no control or interference. Lai people speak both
Lai
Lai or LAI may refer to:
Abbreviations
* Austrian Latin America Institute (Österreichisches Lateinamerika-Institut)
* ''Latin American Idol'', TV series
* La Trobe Institute, Melbourne, Australia
* Leaf area index, leaf area of a crop or ve ...
and
Mizo language
The Mizo language, or ''Mizo ṭawng'', is a Kuki-Chin-Mizo language belonging to the Tibeto-Burman family of languages, spoken natively by the Mizo people in the Mizoram state of India and Chin State in Myanmar. The language is also known as ...
s (the latter is official in the state).
Pang
The Pang are found largely in the Chamdur valley of Bungtlang South Rural Development Block and some villages in Chawngte, Tlabung and West Phaileng Subdivisions. They have no separate regional self-government or autonomous body of their own.
Together with the Bawm and Tlanglau, they have been struggling to be recognized as a separate tribe. Most of them dwell in Chamdur Valley of India and
Chittagong Hills Tracts of
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
.
Hmar
The
Hmar
Hmar may refer to:
*Hmars or Hmar people
*Hmar language
Hmar language, also known by its endonym Khawsak Ṭawng, belongs to the Kukish branch of the Sino-Tibetan family of languages. The speakers of the language are also known as Hmar. Acc ...
tribe occupy a large area in the
northeast of India: Pherzawl District of
Manipur
Manipur () ( mni, Kangleipak) is a state in Northeast India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. It is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west. It also borders two regions of Myanm ...
, various places across
Tripura
Tripura (, Bengali: ) is a state in Northeast India. The third-smallest state in the country, it covers ; and the seventh-least populous state with a population of 36.71 lakh ( 3.67 million). It is bordered by Assam and Mizoram to the east a ...
and
Cachar
Cachar district is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. After independence the undivided Cachar district was split into four districts in Assam: Dima Hasao district (formerly North Cachar Hills), Cachar district alongside ...
,
Hailakandi
Hailakandi (pron:ˈhaɪləˌkʌndi) is a town and the district headquarters of Hailakandi district in the Indian state of Assam. Hailakandi is located at .
Demography
According to the 2011 census, Hailakandi had a population of 33,637. Most ...
,
Karimganj
Karimganj is a city in the Karimganj District of the Indian state of Assam. It is the administrative headquarters of the district.
Karimganj city is located at . The area of Karimganj city is 16.09 km2. It has an average elevation of 13& ...
, and the NC Hills District of
Assam
Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...
. In Mizoram, the Hmar are found in the
Aizawl
Aizawl (; Mizo: ) is the capital of the state of Mizoram in India. Aizawl was officially established on 25 February 1890. With a population of 293,416, it is the largest city in the state. It is also the centre of administration containing all ...
,
Kolasib
Kolasib is a town and headquarters of Kolasib district in Mizoram, India.
Demographics
As of the 2011 Census of India, Kolasib district had a population of 83,955. Males constitute 51.12% of the population and females 48.88%. Kolasib has an a ...
,
Champhai
Champhai (Pron:/tʃamˈpʰaɪ/) is a border town in Mizoram States and territories of India, state, in far eastern India. It is the headquarters of Champhai district, one of the eleven districts in the state. It is located on the Indo-Myanmar b ...
and
Lunglei
Lunglei (Pron: /ˈlooŋgˌleɪ/) is a town, situated in the south-central part of Mizoram state, northeastern India. Lunglei, literally meaning 'bridge of rock' got its name from a bridge like rock found in the riverine area around Nghasih - a ...
districts. A majority of Hmars who live in Mizoram speak the Duhlian language, while few of them who live within Sinlung Hills District Council (SHDC) speak the Khawsak/Darngawn dialect, which is accepted by some as 'the'
Hmar language
Hmar language, also known by its endonym Khawsak Ṭawng, belongs to the Kukish languages, Kukish branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages, Sino-Tibetan family of languages. The speakers of the language are also known as Hmars, Hmar. According to ...
.
In July 1986, after the signing of the
Mizo Accord
The Mizoram Peace Accord, 1986 was an official agreement between the Government of India and the Mizo National Front (MNF) to end insurgency and violence in Mizoram, India, that started in 1966. The Mizo National Front was an organisation of Miz ...
, some Hmar leaders here formed Mizoram Hmar Association, later renamed the Hmar People's Convention (HPC). The HPC spearheaded a political movement for self-governance of the Hmar in Mizoram, demanding an Autonomous District Council (ADC) to cover the Hmar-dominated areas in the north and northwest of Mizoram.
The HPC activists formed an armed wing, the Hmar Volunteer Cell (HVC). The State Government forced them to take up arms until 1992, when representatives of the HPC and the Government of Mizoram mutually agreed to hold ministerial-level talks. After multiple rounds of talks, they signed a Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) in
Aizawl
Aizawl (; Mizo: ) is the capital of the state of Mizoram in India. Aizawl was officially established on 25 February 1890. With a population of 293,416, it is the largest city in the state. It is also the centre of administration containing all ...
on 27 July 1994. Armed cadres of the HPC surrendered along with their weapons in October 1994. The government established the
Sinlung Hills Development Council (SHDC) for the Hmar. Some of the HPC leaders and cadres rejected the Memorandum of Settlement, breaking away and forming the Hmar People's Convention – Democratic (HPC-D).
The Hmar tribe comprises numerous sub-tribes or clans (Pahnam in Hmar language) such as Aimol, Biete/Biate, Chiru, Changsan, Chawngthu (Lersia, Khuntil and Vanchiau) Chawhte, Khawzawl, Vankal, Darlong, Darngawn, Faihriem, Hrangchal, Hrangkhawl, ,Hnamte, Hualngo, Khawbung, Lawitlang, Leiri, Lungtau, Neitham, Ngurte, Hekte, Hrangate, Varte, Lungchuang, Sialhnam, Tlawmte, Suamte, Sakachep, Tuahlawr, Chhinghel, Khello, Mualvum, Tumchhung, Khupchhung, Khupthlang, Pakhumate, Selate, Sanate, Pakhuang, Banzang, Tamte, Thiek, Zote, etc. In the past, these tribes had their own villages and their own dialects. However, today the majority of the Hmar population use
Hmar language
Hmar language, also known by its endonym Khawsak Ṭawng, belongs to the Kukish languages, Kukish branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages, Sino-Tibetan family of languages. The speakers of the language are also known as Hmars, Hmar. According to ...
and
Mizo language
The Mizo language, or ''Mizo ṭawng'', is a Kuki-Chin-Mizo language belonging to the Tibeto-Burman family of languages, spoken natively by the Mizo people in the Mizoram state of India and Chin State in Myanmar. The language is also known as ...
.
The Sinlung Hills Development Council (SHDC) has now been renamed as Sinlung Hills Council as per 2018 agreement.
Renthlei
Even though the Renthleis may not seem numerous and ancient. In fact, they are a very ancient tribe as compared to the Luseis (descendants of Thlapaa, son of Ngaite). They are a very brave tribe who also settled at Muchhiptlang and Mulen along with Chawngte, Tochhawng and Vanchhawng clans. Their clans include Lianhlun, Zachhing, Tinkulh, Chhing thlang, Chho nghek, Thangthlawl, Sohnel, Thuandum.
Ralte
The
Ralte {{unreferenced, date=June 2016
The Ralte tribes were mostly found scattered in the northern part of today's Aizawl, Kolasib and Serchhip Mamit, Lunglei District and all over Mizoram. Tahan (Myanmar) Bangladesh, Tripura, Assam and Manipur India . Th ...
tribe consisted of 4 main clans, divided into a number of smaller clans. The 4 main clans are Siakeng, Kawlni (Colney), Lelhchhun and Khelte. They are descended from Thahdo, the son of Aisan Pa (Sektak), who was the son of Nuaimangpa Songthu and his wife Neihtong. 1.Siakeng clans - Engkhai, Siakhang, Haizang (Chawnthang & Chawnchhin), Chawngtual, Thangbur, Khumchiang, Hilki, Chhakawm, Engkhung, Khelhau, Darkim, Kipawm, Manglut, Hnawtkhel, Khumtung, Hilthang (Thangsiam, Damphut & Tukhum), Lehvung, Lehvung, Aite, Hauhniang & Hualkheng. 2.Kawlni clans - Arte, Lawisut, Helhlah, Thasûm, Saphaw, Khawnghawr, Bhal eng, Thangkawp, Chuaungeng, Holat, Hlamvel, Zahuat
halbawk (Kawlvawm, Chalsawp, Chalchiang, Chaltum, Kawltung, Chalchung) & Doubul 3.Lelhchhun clans - Chhunthang, Chhiarkim, Vawngsual, Tunglei, Leihang, Chuanglawk, Thangbung, Hratchhum, Hangdem, Hauphut, Selpeng, Haudim & chungleh. 4.Khelte clans - Vohang, Hausel, Vangtual, Chhinghlu, Hauvawng, Lawnghau, Chiangthir, Tualthang, Chiangkhai, Zaucha, Vohlu, Thatchhing, Chhiarchuang, Zahlei & Keulak.
They also have their own dialect *
Ralte {{unreferenced, date=June 2016
The Ralte tribes were mostly found scattered in the northern part of today's Aizawl, Kolasib and Serchhip Mamit, Lunglei District and all over Mizoram. Tahan (Myanmar) Bangladesh, Tripura, Assam and Manipur India . Th ...
.
Chawngthu
The
Chawngthu are said to be the descendants of Lersia Saivate. Two main clans are present in Mizoram: the Khuntil, made up of the Khunsut, Khunthlang, Haukawi, and Saithleng, and the Vanchiau, made up of the Maluang, Chingruam, and Thangchuang.
Hualngo
Hualngos are recognised as a separate tribe in Myanmar, but in Mizoram they are mostly grouped under the Lusei tribe. Main clans include the Bochung, Chalthleng, Cherput, and Khupno.
Political, linguistic and economic situation
After Indian independence, the democratic change in the administrative set-up of
Mizoram
Mizoram () is a state in Northeast India, with Aizawl as its seat of government and capital city. The name of the state is derived from "Mizo people, Mizo", the endonym, self-described name of the native inhabitants, and "Ram", which in the Mizo ...
led to an anti-chief movement. The feeling was widespread against the autocratic chiefs and for the
Mizo Union
Mizo Union (6 April 1946 – 12 January 1974) was the first political party in Mizoram, northeast India. It was founded on 6 April 1946 at Aizawl as the Mizo Common People's Union. At the time of Independence Day (India), independence of India fro ...
. In 1955, at a meeting of representatives of various Mizo villages held in
Aizawl
Aizawl (; Mizo: ) is the capital of the state of Mizoram in India. Aizawl was officially established on 25 February 1890. With a population of 293,416, it is the largest city in the state. It is also the centre of administration containing all ...
, the demand arose for a separate hills state. The local people felt they had been ill-served by the
Assam Government
The Government of Assam is the subnational government of Assam, a state of India. It consists of the Governor appointed by the President of India as the head of the state, currently Jagdish Mukhi. The head of government is the Chief Minister, ...
during the Mautam famine.
When in 1960 the government introduced
Assamese as the official language of the state, there were many protests against the Official Language Act of 1961. This was followed by the
March 1966 Mizo National Front uprising
The Mizo National Front uprising was a revolt against the government of India aimed at establishing a sovereign nation state for the Mizo people, which started on 28 February 1966. On 1 March 1966, the Mizo National Front (MNF) made a declaratio ...
, resulting in attacks on the military installations in
Aizawl
Aizawl (; Mizo: ) is the capital of the state of Mizoram in India. Aizawl was officially established on 25 February 1890. With a population of 293,416, it is the largest city in the state. It is also the centre of administration containing all ...
,
Lunglei
Lunglei (Pron: /ˈlooŋgˌleɪ/) is a town, situated in the south-central part of Mizoram state, northeastern India. Lunglei, literally meaning 'bridge of rock' got its name from a bridge like rock found in the riverine area around Nghasih - a ...
and other towns. The
Mizo National Front
The Mizo National Front ( MNF) is a regional political party in Mizoram, India. MNF emerged from the Mizo National Famine Front, which was formed by Pu Laldenga to protest against the inaction of the Indian central government towards the famin ...
, formerly known as Mizo National Famine Front, declared independence from India.
The Indian government designated Mizoram as a Union Territory on 21 January 1972.
Pu Laldenga
Laldenga (11 June 1927 – 7 July 1990) was a Mizo nationalist and politician from Mizoram in northeast India. He was the founder of the Mizo National Front, a social organisation turned political party. He was the first Chief Minister of Mizor ...
, the President of Mizo National Front,
signed a
Peace accord
A peace treaty is an treaty, agreement between two or more hostile parties, usually countries or governments, which formally ends a state of war between the parties. It is different from an armistice, which is an agreement to stop hostilities; a ...
in 1986 with the Government of India, stating Mizoram was an integral part of India. Pu Laldenga came to the ministry in the
Interim government
A provisional government, also called an interim government, an emergency government, or a transitional government, is an emergency governmental authority set up to manage a political transition generally in the cases of a newly formed state or f ...
which was formed in coalition with Congress in 1987. The Statehood of Mizoram was proclaimed on 20 February 1987.
Present demand for inclusion in the Eighth Schedule
With 91.58%
literacy, the 2nd highest in Indian states, Mizoram is a leader in the national emphasis on education. Because of this, its people have demanded that Mizo ṭawng be recognized as an official language in the
Eighth Schedule to the Constitution
The Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India lists the official languages of the Republic of India. At the time when the Constitution was enacted, inclusion in this list meant that the language was entitled to representation on the Official ...
.
The demand is important and expressed in various aspects of social and political life.
The English language is widely used in the state, especially in the fields of education, official matters and other formal domains, as it is in other parts of India. English had already penetrated the life of the Mizo people for a long time along with the spread of education.
Christian missionaries
A Christian mission is an organized effort for the propagation of the Christian faith. Missions involve sending individuals and groups across boundaries, most commonly geographical boundaries, to carry on evangelism or other activities, such as ...
in the 19th century developed the current alphabetic system adopted for a written form of the
Mizo language
The Mizo language, or ''Mizo ṭawng'', is a Kuki-Chin-Mizo language belonging to the Tibeto-Burman family of languages, spoken natively by the Mizo people in the Mizoram state of India and Chin State in Myanmar. The language is also known as ...
. Adoption of the
Latin script
The Latin script, also known as Roman script, is an alphabetic writing system based on the letters of the classical Latin alphabet, derived from a form of the Greek alphabet which was in use in the ancient Greek city of Cumae, in southern Italy ...
has facilitated people's learning English as a second language. The admiration and demand for the use of English in Mizoram is no different from the same attitude in other parts of India.
The Mizo have conducted a long, drawn-out socio-political struggle for identity and recognition, and succeeded in gaining political power from the central government in New Delhi. They fear being
assimilated with other communities, and continue to insist on their separate identity and use of traditional languages to help maintain that.
References
External links
Webindia123.com
{{authority control
Ethnic groups in Northeast India
Sino-Tibetan-speaking people
Ethnic groups in South Asia
Ethnic groups in Manipur
Headhunting
Languages of Bangladesh
Ethnic groups in Bangladesh
Scheduled Tribes of Manipur