Territorial Integrity of Kangleipak and the Meetei Strategic Culture
- Connecting the people, land and their cultures -
- Part 1 -

Puyam Nongdrei Khuman *

Thangjing Ching and Loktak Lake :: August 2010

Many have written and talked about both the territorial integrity and emotional integrity. But many misunderstand the significance of this position to safeguard the territorial integrity. An alternative perspective on how one can look at the territorial integrity of this ancient land is necessary to keep the people informed about the connections between the people, land and their cultures.

I hope those who want to disintegrate this state really know how deeply the people, land and their cultures are connected when we talk about this sensitive issue.

Blurring 'Self' and 'Other':

Studying the historical evolution of our society and state and their relationship is the need of the hour to understand the present situation better. The Kanglei model of this evolutionary trajectory is restricted to the inhabitants' understanding of Kangleipak as their 'Ereibaak' surrounded by the nine ranges of hills.

While defining the national identity of Kangleipak as a land surrounded by the ranges of hills, we are 'othering' those beyond the nine ranges of hills as foreign to us. But the ranges of hills are not excluded in this conception of Kangleipak as our national territorial space. Here also, the construction of 'self' as different from, and even superior to, the 'other' was done by attributing opposing qualities to the two. We define our land as 'Sanaleipak Laina Thaba Lamdam'.

The Meeteis use the valley encircled by the nine ranges of the hills to define 'self' in order to define itself against an 'other' beyond these ranges of the hills. Some have misconception by not acknowledging the fact that what is 'other' or 'foreign' is beyond the fence erected on the earth bunds surrounding the 'living space' (lebensraum). This space is the most beautiful and the most sacred for the inhabitants in comparison to those beyond.

The Chinese call the United States of America as "Meiguo" meaning 'the beautiful country'. But in actual sense they refer to the USA as the 'model' of their country's economic and technological development. According to psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud (1980) such a negative attribution to what is foreign is a psychological trait to the human mind whose first need is physical security. This formation of a national identity however cannot proceed merely because an external 'other' pushes entities to fuse closer.

There is the need for an internal adhesive force and ideology that binds the people together to stabilise and perpetuate the national identity. Do we have these things?

The national identity of Kangleipak is failing as 'other' cannot be fixed because of ethnic fraternal ties building up new frameworks for socio-cultural and political integration of the different ethnic groups across the defined geographical space marked by the ranges of hills.

The internal cohesiveness was damaged by the Hindu Meeteis who treated the neighbouring ethnic groups in the hill ranges as 'others' inferior to them. This was strengthened further by the British colonial policies through the MLR &R Act and Christian conversion of the highlanders.

Conversion of the majority Meeteis into Hinduism and religio-cultural connections established with the Vedic heartland across the ranges of hills also strengthen this blurring 'other'. But the biggest change was brought by the merger of this once independent kingdom to Indian Dominion in 1949. Another major factor is the imbalance in socio-economic development which makes the highlanders think that the majority community is discriminatory towards them. Nevertheless, the strong traditional bond continues to bloom despite many voices of hatred and suspicion.

Many say the majority community is playing communal politics. Are they justifying what they are indulging in by referring to some events in the past? One can have different takes of this long-running argument to serve their interests thus pushing their political design either for integrity of the state or disintegration.

I, however, want to make a conclusion that denying the hills of its economic well being thus keeping a larger section of the population underdeveloped cannot serve the design of even those discriminatory Meetei leaders in the long run. Developing the hill districts surrounding the central valley is not only to strengthen the hill-valley relationships but also to reinstate the glorious past.

Having common glories in the past and to have a common will in the present, performing great deeds together, and the wish to perform still more are the essential conditions for being a people. We had common glories and had performed great deeds together. But what is lacking now is common will and the wish to perform still more of them.

In order to know why we are here in this part of the world, we consciously or unconsciously question our ancestors or try to know their thoughts. Because they have made us what we are today. Trying to know the answer, I try my best to construct our past with an eye of the present.

However, we remember our past for different purposes either for legitimising or de-legitimising the present conditions in the state. Thus many forces operating covertly and overtly try their best to construct or deconstruct the historically rooted national identity of Kangleipak.

Hill-Valley Organic Relationship:

In order to draw a better picture of what this land is for the people living in this geographical space called Kangleipak one can start with the following song. These lines carry heavy meaning signifying cultural, anthropological and geo-strategic importance for all of us to understand.

"Sana Leipak Kangleipak
Chingna koina Pansaba
Houna (Chingmeena) koina Pan-ngaakpa"

The above lines sung by the Meetei ancestors describing their beloved country called Kangleipak are very significant. For a strategic analyst, these lines reflect a 'defensive' strategic culture of the inhabitants of this ancient land.

When the nine ranges of the hills surround the central valley called Imphal valley, the reflection of the central valley being defended by the natural fortress of hill ranges is a defensive attitude of the people. The words "chingna koina pansaba" signify this defensive mentality. The hill ranges are natural earth bunds surrounding the land.

Again, the ranges of the hills are guarded by 'Hous' meaning highlanders in Meeteilon. This word is not derogatory but was/is used in that sense to destroy the embedded cultural and anthropological significance of the term. Thus an organic understanding of the hill-valley relationship is established by the above lines.

The security of the people living in this geographical space is depended on the ranges of the hills and the protection provided by the highlanders. But those living in the central valley are not less important in protecting the integrity of this land.

The state formation in the valley and the wars fought against many neighbouring kingdoms and empires are clear illustrations of how the land was safeguarded from many external threats.

To be continued ....