Evolution of kinship and clan system among Manipuri Muslim
Corvee Labour (Lallup) to Functional Divisions of Labour (Loyamba Shinlen) Perspectives
- Part 4 -

By: Imam Khan Makhjummayum *

31. Mansam : This group traces the clan ancestry to a man of 17th century who came from Surma valley.

32. Meraimayum : The early silk-route period Arabs founded their abode in Manipur under an Amir as Chief; this leadership (Amirate or Khallafate) is called Mara in the region which prevailed from Aribam clan period since Amir Hamza who reached upper Burma in c. 615 AD.

33. Moinam : They lived in a place Moinam of modern Thoubal district in the 17th century.

34. Mushram : This clan name is traced from two Tartar Muslims namely Musa (I-mou-san) and Salim (Samlong) who were contemporary of Ko-leng-feng, the Nan-Chao (Yunan) king who invaded Manipur in 707 AD or Samlong who visited Basa (Cachar-Sylhet) and colonised Manipur for ten years in 698-708 AD.

35. Mayangmayum (Ariba) : They were coming to Manipur when 'Mayang' came to be applied to non-Muslim Indians (c. Kiyamba period c. 1450 AD). The Mungyamba period Aribam Muslim family could comprise of this group also in c. 1550 AD who fought alongside Manipuri king Khagemba when Pasha Muslims, hired by rebel prince Sanongba, invaded Manipur in 1606 AD.

36. Mayangmayum (Anouba) : They came from mainland India as late as 1850 AD.

37. Nongjaimayum : The Nongjaimayum clan progenitor named Muhammad Ataisha came from Allahabad in the reign of king Marjit. "In 1815, three pirs named Muhammad Ata Shah alias Atei Shah, Muhammad Shah alias Ahmed Shah, Gulab Shah alias Gulal Shah and Fateh Shah alias Lal Shah, who were all brothers, arrived in Manipur and king Marjit settled them near Nungjeng Pukhri near Haobam Leikai."

38. Nongsaibam : They were noted to belong to a sturdy clan who were brave like Nongsa (lion) caught tigers. Cheitharol Kumbaba (royal chronicle) enters some individual names who went hunting and caught tigers belonging to both Meitei and Muslim clans.

39. Nongsayaibam : They were a cognate of Makak clan whose ancestor was once found sitting under sun (sun-bath) during an occasion of feast. The congregation came to call him Nongsayaiba and hence the clan name after him.

40. Oinammayum : This clan ancestor married a Meitei woman of Oinam yumnak (clan) and the Muslim clan name Oinammayum is derived after this lady. 41. Phisabam : This clan name is derived from their profession of muga-phisaba (silk making/sericulture) that might be related with those early Turushka Muslims of Bengal delta as noticed by Arab explorers Masudi (951 AD) and Khurdadbhih (845 AD) in Bengal.

42. Phisam : They exported produced clothes as purchased from Phisambam group or guild as far as China. Two Chinese Muslims namely Ha-Huan and Cheng-Ho once came together to Bengal via Manipur silk-route, probably, as emissary to Bengal in circa 1410 AD.

43. Phundreimayum : They were notable carpenters of artistry and fine building with phundreikhetpa instrument of boring and sliding edges. They were a furniture clan named Phundreimayum accordingly from early 17th century.

44. Phusam : They lived at lakeside and cleared hubs and reeds from lakes to catch fish. They were a peasantry-fishing clan.

45. Sairem : This clan arose as a meat-butcher group in the hazy contour of Manipuri Muslim history.

46. Sangomsumbam : They were of cattle-tending and milking tradition working in farm houses who trace ancestor namely Sheikh Musha and Maaz Khan of 1606 AD. "Sangom" simply means "milk".

47. Shajabam : They were a clan who were mainly engaged in hunting and herding.

48. Shakakpam : This clan were from a sturdy horse-trading group of trans-Asiatic historically connecting West Asia to Far East upto Yunan. Their ancestor is traced to one Shaikh from Taraf (in Sylhet) which name might have been derived from Taif.

49. Singakhongbam : They were a bagpiper group in king's army and attended coronation ceremony of kings.

50. Solaimayum : The clan is traced to an ethnic group Solaim from Arabia who are historically close to Aribam family or Makak Aribam family.

51. Tampakmayum : They were among the first groups who settled in Manipur valley (Tampak) that was apparent by the time of king Irengba of 10th century.

52. Taothongmayum : They were a group who brought a certain kind of rice seed (Taothabi) from Surma valley; they were noted to be living since king Taothingmang period.

53. Thangjam : Their clan ancestor married a Thangjam bride of Meitei community from Thanjam leikai. Thus historically two clan names- Oinammayum and Thangjam are derived from Meitei brides who married Muslim husbands.

54. Thongkhongmayum : They built and settled near Minuthong bridge of Imphal and the clan came to be called Thongkhongmayum henceforth as conferred by the king.

55. Thoubalmayum : The clan traced its heritage to a Khuman prince of Thoubal who married a Muslim woman in c. 1460 AD and became Muslim himself.

56. Urupmayum : This group first settled at Urup in the east of Imphal and the clan got its nomenclature from the abode.

57. Wangmayum : This section of Muslim people were noted to have settled at the "other side" of Thoubal river bank that also joined Imphal river. This clan title receives its traditional name from this locational perspective who existed since king Khagemba period.

58. Yangkhubam : They were probably a Tartar clan of Ma-Hui heritage as the nomenclature suggests who settled in a place (Yangkham leikai) and shifted to river valley of Thoubal district later on. Indeed, R.B. Pemberton wrote that Manipuris or Meiteis were descendants of Tartar colony while G.R. Grierson, the linguist, noted that they were Tibeto-Burman descendants. This information is possibly attributed to the Muslim section of Tartar Muslims of silk-route era.

59. Yumkhaibam : They were separated from Phundreimayum clan in a historical nemesis by 18th century. They were also a plumber clan.

60. Yumkham : They lived in a place called guild colony of salt-extractors from shallow valley.

62. Zinmayum : This is a clan existing in all valleys of Manipur; they are traditionally close to Phundrei clan but Zinmayum is a separate clan by all distinctive features and indications as the clan elders themselves point out.

Historically (till 1891) all the Muslim clans like Meitei clans attended and performed lallup (corvee labour) for 10 days in every 40 days for the king. Now or in modern time, not a single clan is identifiable by any profession or labour class. It appears that clan names had to be made, called or conferred by kings, themselves or others for the sake of identity and kinship value anthropologically speaking from time to time as the community reinforces itself in size and identity with the passage of time.

Intermarriage by any clan from any clan in Pangal (Manipuri Muslim) society according to convenience is a reality. Egalitarian way of life is historical hallmark for the community. The clans tend to be exogamous but endogamy is possible in larger (sizable) clans which Islam allows.

Culturally, Muslims are fairly moderate and inconsiderate of orthodoxy in mindset vis a vis other ethnic communities belonging to other religions.

Concluded...