Political empowerment and Tribal Women Of Manipur
- Part 4 -

Dr. Benjamin Gangmei *

Political Empowerment & Zeliangrong Women

Zeliangrong is a common nomenclature of four cognate groups (Zeme, Liangmai, Ruangmei, Inpui). They are structured together on linguistic, cultural and ethnical identity. If taken them together they constitute the largest tribal group in Manipur having largest tract of their compact inhabited areas in three states (Manipur, Assam and Nagaland).

Like in other tribal groups of Manipur, each cognate group of Zeliangrong has traditional village council which is differently called Pei or Samkakibe. It is a collective and absolute apex body of each village to which all the heads or representatives of clans, lineages or sub-lineages were represented.

The council consisted of at least two or three main functionaries among the Liangmais and Zemes. They are Hangkia or Kadepeo (Chief) Tingkupeo, (Priest) and Hegwang (Deputy Chief). And there are atleast five main functionaries among the Ruangmeis which are Nampou (Chief), Maisinpou, Raengdingpou, Maanh (blacksmith), Muh, etc. Besides them there are Changluai, Taku (Priest), Napmupou (food in-charge), etc.

Then there was a drastic change in the structure of village council after 1735. It was effected by a "royal edict" issued by Maharaja Garibniwaz of Manipur. There were now seven members of the council. It is true that some of the offices were structured with indigenous and Meiteinised elements.

The seven members are Khunbu (Village head), Khullakpa (Administrator), Looplakpa (In-charge of the feudal services), Meitei Lambu (Representative for royal affairs), Pakhanglak (Youth in-charge), Napmupou, Changluai, etc.

And the democratisation of Village Council was effected in 1947 and further transformation in 1956. While the titles like Khunbu/Nampou, Khullakpa, etc. are retained for the office of village chief, there are elective element involved in the election of chairman of Village Authority and its members. The strength of members depends upon the size of each village.

So, there are atleast five members in every Village Authority. Yet the democratisation of the institution was not accompanied with empowerment provision for women through reservation. And the menfolk dominated the village body either in traditional days or modern times.

Exclusion of Zeliangrong women in political process is affirmatively taken as sexual discrimination. While women's attitude should also be taken into account for this gender issue, men's attitude to women is mostly questioned in this regard. It is argued that women are competent enough to take part in decision-making process.

For they are fit and menfolk or husbands seek their opinion on important issues such as finance, marriage, earnings, etc. And they are allowed to make decision in family. But menfolk does not allow "women to be involved in decision-making" processes of the community. So, Zeliangrong women are not "even included so far in village council or village authority as members."

The sexual discrimination of women in Zeliangrong political life is singly attributed to patriachal system. In such form of social system or organisation menfolk give "respect and favour" to men and women are considered "weak" by Ruangmei menfolk. Convinced herself, G. Kamei thinks that Ruangmei society still believes in patriachal spirit expressed in Manu's Code which injuncts in this way : A woman should never be independent. Her father has authority over her in childhood, her husband in youth and her son in old age."

As a result, "the administration is in the hand of the father and a woman has to obey her husband's voice whether it is good or bad". In other words, "women's word is not counted as word". Further she lamentingly reminds the gender-biased idea that "a man should control his wife strictly otherwise his wife will take advantage of him and rule over him".

So, she be of necessity firmly treated so that "she may be submissive to her husband" and bearable to her husband. While such nature is not being meted out equally to all women everywhere in Ruangmei society today, it is not untrue at all. The reason is that Ruangmei society still follows patriachal culture and similar incidents of treatment is often bound to commit on women.

While the position of Zeliangrong women is lower than that of men and excluded them from the participation in Village Council or Authority, they have laudable place in the society. According to Gangmumei Kamei, "Despite the patrilineal base of the society woman as daughter, wife or mother, she exerted influence in the household, lineage and lineage affairs. Though not represented in the Village Council, Zeliangrong women are quite powerful and influential in getting their wished fulfilled through their husband."

And it is true that women political empowerment is yet to be materialised in their society Zeliangrong women "enjoy more power and privileges than the women in other community. She plays important roles in the family. They can, to some extent, involve in conflict resolution process by way of passing insight through dream or symbolic act of deterring men from causing bloodshed.

A woman can stop men fighting by shaking her wearing longi before the contending party(s). In that sense the women are powerful with considerable amount of freedom in the society.[23]

This nature of life Zeliangrong women enjoyed is testified by Ms. N.N. Haralu and Rani Gaidinliu who could propel themselves to Indian ambassadorship and freedom fighter respectively in early part of 20th century. In other words, no cultural barriers existed to deter women from rising above others in male-dominated if she possessed promotive courage and intellect.

To be continued....