Chiru tribe: Small but integral to Manipur
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 11 2024:
Chiru, despite being a small tribe, are an integral part of the State's cultural landscape and they have been preserving their culture and tradition by holding their festivals in its true essence.
Chiru tribe mostly settle in Noney and Senapati district and their population was 8599 according to the 2011 Census.
The figure is expected to be over 15,000 now.
Chiru, though majority of them have embraced Christianity, still preserve their age-old culture and tradition through religious practices and festivities.
Speaking to The Sangai Express, Chungboi Chiru, a Research Scholar at Manipur University (Manipuri Department) said that Chiru, like other tribes, have their own festivals, traditions, folktales, folk songs, beliefs, social norms, costumes etc.
Saying that festivals are one of the most important cultural elements of the Chiru tribe, he added that Phoibei Moroi is one of the biggest festivals of Chiru that marks the beginning of the lunar new year like Cheiraoba for Meiteis.
Women aren't allowed to hold rituals on the first day of the festival, he said and added that the sanctification ceremony (Yum Sengba in Meiteilon) is conducted on the second day by exchanging food.
Further stating that only some women are engaged to cook food and help others in holding the festival, Chungboi maintained that an aide of the village chief will drop banana stems along the route leading to the paddy field where men will hold the rituals in the early morning.
Unmarried women will then bring food and wine or beer for the men during the rituals, he added.
For Chiru people, marriage done on mutual understanding and approved by both the families is considered as the highest form of matrimony.
Only Chiru women whose parents had an honourable marriage are allowed to serve people during Chiru festivals, Chungboi maintained.
Chiru women only wear costumes weaved by the villagers during festivals, he said, and added that they still preserve their culture, tradition, costumes and legacy of their ancestors by holding festivals in its truest form.