Legitimacy of Illegitmate History: Historical
Difference at the Margin of Ethnonationalism [1]
- Part 3 -

G. Amarjit Sharma *

Liminality & Fluidity in Khoibu's History

Khoibu's history does not come out of a vacuum but out of its experiences with the Marings, locally and with the dominant concepts of communities–Meitei and Naga identities. Hence the history of Khoibus is the culmination of the efforts to define and represent themselves within a contesting ethnic discourses.

Despite the contesting ethnic discourses in Manipur, Khoibus are still preserving the cultural affinities with the Meiteis. Cultural sharedness between the Meiteis and the Khoibus is represented by a ritual dance of the Khoibus called Haichingbawng. It is considered as one of the most important dance ritual, celebrated every year in the full-moon night during the month of October. It is on this day that another popular festival of Meiteis called Mera Houchongba falls. Haichingbawng, performed for granting good harvest to the Khoibu community is considered as the representative of brotherhood relationship between the two communities.13

According to the beliefs of Khoibu elders, there were three brothers whose names were Khoibu Mathangson, Tarao Yaima and Manao Naothingkhong (who was the king of Manipur). Further it is believed that younger brother went to the valley area from where he started ruling and the others were at the hills. In order to remember or to show good fortune of the younger brother, the Meitei King used to light flame by burning the twigs of pine tree at the top of bamboo pole on the day of festival called Merahouchongba.

And it is only after seeing this flame that all girls of Khoibu started the ritual dance called Haichingbawng. The significance of these cultural festivals is not merely because there were such stories/myths, rather the importance of these festivals are widely popularised at present to unify the hill tribes and valley communities. These festival are widely popularised by the valley based Meiteis' socio-cultural organizations called HERICON and AMESCO.

Yet the increasing popularisation of such festival in popular domain does not guarantee equal relationship among the ethnic groups. Interviews with the Khoibu residents revealed that the decision of the Khoibus to seek affiliation/ belongingness to larger Naga or to seek cultural affinity with the neighbouring tribes is not measured by how much it shares with others in terms of cultural beliefs systems.14

Rather it is decided by how much it can secure by being in some relationships. The emphasis or reinforcement on cultural similarities is only the result of that strategy to give security to its own people. The possibility of having good relationship with the Meiteis is however dampened by the divide between the tribe and non-tribes.15

Khoibus might have problems with the Maring tribe or other bigger tribes, but they feel that in the existing politics of region their security lies in affiliating culturally and politically with a larger tribe. This fear is further strengthened by the persistence of the divide between the tribes and non-tribes in Manipur.

Despite the development of secular politics in the valley among the various socio-cultural organisations,16 there also emerge highly non-secular tendencies. In recent times the valley of Manipur witnesses the emergence of different socio-religious organisations preaching Sanamahi religion (based on the pre-Hindu beliefs systems) as the core of the Meitei's religious worldview. These organizations have increasingly imposed compulsory learning of Meetei mayek (Meetei script) in the high school. They demand abolition of the Bengali script, which has been the main script among the Manipuris.17

Interview with a Khoibu resident at Chandel district in Manipur had revealed the problems of imposing Meitei script in school by the above organizations. According to him, it is in fact the Khoibu who really preserved the real Meitei script, and said that the script that is claimed as the real one by the Meitei is wrong.

He even quoted the traditional Meiteis' secret book called Puyas to seek the authenticity of Khoibu's claim. In claiming themselves, the Khoibus felt sidelined by the emerging debate on script, which does not recognize this fact of preserving the script of Meiteis.18 Similarly another neighbouring tribe called Anal in the Chandel district expressed the fear on the increasing religious activities in the valley by a socio-cultural organization called Sajal.19

In the face of increasing uncertainty with the Meiteis, Khoibu appear to seek security by affiliating culturally with the neighbouring tribes. The myth of cave origin, and its (myth) inclusion in the history writing of the Khoibus has in fact served this purpose. The Khoibus feel that they are culturally close to the neighbouring tribes like Anal, Mayon, Monsang and Lamkang who also have the myths of cave origin.

For instance Anals have the myth of cave origin. Anals' ancestors were believed to emerge from Khul or cave. The ancestors were Hanshu and Hantha. It is said that a tiger killed anyone who came out of this cave. Later the ancestors befriended a bird that they promised free feeding in the fields in return for their helps. The birds divert the attention of the tiger. In the mean time they escaped from the cave.20

What is intended to derive from this reference is that by making myth as a part of history writing, the Khoibus make a strategy to ascertain cultural affinities with the rest of neighbouring tribes, yet they do not fail to emphasise their distinct identity.21 It can be further interpreted that though Khoibus need separate identity, ultimately the security of the smaller tribes lays in its affinity the other neighbouring tribes or bigger tribes.22

This affinity is established through a skilfully worked out cultural similarities with the other tribes. It is in this project that the myth of cave origin serves a useful purpose. Fieldwork in the Khoibu village revealed that despite the fact that Khoibu shares cultural similarities with the Meiteis, the Khoibus still feel the needs for belongingness to larger Naga identity. But sometimes these needs are not out of one's choice rather by compulsion. But it should be mentioned that not all cultural elements are emphasised in these similarities. They also feel urgent to emphasise the distinctive identity of the Khoibus.23

( This article is an abridged form of a bigger article under the same title which is published as one of the chapters in the forthcoming book entitled Fixity and Fluidity: History, Politics and Culture of North East India, edited by Lipokmar Dzuvichu, G. Amarjit Sharma and Manjeet Baruah, (Inhouse publication of the Centre for the Study of North East India, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi).

To be continued.....