Origin of Khoibu (Uipo)
- Part-I -

(L) Khaling Koshang Thyelnaisaang *

Pix: Khoibu.com

Khoibu is a group of an old tribe in Manipur who has their own distinct cultural, traditional, language.

Khoibu (Uipo) is a Mongolian race who used to reside along the Angoching range. The Burmese know them as Pong or Apong. Khoibu clan is believed to have emerged from the caves. While in the cave, they were ruled by King Mangawr and Queen Khayirna.

Masousaangpaana was the hero (thlouyaang) of Mangsawr. Once, when Masousaangpaana was travelling along came across another cave. Looking from the cave, he saw a very beautiful land. So, he relate the event to the king on which the king called for a meeting of his advisors.

The entrance of the cave was blocked by a huge rock. They requested a wild boar to open the rock but even the boar could not do so. And then they requested an Ox to do the job which became another failure. At last, the rock was pushed away by a Buffalo.

As the mouth of the cave was open, Khoibu's started coming out of the cane. But, unfortunately a tiger started killing people coming out of the cave. So, they stopped coming out of the cave and started making plans to kill the tiger.

King Mansawr asked for the help of Oorit and Sembang (Swallow) in killing the tiger. They have to distract the tiger when the men threw their spears on the tiger.

So as planned, Hero Masousaangpaana threw his spear on the tiger, at that moment, Khamaa thlouyaang Yaangkhosaangpaana (Tangkhul) came in a caught the tiger by blind folding it's eyes. An argument started between to two claiming their prize.

King Mangsawrna told that both of them would not have caught the tiger if not for each other's help so they can share the prize and become good friends, and they did so.

The Oorit and the Sembang too wanted their share of the prize on which the King requested them to build their nest on the house and fields of humans so they too did so.

So as the tiger was death, people started coming out of the cave. An elderly woman, Nutei left something in the cave so she went to pick up the stuff but the buffalo was let go off the rock as he was tired.

Phursampaana, her husband tried to lift the rock but in vain. So they promised to each other that, he would be the one who provide dew to the humans and Nutei would be provide the moisture from beneath.

The people of Khoibu reached Mongrengphei and rested there. They made a rest house called "Charang Neinelthyel" there and had food there. It is said that they learned to drink tea there.

At that time, they did not how to stage a proper life style so it was called Mongrengphei. It is said that they cannot bear much at Mongrengphei. Mongrengphei is said to be in Burma but the exact place is not known. They travelled across the mountains and lived in so many places.

Khawngyaithyel's brother Khawngyairawng was said to be carried away by the strong current of a river. So, Khawngyaithyel carried both his and his brother's belongings. After crossing many mountains they reached river 'Tuidam Yaangkhawng".

It was a big river with very strong currents, Hongshan threw his 'Pungli' and it was caught by Daangsaa and bind it against the pole made by Charangsing and so they crossed the river.

So for their effort, Hongsha clan and Daangsaa clan were made. After travelling, they rested on the foot of a mountain.

They made a head count, so it was like this:

1. Charang clan
2. Daangsaa clan
3. Hongsha clan
4. Tontaang clan
5. Thlaangsaa Bursom (Saka) clan
6. Thlouyaang Ahai (Khaling) clan
7. Ronglo clan

So heads of all the seven clans were counted. And again they started travelling across the mountains.

When they reached Marpaaphai, they were so many of them, so they made village on the foot of Angom Ching and Ningthi River. The villages are

1. Marpaaphai
2. Sanam
3. Taap
4. Kameng
5. Songkaan
6. Khampat
7. Waasaaphai
8. Lichik
9. Tuibongsobi
10. Lataa
11. Thipaamna etc.

These are the places which are inhabited for more than a thousand years in Burma.

Marpaaphai was the oldest of all the village and the other villages were said to have been branched out from it. Marpaaphai was said to be so hot so King Charang Amaa asked leaders of the seven clans to search for cold lands.

So they reached "Uipo Bawndaam". Ronglo clan's leader Ronglo Munpaa was killed by a bear at "Uipo Bawndaam". So every year "Khawngrui Karran" is performed till now in memory of Ronglo Munpaa.

The clan leaders returned to Marpaaphai and related to whole story of finding a place call "Uipo Bawndaam" and the death of Ronglo Munpaa. They started to travel again to the new place.

After crossing many mountains, Tontaang people said that they have left their elders at a place where they rested. They were ordered to bring back their leaders but they did not find them when they reached there.

(To be continued)

From the manuscript of (L) Khaling Koshang Thyelnaisaang

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* This article was sent by the Web Support Group of Khoibu.com . The article was originally sent in Meiteilon and was translated by Team e-pao
The contributor may be contacted at wsg(dot)khoibu(dot)com@gmail(dot)com
This article was webcasted on August 15, 2011.

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