The history of Koireng migration

By:- Pr Kungsong Wanbe *

According to Koireng history, their original homeland was known as Kolram, the eastern land which is believed to be the Karen state of eastern Burma, now Myanmar. A Koireng folk song indicates that they crossed the Chindwin River known by them as Tuiri-dung, which means Boundary River.

The Koireng folk song mentions that the river was so wide that they cros-sed it with great difficulty. So they left behind their beloved wives and children. The song contains the line, "Yollo nang lei chetta rova tuiri ralla", the meaning of which is "loving partner, please go back beyond the river of the boundary/border". After crossing Chindwin river, the Koirengs firstly settled at Moreh and Kabow valley, known as Kileng Phai, which means 'The valley I visited or haunted'.

The folk song again mentions, "Ringmu damjiei a thek aar khuong ret ni haro niju-ong kileng phai", which means "The vast leafy green valley where the wild cocks crow, that's the valley I visited". This Kileng Phai is also called Semrojoul meaning musical valley, because this is the valley where the Koirengs held their important feasts and festivals.

From Kileng Phai or semrojoul, the Koirengs moved to Khomichum, Khomilai, Khotatlu, Lungsut, Lungrel and Kailam. At Kailam, according to Koireng history, they lived with the spirit apes known as Khopu. These spirit apes were very friendly and there was mutual help and co-operation between the Koirengs and the Khopus. They

pounded paddy together and exchanged tobacco leaves even though the Khopus were invisible to the Koirengs. From Kailam, they migrated to Tualcheng, Mihoibung and Kholaipiel. At Kholaipiel they composed a dance form called Tuolliel Lam (an open air dance) which is performed even today by the Koirengs.

From Kholaipiel, they moved to Erelon and Dumdouksuk. At Dumdouksuk, the Koirengs were attacked by another migrating horde which was much bigger in number. The Koirengs were compelled to leave the village and move to Thalkhangtang from where they fought back their enemies. Thalkhangtang was their stronghold for some years. But being pushed by the more numerous neighbours, the Koirengs move consecutively to Lingsielbung, Sielbu, Shamrai, Thuok-khojoul, Ngaitebung and Tongkhuo.

At Tongkhuo, they fought against another migrating horde that inflicted a very serious defeat on them. The Koirengs still remember the losses they suffered at Tongkhuo. They fought another group of enemies at Chiepi and they moved to Khapeibung and finally they arrived at Thangching (Thangjing) near Moirang. The Koirengs lived with prosperity at Thangjing.

Koireng :: An Ethnic Doll display at Mutua Museum's Cultural Heritage Complex, Andro

The population was quite numerous. They came into contact with the Meiteis of Moirang. They fought against the Moirang king, who was several times defeated by the Koirengs with the help of a sword with miraculous power called Chemrangpa (Koireng Thangsang in Meitei). Later on, the king of Moirang, through a stratagem, stole away the magical sword and the Koirengs with their leader, Pu Nungnangchuong were routed.

Besides the defeat of Koirengs by Moirang king, a Koireng woman named Pi Chongboumpi set fire to the houses of the whole village and eight sets of village drums. A set of drum is consisted of two long drums and one short drum like the tabala. A village having eight sets of drums means that the village was very big.

As a consequence of the inferno, they left Thangjing and went back to Khunte, but as the other tribes were pushing back the Koirengs, they finally came to Laimanai village. The Koirengs were settling and living together with the Rongmeis for centuries at Sadu or Tunglong village. From there, the Koirengs split and dispersed into many directions and places. The Koirengs scattered in Manipur and other Northeastern States of India. Sadu or Tunglong still exists near Saikul block as Sadu Koireng or Tunglong.

There is ample evidence that the Koirengs were once a powerful tribe in ancient Manipur and that they were defeated by Moirang king with great difficulty. As a matter of fact, it is mentioned in a chronicle of Manipur entitled "Tilan Shoknaba" that Manipur succeeded in defeating the Burmese after having suffered seven years of continuous defeats in the hands of the latter.

The chronicle also mentions that the Burmese were defeated with the help of a seven pronged spear which had been used in defeating the Koirengs earlier. It is important to note that the fights between the Koirengs, Moirangs, Meiteis and the fights between one salai (clan) against another salai of the Meiteis were not communal conflict but merely the struggle for the extension of their respective kingdoms.

The history of Koireng settlements given above does not help much in preparing the chronology of Koireng migration into Manipur. But many references in the chronicles of Manipur suggest that the Koirengs might; have entered into Manipur sometime in the 1st century AD. The Koirengs have been in Manipur since the time mentioned above when Meitei salais were struggling for supremacy over one another.

The Koirengs were already in the Thangjing hill of western Moirang by the time of Moirang Kangleirol—the history of Khamba­Thoibi. The Koirengs originally worshipped Eputhou Thangjing (Maikei ngakpa Lai) and therefore the god is called Eputhou Thangjing Koren Lai. When the Koirengs split and departed at Kileng Phai or Semrojoul, some of the Koirengs went and settled at Lushai hill, now Mizoram.

The name Aizawl, the Capital of Mizoram, was given by the Koirengs. Some 10/15 years ago, I went to Aizawl to attend a meeting of Seventh-day Adventist. In one get-together meeting, some Mizo elders asked me whether I had any idea as to which dialect the word Aizawl might belong or be found.

The elders said that the word Aizawl was given by some hill people of Manipur. I told them that Aizawl is a Koireng word. In Koireng Aizawl means turmeric growing plateau (Ai means turmeric and zawl means plateau). One of the elders said, "You are right, Pr Wanbe, the plants which grow all over Aizawl is Aidoung".

I told him that 'Ai' in Koireng is a genric name for turmeric, whether it be Aidoung, Aithing, Ai-eng etc, these are commonly known as 'Ai". Another elder said that according to his thinking, Koirengs were the earliest settlers in Aizawl, because there are so many members of Chongthu (songthu) clan of Koireng in Mizoram.

Lastly, but not the least, the Koirengs were originally known as Kolren, people of the east (Kol means east and ren means people). Koren is the short form of Kolren but Koireng is a phonetic error. The Thadous call them Kolhen, the Koms call them Karen. The Aimol, Chiru, Kharam and Purum call them Koren—the same as the Koirengs call themselves.

There are so many people/tribes who have close linguistic and cultural affinity with the Koirengs. They are
Rangkhol,
Langrong,
Molsom,
Darlong etc in Tripura,
Sakechep,
Biates,
Churei in Assam,
Khelma village in Nagaland,
Pois and
Marah in Mizoram.

The dialects of the above said tribes are exactly similar with the Koireng dialect. Dr Dennis Tidwell of USA, the Director of Adventist Development Relief Agency said that there are hundreds of thousands of Korens on the Thailand and Myanmar border. This is how the people, the history and chronicles speak of the Koren or Koirengs.

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* Pr Kungsong Wanbe wrote this article at The Sangai Express. This article was webcasted at e-pao.net on 20th April 2010.

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