A Brief Profile Of The Chothe Tribe
- Part 1 -

Shyleyn *

Chothe Dance at the Festival of Tribal Dance in March 2012 :: Pix - Phurailatpam Banti

THEORY OF ORIGIN:

Like most ethnic tribal communities in the entire Northeastern region of India, the indigenous Chothes also believe that they emerged from a cave called HURPI THORANGA. Their legend runs that, their prior attempts to come out from the cave for the intention of settling in open spaces were futile. For when they decided to come out from the cave, a hideous tiger had covered the mouth of the cave with a huge stone. The tiger kept devouring each man who came out of the cave.

Undaunted by the threats, the wiser Chothes devised a plan. The Chothes have traditional shawls with peculiar motifs that are similar to the stripes of tiger as well that of snakes. Inside the cave, a man from the MAKAN clan wrapped himself with a traditional shawl and bravely went out of the cave. There, the tiger whom the Chothes called KAMKEI-RANGPA was waylaying at the cave's mouth. Those were the times, when men could communicate with animals and spirits.

The bold Makan clansman, on meeting the tiger, started relating to the tiger, that the tiger and the humans are brothers. To convince the tiger, the clansman showed to the tiger, the motifs of the shawl which he had put on. Noticing the resemblance of the shawl's motifs and his stripes, the tiger was convinced and further agreed to no more harm the Chothes. The tiger and the Makan clansman even swore to one another to not eat the meat of each other in the future.

Eventually, the Chothes safely came out of the cave. To this day, the Chothes belonging to the Makan clan do not consume tiger's meat as a show of reverence to the tiger, Kamkei-rangpa. (Interestingly on the other hand, the Chothes believed that the tiger was sent by Pu DOIKUNGPU. Pu Doikungpu belonged to the PAARPA-RAKUNG clan. He was said to be a great sorcerer and regarded as a demi-god. He was believed to have earlier come out of the cave alone. He lived at the outside world alone by the rivers eating raw meat and fishes. The tiger was said to have become one from a human being.)

The Chothes began settling in many places after coming out of the cave. They settled in many places, and prominent among them was a place called LUNGLEH-WAISHUH. After living in Lungleh-Waishuh, the Chothes settled in a particular place where they faced many intolerable hardships like scarcity of water, agricultural products, insecurity and the likes. Therefore, they returned to the Lungleh-Waishuh. They composed a song in honor of this legendary Lungleh-Waishuh settlement. The song tells about how they ate as much as they want, and drank to their fill. It relates about the outsiders or other communities participating in their merry-makings. The song particularly mentions that tribal, non-tribal, and AVAI (could be people of Aryan origin) joined in their feasts.

The song in their old dialect runs like this, "Lungleh-Waishuh kakorpa lamtlak Somsang-a tui hang-ri o Rimmoh nasim rang-o, simzui ruiing-e Avaihu hang-e, Waimoh hang-e Itamo waimoh hang-e Achi kariek na-o, saihu runthar o Zakshel tamrong-e, Waimoh hang-e." A free English rendering of the folksong is given below: "On the way from Lungleh-Waishuh, why will we not eat and drink Let us eat, and let us drink, Tribal people came, so do the non-tribal people The Avai* also come, for what do they come, why would they come? Youths of the world, why would they come? How shameless could they be? [*Avai is a word for the people of Aryan origin.]

THEORY OF MIGRATION:

The Chothe elders remember some of their ancestral settlements. They recollect to have settled in places like, Chothe Munpi, Kangvai (in Churachandpur district of Manipur), Oksongbung (Moirang, Bishnupur district, Manipur), Chainapung (near the western hillock of Ningthoukhong, Purum Khong (near Samu-maanpi hillock), Lamangtung (Langmeidong) all in Bishnupur district, Manipur etc. They had also settled in several locations in the present Imphal West district. They had settled in Sanakeithel (Lamphel), near Khwairamband, Imphal, Kongba, Langmaiching, Sagolmang, Moirangkhom (all in Imphal district of Manipur) etc. They had also settled in a place called Purum Pan at the eastern side of Kakching, Thoubal district, and at Pallel, Bungkung-Lamshuk (now called Charangching in Chandel district).

At this place, they separated in groups to settle in the present locations. Other names of their ancient settlements are also mentioned in their harvest song called SAANGKOK LA, which is not sung anymore today. According to this song, the Chothes had also settled in places called, Lungshuk, Taipiruk, Yaangpaalkung, Saisokung, Sarouthil, Hampongke, Kansui, Phaihu, Jouhuring, Yoltrum, Khungjol, Chihpi and Truitrit etc. They opine that the present Lunglei district in Mizoram, (India) could have been the place from where they migrated towards Manipur. Coincidentally, there are surnames like Khiangte (Khiyaang?), Parte (Parpa?), Rokunga (Rakung?) etc. in Mizo tribe today.

The Chothe elders relate that, their ancestors crossed vast rivers and steep mountains while migrating. There is still a Chothe village called LAMLANG HUPI in Bishnupur district of Manipur. In Bishnupur district, the Chothes had settled in a mythical place called Ngente. There was a Chothe legend related to NGENTE. It was a Kingdom. In this Ngente, a huge python created havoc, swallowing the Chothes, and destroying their fields. After much misery, the Chothe youths mustered up their courage and decided to kill the python. One day, as the reptile came, they chased it all the way to a hole. As the python fled and started entering the hole, the Chothe youths managed to catch it by its tail; and they managed to chop off a part of the reptile's tail. The villagers feasted on the python's meat. Each household got a portion of the meat.

An old barren woman refused to eat the snake's meat. She suspected that, the snake was godly and even warned the villagers against consuming the meat. After indulging in merry making, the Chothes were fast asleep. In the middle of the night, the earth shook and split up. The earth swallowed all the villagers, except the old woman. It is said that the cock of the old woman's crowed like this, Ngente Leibak Leikintha. The woman is known as ARONGNU, which literary means 'barren woman'. The Rongmei and other tribes also have this same story as their folk tale. We cannot object to that. The reason is that, the odd tribes of Manipur, including the Meiteis share similar folk tales found in this land, although with some differences in the details of the stories.

SOCIAL ORGANISATION:

It is interesting how the Chothes established their villages and administer themselves. When they choose a place for settlement, the priests and elders perform various forms of rituals. Bad and good omens were predicted through these rituals. In one case, the neck of a cock was slit with a knife, leaving it half-alive and let go within the location chosen for settlement. If the cock fell dead on its right side, it was interpreted as a bad omen (SHII), that is, it was inauspicious to settle in that particular place. If the cock fell dead on its left side, it was a good omen (CHANG), that is, it is fortunate to settle at the place; and they would settle in that place. After constructing their houses, it was time to choose leaders to administer the village.

Under the strict observation of esteemed elders, competitions were held to fill up the posts in the village administrative organization that consists of a governing group (HLOUKAL) and opposition/steering group (LOUMI). The Chothe tribe has seven major clans.

CLANS----SUB-SIBS
Makan----Kankung, Kankung, Laishi.
Mareem---Rimphungchong, Rimkung, Rimkelek, Piling.
Yuhlung---Trangkim.
Khiyaang---Aihung, Lungkung, Khiyaang-Inpi, Khiyaang-Inte.
Thao---Thaokung, Thaorun, Thaochungchung.
Rangshai---Teyu.
Parpa-Rakung or Paarpa---No sub sib.

Each main seven clans would nominate a representative in such competitions who were to follow strict rules and regulations. The first one to see the sunrise or stood first in any other competition was made the village chief, HULAAK. Like this, the competitor who came in second rank would hold the post of the village's assistant chief, LUK-LAAK. The remaining main posts and other subsidiary posts would be distributed among the rest of the competitors, based on their ranks in the competitions.

A competitor may be substituted by another man from his own clam depending upon the wisdom and consent of the village elders. The officials given the said posts collectively form the governing/executive committee called Hloukal. In the case of the steering or opposition group Loumi, its officials were selected from the rest of the competitors. The chief of Loumi belongs to the clan that holds the position of Changrui in the Hloukal. In that reversed order, a clansman belonging to the Hulaak in the Hloukal would hold the lowest post in the Loumi establishment (i.e. CHANGRUI).

The administrative posts of the governing establishments (both Hloukal and Loumi) are semi-democratically transferred from one to another. This traditional form of administrating themselves had existed since ages. To speak in other words, this tradition of self administration was adopted since they set foot on this earth. Each of the seven clans hold one of the seven posts created in both the Hloukal and the Loumi. Both Hloukal and Loumi have seven prominent posts each.

The posts in the HLOUKAL are,
o Hulaak (Chief)
o Luklaak (Assistant Chief)
o Yupaal-ulin (In Charge Of Religious Rites And Festi Yupaal-naopang (Also In Charge Of Traditional Rites And Customs)
o Keirung (In Charge Of Granary And Stocks)
o Shelrung (In Charge Of Economic And Financial Affairs)
o Changrui (In Charge Of Propagating Information)

Another group of the same seven clans will form a committee called Loumi. This Loumi acts as the opposition or steering group in the village administration. It observes the functioning of the Hloukal.

The posts in the LOUMI are
o Hancha (Opposition Leader)
o Hithaang (Second Opposition Leader)
o Hunchal Yupaal- Ulin Asuh-arang Tlongthichoi-ulin Tlongthichoi-naopang
(In some Chothe villages, there was a village official called YUPAAL-NAOPANG instead of the above ASUH-ARANG).

There is no definite tenure for any of the posts in the administrative establishments. All the posts are transferred from one another. When the chief (Hulaak) likes to retire, he will transferred his post to his assistant, Luklaak. The Luklaak becomes the chief and hands over his earlier post to his immediate subordinate. This system continues until the post of Changrui is vacant and taken over by a clansman from the one who had earlier been the chief. The tradition continues uninterrupted for ages. The opposition group, Loumi also follows this same system. In the olden days, the Hancha also performed the duties of the TANG-ULIN.

A Chothe village has a traditional community hall called Ruisang, where the Hloukal and the Loumi hold meetings. This Ruisang also serves as the village court. Whenever there is a meeting or function in a village, it is mandatory that the Opposition leader, Hancha be given a special spot to sit or just next to the village Chief. To change a village Chief, the members of the Loumi or those of the Hloukal call for a meeting. Then, the Chief vacates his office and his Assistant would replace him. The same tradition applies in the case of the Loumi too.

TRADITIONAL FORMS OF DELIVERING JUSTICE:

If a villager commits any crime and attracts the attention of the Hloukal, the administrator in the Hloukal and representing the clan, to which the accused belongs, would be compelled to resign from his post. His vacant post will be filled by his immediate subordinate till another man belonging to his own clan takes over the post of the Changrui. In the hierarchy of the village organization Hloukal, the post of Changrui is regarded as the lowest. During ancient days, criminals were punished with utmost inhumane manner. Criminals were displayed to the public by putting each of them in a cage, where one cannot stand properly or sit down. The cage was full of sticks with pointed tips which physically hurt the prisoner. A criminal was also made to carry the yoke of cattles tied across his shoulders.

To be continued....