Ethnic Divide in Manipur: A Result of Thoughtlessness in the Making of History

Prof Jodhachandra Sanasam *

Pot Lannaba between Meitei and Kabui Communities during Gaan-Ngai celebration at Majorkhul in January 2013
Pix - Armando Bond

Collective participation of all ethnic groups in the various different ethnic cultural activities is perhaps the only solution in bringing the often sought-after integrity, togetherness and closeness among all people in Manipur.

Meeteis should go to Ukhrul and sing Tangkhul songs together with the local people there; Meeteis and Tangkhuls should go to Tamenglong and sing Rongmei, Liangmei and Zemi songs together with the locals there;
and all these ethnics should go to Churachandpur and sing local songs of the Kukis, Paites, Gangtes, Vaipheis, Mahrs etc.

Meeteis too should encourage and be happy if any individual other than Meetei sings Meeteilon songs. Only then will the oneness arrive at, which is the need of the hour in this ancient land.

Terms like plain people and hill people had been wrongly used in Manipur and this misnomer itself is playing a great role in the divide among the ethnics in this land. Sooner or later a time will come when the native inhabitants of Manipur will come to realize that all of them had the same anthropological origin from the hills surrounding the small central valley.

Geo-chronologically or in the study of the genesis of geochemistry of this land it is an established fact that the small valley was full of water not feasible for human habitation. All the natives dwelt in the hills; thus all the natives of Manipur were originally hill men. Then a time came when the water in the valley receded and it got dried. Those who had inclination on agriculture, paddy cultivation and vegetable farming came down from the hills on to the valley where they settled in different groups.

This valley is only a small stretch of leveled terrain formed by the small river-beds that originate from the surrounding hills. It is more or less a geographical plateau-like thing not like the great plains of the northern India or the Deccan or the like. So the term, plain people, is a misnomer. In fact Manipur itself is a land of hills and all the Manipuris should be nomenclatured as hill men.

Those who came down from the hills had their own group settlement villages. The following information may not be cent per cent correct but strong hypothesis in this line has been established. Those from the east, Langmai or Shelloi Cheeng (the present Nongmaijeeng) is supposed to be the seat of their civilization, settled in Kongba, Wangkhei, Khurai and adjoining areas; and they got to be known as Angoms. Nongpok, the divine head of the Angoms was a Tangkhul; some people have a strong belief in this line.

In the south the Moirangs (their seat of civilization and origin was the Thangjing Cheeng) settled around the Loktak. Koubru was the origin of the Ningthoujas who settled around the Kangla (the dried up land). Luwangs from the north and west, so on and so forth. Eventually those who settled into the valley formed into seven groups with their ultimate names of the present seven Shallais or clans.

Unwanted wars and battles, killing lives, on land grabbing, claims of animals on hunting sprees among the Chiefs of these seven Shallais/clans took place for many years to last. It was Pakhangba believed to have emerged in the 52nd CE who pacified and put the different chiefs and their clans in order. It is said the proclamation of his decree that no Ningthouja, or Khuman or Angom or Luwang or any other could marry another mate of the same Shallai strengthened the bond. The tradition is still going on strong in the Meetei society. That was how the Meetei Nation was built up.

It is here the historians made the mistake in making history. They should have included those who remained in the hills in the Nation building. Or was it Pakhangba himself who made the mistake of not enfolding the hill natives, his own origin, in the nation building. It is not likely to be so. It is more of a possibility that it was the historians who failed to record the inclusion of the hill people in the nation building.

In spite of that the people in the hills and valley still lived together with long lasting relationship and friendship. It was Hindu Vaishnavism and later Christianity that brought wider and deeper chasms between the so called native ethnics. Now the hill natives have embraced Christianity, a religion of larger international popularity.

So now they have boldly challenged the religious vanities exhibited by some of the Hindu rites; and of course this reaction of theirs itself is also another religious vanity.

The irony is that prophets or heads of religion pleaded for peace, truth, humanity and happiness in the world; but religion very often brings enmity, animosity, fights, wars, murders and still worse actions even to the extent of cutting one’s food line, the most condemnable way of showing enmity. Religion seldom works for unity of people rather it brings more of cleavage or chasm among people. It is cultural ties which bring togetherness and understanding.

This, the Chinese knew it very well. Years before Hong Kong’s return and final hand over from Britain to China took place on July 1, 1997; but when the MOU had already been signed, China and Hong Kong started to take up vigorous cultural exchanges.

Each sent music and dance troupes of singers, dancers and various artists to the other, and all of them sang and danced the music of each domain together; that project brought more understanding and closeness before the once-estranged Cantonese of Hong Kong, most of who had become Christians, were mentally and physically ready to join back in the Chinese national stream. Other political arrangements also of course successfully brought a better oneness amongst the once-estranged peoples there.