Khangchiu/Liuchiu : Traditional institution of the Liangmai
- Part 1 -

Kendy Pamei*

Chagah Festival : Annual festival of Liangmai at Taphou Liangmai village, Senapati on Oct 30, 2012 :: Pix - Popcha Yambem

The Liangmai Naga tribe of Manipur & Nagaland extensively practiced the Khangchiu/Liuchiu (dormitories for boys and girls) system. However, with the coming of Christianity, the practice has been marginally reduced and only few section of Liangmai in Present Nagaland who have not been converted to Christianity can be seen preserving the traditional institution of dormitory. The Dormitory is also been described as "Morung" (Assamese for Dormitory) by the western Anthropologists and writers, thus it has become a universal word.

The Khangchiuky/Liuchiuky is a social system wherein unmarried boys or girls sleep in a particular dormitory or house on attainment of certain age, till married. Such dormitory system occupied a high degree of social magnitude in Liangmai society. The Morung predominantly served as an institution where the young boys and girl shaped their manners, crafting skills, singing and dancing skills, traditional practices, oral history, customary laws, social norms and even hunting and war skills.

Thus it is clearly seen as a place where youths are disciplined and shaped into a responsible adult member of the society. VK Anand observes: "The morung plays vital role in preparing younger generations for the posts in the village council. The morung is the club, the public school, the military training centre, the hostel for boys and meeting place for village elders. It is as well the centre for the social, religious and political activities. In short, it is the fulcrum of the village democracies".

Prof. Gangmumei Kamei has also pointed out that "the dormitory meets the education needs of the young men, the defense requirement of the village and manpower requirement to organize public works, religious ceremonies and cultural festivals including dance and music".

The Morungs in Liangmai society unlike the other Naga tribes are usually housed in a particular house offered by a rich and influential owner who has a big house. It is a public spirited act to offer his house as the Khangchiuky / Liuchiuky. According to the custom of Liangmai, all the boys who attain the age of puberty will be adopted by a particular Morung taken as their member; Tureng Khangnah or Touluang khangnah (The term usually used to identify the member of the Khangchiuky, the given example is in reference to Chiang Village) of the Khangchiu and it is compulsory for all the male members to join.

When a child is born in a village, member of the Khangchiu/Liuchiu brings a Cock/Hen or even dried fish to the parent and will announced the baby as their Akhangnah (Member of the male dormitory) or Athenah (Member of the girl dormitory), when the baby attained certain age will be send to their respective dormitory for social development.

Dormitory usually has three different categories of members based on the ages of the persons are identified, these are; Khangbonmai (young boy), Khangkiangmai (Bachelors) and Khangpi (Leader), however the above concept is seen to have variation from villages to villages; some even denied having such section of their members.

Khangchiuky/Liuchiuky is one common and very important socio-cultural and political institution of the Liangmai. It played vital roles in providing not merely a communal sleeping hall for the boys or girls, but the ingredients of the social structures are imparted to the members through this institution. In the dormitory all kinds of traditional practices and activities, such as warfare and art of fighting by the use of weapons, dance, music, and song are taught to its young members. They also received training in the art of crafting, handicraft like basket making, wooden craft, carpentry, bamboo& cane work and other embroidery works.

The dormitory also acts as a centre of cultural activities. The festivals and ceremonies for the village or individual are organized by the Khangchiu. It renders services for the individual's households or village council during the time of marriage and other social occasions. The youths of the dormitory take part in fishing, house building, hunting, and in the fields at the time of sowing seeds and harvesting. [V.V. Rao: 1976].

A person, who becomes the member of the Khangchiu, refines his culture; rectifies his demeanor; changes his attitude; polishes his code of conduct; develops his conscience; nurtures his thought and action; realizes his duties and responsibilities and later becomes a successful man in the society. A product of this institute becomes a worthy husband, leads a happy and prosperous life; brings up his children in the discipline of his institute and his generation will continue to shine in the same trend he follows.

V.K. Anand writes, "The Morung plays vital role in preparing younger generations for posts in the village council. The Morung is the club, the public school, the military training centre, the hostel for boys and meeting place for village elders. It is as well the centre for social, religious and political activities. In short, it is the fulcrum of the village democracies." [1967].

The Liangmai predominantly based on the oral culture as such the exact hypothesis on the evolution of the morung institution in the Liangmai social structure cannot be ascertained. However, it was opined that, the Morung in Liangmai traditional social system might have originated on account of two probable factors:-

1. Firstly, (a) traditionally, a village was located on top of the hill and this got involve shortage of flat land enough for the building of houses. They therefore, accommodate the entire village to live in. (b) According to T.C. Hodson "Dormitories are a survival of communal houses which were the first stage in the development of homes when the whole village lived together. Henceforth villagers lived together for fear of attack from another village and wild animals".

2. Liangmai in the ancient time were at constant feud and even lead to mass head huntings among the inter-villages, hence it become a common affair among the villages to raid their enemies villages. Such inter-villages feud are commonly attributed to factors such as Tapilubo (Head hunting) the traditional Liangmai paid the highest respect and such warrior are socially honored for bringing the head of an enemy, such belief might have instigated the lust for head – hunting and plunders. The other factors like Rikhumlubo (Revenge), dungrih-gihbo, indiscriminate killings by mazarihmai (warrior who killed the enemy hiddingly), Liangtuang (A villain or sometime they are known as Hero) [Dr. Hunibou, PhD. Thesis 'The concept of good and the godly man in Liangmai Naga tradition.'] and Richang gibou (A killing of enemy in a fair fight) were frequent.

Such inter-village feuds endangered the peaceful living of the common people. Therefore, it has become necessary for the warriors to gather at one place to protect the village from possible attack by an enemy. Therefore, it did become a need for all young men to sleep together in one common place in order to defend the village from the enemy. This could be done when all the adult members of a village slept in one place. [R. Huchamjinang Gonmei: 1980] "They act as a guard house for the defense of the village and such warriors are known as Riphen". [Gangmumei Kamei: 2004] "They also guard the village during emergency of war, accidents, incidents, in times of natural calamities like earthquakes, floods, draught, sickness, epidemic, etc".

The Liangmai's dormitory system may also be assumed to have originated from the ancient China, which was brought down by the ethnic groups who migrated to the different parts of Southeast Asia including North East India where various ethnic groups of Tibeto-Burman speaking peoples are found inhabiting. It was found mainly among the patrilineal ethnic groups where bachelor dormitories are given due importance, however, in the traditional Liangmai social system the practices was equally embed except for the distinctive practices which pertains to boys and girls are strictly maintained between Khangchiuky (boys dormitory) and Liuchiuky (girls dormitory), the boys are forbidden to visit the Liuchiuky except on an auspicious days such as village celebrations day.

The Liangmai were believed to have migrated through China 100 decades ago and had come to Makhel, which is also commonly known among different Naga tribes as 'the point of migration'. From Makhel the Liangmai migrated to Makuilongdi, at present Senapati District, Manipur, and from there dispersed to different directions. Henceforth, it might not be wrong to state that the Morung was brought down from Ancient China many centuries ago.

The above viewed can be supported by the fact that in China the Communal Houses called 'Tulou' (The architecture structure are however different from the Liangmai traditional Morungs) were found among the Hakka tribes who dominantly lived in the Southeastern region. Besides the communal houses, bachelor's house was also maintained which was quite different from those of the communal houses. In the communal house an entire village lived together, whereas in the bachelor's house only adult members of the village lived. It is to be noted that the communal houses were seen in Vietnam but unlike those in China the Vietnamese communal house are mainly used for community festival and worshiping their god.

Khangchiuky :

A person who married twice, commit adultery, a person on whom the customary penalty was imposed, those injured in the war or hunting and brought home by 'talai' (A kind of palanquin made of bamboo, usually carried on shoulder by four persons) and those whose records of crimes, thief and lies are evident are not considered as able person to host the Morung. Such strict adherence to the selection of Host signified the strong fabrication of the dormitory system in the Liangmai and also it upheld the social status of the individual who host the Morung.

In most case the Morung in the Liangmai are built distinctively taller than from others houses. The architectural design of the morungs have steep sloping roof, the highest roof being in the front side and inclining toward the back of the house. T.C Hudson "the house which is reserved for the bachelors' club or Men's house, is in some villages distinguished from the rest by its great height, and the steepness of the pitch of the roof." The morung will have two doors, Main door mean for the member of the khangchiu and smaller door mean for the public and the occupants of the house. The women folks are forbidden or not permitted to access through the main door. The morung usually has three rooms, the first being reserved for the dormitory, and the inner rooms for the owner.

Khangpi (leader) of the Morung was elected from the eldest of the Khangkiang (Unmarried marriageable boys, usually who have crossed 35 years of age). The leader was shown great respect by the members, e.g when their leader / Khangpi came in the dormitory, other members of the Morung has to stand on their feet and his bed is kept sacred and in no circumstances it was allow to the other members even to sit even on his bed during his absent. It was also said that even the Liangtuang are not permitted to sit or sleep on the bed mean for Khangpi.

The well mannered of the Morung members is well profoundly established and can also be seen in many other occasions such as when the elders or other member of the Morung visit the Morung the member sacrifices their seat for the visitors. The younger member usually remains silent and ruminate wise advised of the elders or leaders. The respect for the elder was highly valued in the Liangmai society, the importance of such social value can be demonstrated by citing the example of a young boy, who lied to his elder, will bow his head in shame and will seek forgiveness by giving handful of salt to the elder. Khangpi are not merely a leader but he also act as their teacher who impart the arts crafting, folk songs, folk tales and social value of the individual in the society.

To be continued .....