Khangchiu institution of the Zeliangrongs
- Part 1

Budha Kamei *

Girls' Dormitory or Luchu : Scene from 'The Zeliangrongs' :: Pix - Ronel Haobam

The dormitories of the youth, under many forms and innumerable names were existed in a very wide region of the world extending from the Himalaya and the Formosa in the North to the Australia and Newzealand on the south; and from the eastern pacific and Marquesas to the west coast of Africa. Thus, the social institution is found among diverse races now classed as distinct, such as Dravidians, Indo-Mongols, Malays, Papuans, Polynesians, Australians, and Africans.

S. E. Peal observes: "Taken by themselves, these barracks for the unmarried are sufficiently suggestive; but when we notice that they are but one of many peculiar social customs found surviving more or less among all these races, the case is doubly noteworthy, first as evidence of former racial affinity; second as an important factor in social evaluation generally." [S.E. Peal: 1892]

In India, the bachelors' dormitory is found among a large number of tribes. The Zeliangrong tribes of north east have the dormitory system. Dormitory has been described as Morung by the western Anthropologists and it has become universal word. Originally it was an Assamese word. Khangchiu, a Zeliangrong word for bachelors' dormitory has occupied a high degree of social magnitude in traditional Zeliangrong society. It is a place where youth are shaped into responsible adult members of the society.

It also sustains and provides a pure and uncorrupted life among the members of the society. In fact, it is the life-vein of Zeliangrong social and cultural activities. According to Gangmumei Kamei, 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 dormitory was perhaps evolved to meet these needs of the people.

At present when these requirements are met by modern schools and state government development departments, this institution obviously dies. [2004] But it exists among the people who follow the traditional indigenous religion, Tingkao Ragwang Chapriak [TRC].

There are two probable theories for the origin of the Khangchiu; one is that in ancient time it was a common affair among the tribal people to raid another tribal people for some factors. This led to inter-tribal feuds endangering the peaceful living of the common people. More dangerous than this very cruel/barbaric act was an inter-clan feud which commonly happened among the tribes for want of supremacy over the other. Therefore, killing of an enemy became a lawful deed among them.

In other word, one who brought home the head of an enemy was admired and respected as a warrior. Therefore, fighting between two villages became a common occurrence. For this factor, 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. To face such possible attack, a collective action with prompt move was more desirable. This could be done when all the adult members of a village slept in one place. [Sangkima: 1987]

Hence, the Khangchiu institution originated. Secondly, when population was small the entire village used to live together in one big house as an enlarged family because:
(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, and
(b) there they lived together for fear of attack from another village [Ibid] and wild animals.

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. [1996] J. Shakespeare suggests that the bachelors' dormitory was designed to prevent incest. [Ibid] "It was instituted to save children from witnessing the primal scene and from being embarrassment from their parents" was the view of Elwin Verrier. [1968] According to Zeliangrong belief, the male's dormitory was an adaptation from the hoary past when, men and gods attended the house of the mythical God Tingpu Rengsonnang who was the patriarch of the dormitory. Men adopted God's institution.

The origin of Khangchiu may be traced from China where Communal Houses were found among the tribes who dominantly lived in the Southwestern 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. [Edwin M. Leob and Jan O.M. Broek: 1947]

It may be assumed that the dormitory of bachelors 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. [Sangkima: 1987] It was found mainly among the patrilineal ethnic groups and became a practice however, even among the matrilineal Indonesians. [Edwin M. Leob and Jan O.M. Broek: 1947] From the above statement, we therefore, may presume that the Zeliangrong people had brought the Khangchiu down from China many centuries ago. This also suggests the original home of the Zeliangrongs.

Unlike the other Naga tribes, the Kahngchiu is housed in a particular house usually with a rich and influential owner who has a big house. It is a public spirited act to offer his house as the Khangchiu.

According to the custom of Zeliangrong, all the boys who attain the age of puberty will become the members of Khangchiu dormitory and it is compulsory for all the boys and male members to join. It is a three-tier institution in which there are three different categories namely; Gaanna (Shingkhang), unmarried boy, Gannpi and Khangbon. The Ganna forms the junior most of the three grades and it consists of only unmarried men.

The next higher grade is Gannpi the members of which are of two different grades – senior and junior. The senior grade is known as Gaannpi-Kaijipmei where Kaijipmei sleeps in his house and the junior-grade is called Gaannpi-Chaphongmei. The junior is generally un-married one and he represents the senior most of the unmarried young group, Gaann.

Gaannpi -Kaijipmei consists of married men only. The next higher grade, Khangbon is the highest grade. Generally the members of this grade are all middle-aged men. According to the Zeliangrong customs and traditions, the Khangbons are the head of the organization of Khangchiu. Peace and prosperity of the said organization, therefore, depends entirely on the ability, efficiency and leadership of the Khangbons.

To be continued....