A Brief Note on the Kukis of Manipur
- Part 2 -

Hareshwar Goshwami *

Thazing Lap 2013 - 'An Autum Festival of the Vaiphei' at Kulbung Veng, Salam Patong Village in Sep 2013 :: Pix - Ashok Ningthoujam

Shared and Parallel Legends:

Most amazingly the migration legends of almost all tribes and that of the Meiteis of Manipur have many similarities. Various tribes now clubbed into the Kuki and some under the Naga folds still believe that they were originated from a subterranean region known as Khun or Khulpi or Shinlung or Chinlung etc. Mention may be made of the 'Migration of Chongthu' of the Thadou-Kukis and 'Migration of Poireiton' (Poireiton Khunthokpa) of the Meiteis. These legends have many parallels with many other tribes too.

(a) Migration of Chongthu: As per the Thadou-Kuki legend there was a village in a subterranean region called Nouigam ruled by a chief called Nouimangpa. According to Laljang Hangshing, Pu Chongja elder brother of Pu Chongthu was the Nouimangpa. One day Chongthu went on hunting porcupines and discovered a large hole in earth. Chongthu was very happy to his new discovery. This was a time Nouigam village was performing Chon festival. While participating the festival Chongthu hurt another fellow participant by his sword. Some say he did it intentionally so to expel him from the village and enable him to migrate to another world. The hole in earth Chongthu saw is spoken of as Khul.

As the legend goes, Chongthu was expelled from the village which he left with some of his followers. On the way he found a cave or gorge (khul) occupied by a great snake called Gulheipi. Chongthu killed the snake with a thick cloth made of cotton called Phoipi on his head. After that he came across a lion which moved away from his way after some exchange of words. Then he found the other end of the cave blocked by a huge stone which was lifted by one of his followers called Vangalpa.

After passing through the cave or gorge, Nemneh, sister of Taichin father of Chongthu let him know that she forgot many things which might be useful during the course of their journey. But before Nemneh came back, Chongthu broke the leg of Vanglapa to prevent him from lifting the stone again. Chongthu was apprehensive that Nemneh might be followed by other people who are not happy with him. Only seven persons namely Chongthu himself, Vangalpa the stone lifter, Khupngam the keeper of the dog and four persons others emerged out of the cave.

According to TS Gangte, the four persons became the progenitors of the Manipuris, the Nagas, the Foreigners and the Burmese. These seven persons could be proginators of different ethnic groups formed later on as there is theory that Chonghen and Chongang also accompanied Chongthu. On their way, in search of the Promised Land they arrived at a place called Chung-Gam (Highland) which is identical with Meitei word Ching-Lam where he introduced cultivation of paddy.

After roaming around looking for a suitable place for settlement, Chongthu and his followers found a big valley ideal for settlement. After reaching the place, Chongthu told his followers that he was getting old and no more in a position to move on from place to place. As such he settled permanently at that place called Man-dalai which is also known as Chung-khopi. His two brothers pursued further journey.

(b) Migration of Poireiton: On the other hand, Poireiton one of the progenitors of the Meiteis also migrated from such a subterranean region called Kham where the Nung people lived with a Chaopha/Swaopha/Sawa (king). This subterranean region was ruled by Kham-Nung-Chaopha called Thongarel with Poireiton as brother. As the legend goes, one Nongda Chingkhangyai who is projected as Sabi allegorically by the author of Poireiton Khunthokpa from the land of Tai-Pong-Mee (Taibangmee) invited Thongarel to migrate and rule the land of Taibangmee where anarchy prevailed at that point of time.

Thongaren, because of his old age and affinities to the already established kingdom directed his brother Ching-khong/Senkheirel Poireiton to lead the migration horde. Poireiton left Kham-Nung-Sawa in search of the Promised Land. On his way to the land of Taibangmee, they found a cave blocked by a big boulder/rock which was removed by using a horned bull. Then one Chakriba and his wife Tangribi went back to collect some important articles which they left at Khamnungsawa. However they were left behind as the rock rolled back at its original place, thus blocking the passage again.

Then on their onward journey to the land of Taibangmee, they confronted a tiger on their way which was frightened away by releasing a kind of stinking bee. After roaming many around many places Poireiton and his followers arrived at Tolong Lampak which is identified as present Mongba-hanba umang or nearby places by some scholars. It seems that he resumed his journey again on finding the throne of Kangla already occupied by Nongda Lairen Pakhangba who ruled Manipur in the first century AD. During his second journey, Poireiton passed through some eighty-five villages including that of Chakpas, Anals, Marings, Tangkhuls, Kabuis, Moyons etc. and finally settled at present day Lamdeng in the Imphal West District.

(C) The Parallels: Between the two legends narrated above, we find many parallels like,
1) Migration of Chongthu and Poireiton from a subterranean region through a cave or gorge,
2) In both the cases the migration horde was led by king's or chief's younger brother,
3) Confrontation with a lion or tiger on the way by the migration parties,
4) Block of passage by a rock or a stone and its removal,
5) Collection of forgotten items by some people and their denial to re-join the main party
6) Passage block by the stone or rock to prohibit the persons who went to collect forgotten items,
7) Roaming around the hills and highlands in search of the Promised Land
8) Discovery of a big valley and settlement thereof etc.

We need further studies to find out how there are so many similarities in these two stories which is treated by many as a piece of history narrated in allegorical manner.

(D) Other Legends: Another legend of the Thadou-Kukis say that there were two brothers of whom one to become the Khongjai (Meitei name for Kukis) and another to become the Meitei. One day the two brothers were quarrelling over a piece of cloth which was distributed by their mother who had given some more pieces to the younger brother. Thus the two brothers were to part ways and migrate to new lands. The elder brother while migrating cut a kind of tree which was blackened very soon and hence less people followed him thinking that he had gone long time back. On the other hand the younger brother who went to different direction cut a kind of tree which remained white for a longer time and hence he had a number of followers. This is given as a reason, why Meiteis have larger population than the Khongjais, the legend goes. There are many more legends that narrate the close affinities between the Kukis and the Meiteis.

Shared Myth: Ibudhou Thangjing Koirel Lai is revered and worshiped by both the Meiteis and Koireng one of the component tribes of the so called the old Kukis. Prof. Sairem Nilbir even states that Koirel is derived from the tribe name Koireng. Another cognate group of the old Kukis, the Chothes believe that Puriklai Thingri Nachouba who became king of Moirang and mystified as Chothe Thangwai Pakhangba believes to belong to Chothe tribe. Till today Chothes worshiped Thangwai Pakhangba at Chothe Nungsukching and became a common deity of the Chothes and the Meiteis.

Lainingthou Nongshaba is another deity of both hill and plainsmen. The Koms still worship Lainingthou Nongsaba at Mantak Village in Thoubal District. Another deity revered and respected by both the Meiteis and Anals is Ibudhou Wangbren (Wang-purel) who is also known as Khoibu Naha Pakhangba. He married to Shangnu or Shangkhurembi daughter of Anal chief Mongyam Ngamba. The Moyons another sub-group of the old Kukis had close relationship with the kings of Moirang. There is one reference of one Tonu a Moyon girl who married to a man of the valley in the folk songs of the Moyons. In the royal chronicle Chietharol Kumbaba of the Manipuris there is a reference to Moyon as early as the first century.

Referring tradition, Shakespear even stated that the Manipuris, Anals and Thadous (Khongjais) are the descendants of three men whose father was the son of Pakhangba, the mythical snake-man ancestor of the Manipuri royal family (Shakespear, 2004:150) though he doubts the legend to be of a later creation.

Shared History: Some Khongjais (Kukis) believe that Meidingu Taothingmang (264-365) belongs to their tribe. Loiyumba Sinyel a twelve century royal edict recorded that the Chothe Khullakpa was allowed to go on palanquin up to Moirangkhom hardly one kilometer from the southern gate of Kangla. Among other hill tribes Anals and Marings too participated in the war campaigns of Meidingu Garibniwaz (1709-1748) against the Burmese in the first half of the eighteen century.

There is an account by Pu Sng.Haokip and Pu Jangmang Haokip in the book 'Zale'N-Gam the Kuki Nation' narrating an episode how the Chassad king and the king of Manipur had exchanged the head of the Burmese king with that of the beautiful Chassad maiden at a time the kingdom of Manipur was weakened. He further stated that 'the Chassad Kukis helped the Meiteis in the war against Kamhao king of the northern Chin Hillls'.

There are also references stating that the Chassad Kukis had taken side with the Maharaja of Manipur in the Anglo-Manipuri war of 1891. It is also said that when the king of Manipur was pressurized by the Indian Government to sign the 'Manipur Merger Agreement' Chassad Lord (chief) sent 250 (two hundred and fifty) soldiers to help the Meitei (Manipur) king.

In the Kuki Rebellion (1917-19) one Chingakhamba Sanajaoba fought against the British along with many Kuki chiefs. There are theories that Sanajaoba organized the disgruntled elements among the Kukis against the British and transformed it into a full scale war against the British. Sanajaoba along with ten Kuki chiefs and two other leaders were kept at different Jails including Imphal and Kohima.

In one of the letters dated 18 May 1919 addressed to 'The Commissioner, Surma Valley and Hill Districts' signed by thump impression by ten Kuki Chiefs and two leaders namely Chengjapao, Chief of Aishan; Khuthinthang (or Khilkung), Chief of Jampi; Pachei alias Hlukhunmang, Chief of Chasad; Pakhang, Chief of Hinglep; Tintong, Chief of Laiyong; Semchung, Chief of Ukha; Ngulkhup, Chief of Mombi; Leothang, Chief of Gobok; Heljashon (Helashom), Chief of Loibol; Mangkhoon, Chief of Tingkai Mangkhoon; Ngulkhukhai of Chasad and Enjakhup of Thenjol ( Naga Hills) state that, after burning down of Mombi Kuki village, Chinga Khamba Sana Chauba Singh came to their villages and informed them that the kingdom of the British is about to end and to take up arms against the British.

Sanajaoba's role in the war is also clearly stated in a letter from the Chief Secretary to the Chief Commissioner of Assam to the Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign and Political Department Shillong, dated 27th June 1919 which reads as, "The Committee, however, find that the evidence on record and the statements of many of the chiefs, leave no doubt as to the part which Chinga Khamba played in the rebellion. His claim to supernatural powers seems to have been readily accepted by the rebel chiefs, while the false stories that he spread about, the straits to which the British Government had been reduced, greatly encouraged them."

Whether Sanajaoba initiated the war or not, the important essence is the faith and the response of the Kuki chiefs as well as Sanajaoba's confidence for a positive response from the Kukis show how close the two communities were. In fact the Kukis were already grunted and prepared for a war against the British. The only thing is that the time could have coincided and they could have extended cooperation to each other.

In view of the above, Manipuri Meiteis have shared memories, artifacts, myths, legends and histories with the people living in the hills of Manipur. However, the colonial writers have classified people of Manipur with generic names for varied reasons without the knowledge and understanding of the indigenous people themselves. As already discussed, Kukis are divided into Old Kuki and New Kuki.

Tribes like Anal, Aimol, Chiru, Chothe Koms, Lamgangs Maring, Moyon, Monshang, Purums, Taroas etc. are clubbed into the Old Kuki fold though some of them identified themselves as Nagas, and some with the Kukis and the rest to remain with their unique tribe name and identity. As Meiteis possessed some intermediate characteristics of all tribes residing adjacent to the valleys, the Old Kukis too possessed the transitional characteristics between the Meiteis and the comparatively late comers, the Thadou Kukis or the Khongjais. Many of them are very old settlers of Manipur and more adapted to the land.

On the other hand the Thadous with its four major clans namely Dougels, Shitlhous, Haokips, Kipgens and with many other clans and sub-clans like Hangsing, Chongloi, Lhouvum, Lhangum, Mate, Misao, Baite etc are placed under the New Kuki fold as already pointed out above. In view of the present trend, New Kukis are seemingly singled out and identified as the Kukis. But if we look with broader perspective beyond the boundaries created by the British and inherited by the Government of India, most of the tribes within the Naga and Kuki fold who once shared a vast territory with Kangla as Centre are related with the Meiteis at one aspect or other. But it should not undermine the prevailing laws of the country.

As time rolls on, habits, customs, traits of people living at different parts of erstwhile and present Manipur have altered due to many reasons ranging from geo-political, administrative, socio-cultural and artificial factors thus amalgamating and dismantling ethnic groups and sub-groups in this region. As such time has come to understand the transformation and respect each other's newly adopted ways and existence with due consideration to the historical and cultural affinities of Manipur from both the ends, towards formation of a beautiful State.



...Concluded