Tangkhuls of Kangleipak

Uttam Mangang *

A scene of 'Asang Eina Aton', a Tangkhul folk play performed at Tongou village, Ukhrul in June 2009 :: Pix - Enaomacha Salam

According to Ningthourol Seireng (O. Bhogeshor Singh) pp.32-33, the Tutelar Deities and the associate group of people who became Hillman in different directions are Marjing became Mao and Maram in the north, Chingkhei Ningthou became Tangkhul in North-East, Nongpok Ningthou became Maring and Tarao in the South-East, Wangpulen became Anal, Namfous Mayon, Mongsangs in South, Thangjing became Koirengs in South-West, Loyarakpa became Chiru in the West, Koubru becames Kapuis in North-West. Thus, there are many writing and belief about the relation of Meeteis and other hill tribes like Tangkhul.

In Meetei's dialect 'Tangkhul" means dependent village or spear village or costly village and Meetei is also a Tangkhul's dialect. Tangkhul believe that Meetei were their real brothers who lighted fire on the top of the bamboo post in the month of October (Mera-Hou-Chongba) at valley.

It is also believed that Tangkhul were the descendent of Tangkhu (the founder of original dance of spear or changkheirol) – a born artiste of Nongpokthong (a range which stand between Somra tract and Ukhrul) of Wung area old compact area of the eastern zone of Manipur, extending from Tangnoupal right upto Somra tract (now in Burma/ Myanmar) in the north.

Kanglei language is the language spoken by the valley and hill people to communicate among themselves. There are numerous dialects among Tibeto-Burman speakers eg. Tangkhuls have more than 300 dialects. It was due to the Tangkhuls being fond of head hunting, used such false words and names and became their village language. Some of the important pre-historic sites in Kangleipak are the caves like Songbu of Chandel District (about 40,000 B.C.), Kangkhui (30,000 B.C.).

According to Meetei's puya and belief, the Kangkhuk (Ukhrul) was the altar of Lainingthou Achangba or Angom Pokpa (the grand foremost father of Angom Clan). Thangkhul used to believe that Meetei were their real brother, who settled at Yaingangpokpi (Aokpokpi) and another strayed brother of Tangkhul is Maring. The foremost chief of the Nganpas (Poirei-Ningthou) and his wife Khamen Lokpam Chanu have two sons. There are – Tangkhul and Khapa.

The Neolithic culture is found both in the hills and the valley of Kangleipak. Such examples are the Napaching Neolithic culture at Wangoo represented by the fully ground stone tools, arrow points and pottery consisting of tripod corded ware and spindle whorl. So, these potteries existed before 5000 B.C. and traditional hand made pottery without wheel is still found at Nungpi on Longpi village of Ukhrul. Some of the Tangkhul also believed that Khullei or Khurai pung is their original place.

Some of the famous Maichous (scholars) during the reign of Nongta Lairen Pakhangpa were Tangkhul Nungkhoipi, Maring Ahal, Laha-Ngampa and Wangkheilakpa. They wrote Sagei Puya (Clan's chronology). Tangkhul Salam Pakhangpa Nongtalai Pakhangpa is believed to have came down to the valley from Ukhrul through Iril river and became the King of Kangleipak. So, the time of coronation of Kings of Meeteis, the Tangkhul cloth was always decorated. Here mentioned can be made of 'Lui-cloth". (According to the folk tale of Achon Meirapa, a goddess of Tangkhul had introduced this particular Lui-cloth).

Lui cloth or leiroom is a common religious cloth of Meeteis and Tangkhul. As we all know, the performance of Tangkhul Nurapi (The tale of Nongpok Ningthou & Ema Panthoibi) Dance in Laiharaoba festival/Ceremony confirms the relation between Tangkhul and Meeteis.

Not only this, the biggest family of Tangkhul Society i.e., Akham family is also found in Meetei's society as a Khuman Clan. Here, Tangkhul's surname i.e., A.S. (Awungshi Shimray or big clan or Chieftain) has some similarity with Mangang of Meetei Society.

Likewise, the old culture and tradition before the adoption of Christiantity, which took place at Ukhrul in 1894 during the time of Pattigrew have many similarities with that of Meeteis society.

According to Tangkhul dialects the name of seven salais are : -
(1) Duidang,
(2) Sadang,
(3) Khodang (Khadang),
(4) Khapudang,
(5) Choudang,
(6) Sithudang and
(7) Kingdang

or

(1) Saifu,
(2) Saichal,
(3) Rangla,
(4) Rakhou,
(5) Seilom,
(6) Mariam and
(7) Khailon.

Thangkhul local name and Meetei equivalent lineages are :-
Bhumrong (Tangkhul) Yek (Clan) of Meetei
1. Shinglai =Angom
2. Rajo (Rujo) =Mangang
3. Ela (Elu) =Luwang
4. Shimprui =Khuman
5. Ningshen =Moirang
6. Sheatlei =Khapa-Nganpa
7. Lhenyea =Sarang Leisangthem
(Chenglei)
(N.B. Here, some lineages like Horam, Shimray, Hungyo, Ningshen, Keising etc. may be included somewhere at the above 7 clans because a number of families of Meetei's are also included in one Salai or Clan.)

The another vivid example of the relation between the Tangkhul and Meetei's is that the stone sculptured which cast the figure of a man or monkey near Meetei's tank at Chatrik Khunou installed during the time of Sir Churachand Maharaj, the king of Manipur.

Moreover, Lainingthou Sanamahi (The origin of soul) is worshipped by the Tangkhuls in Luira festival before the Sowing season as Ameo, Taipang sampa mapu as Thuruikhong kept in the house of Wungva or piba or chieftain or each clans.

According to Meetie's philosophy, Soul (Sanamahi) means Yaibi-Thawai (elements from stars) and image of God (almighty God) means Meeral (Shadow of God) are two important matters of human being. Human body is regarded as a temple of God, where Yaibi-Thawai (holy spirit of God in the form of fire fly or Tandal) used to haunt.

Thus soul was implanted inside, the first human body by Almighty God (Sitapa Mapu) and it was done after thumping on the top of the head (forehead/ cortex) at 5 month baby kid and at the age of 6 month, the shadow (Meeral) was implanted at the body of Kid.

Here, we can refer the similarity to the last function of death ceremony of Tangkhul ie. Thisham (transportation or Sending off the Souls of the dead). It was celebrated at the end of the year and one astonishing feature was that the number of lights (like a row of fireflies in the darkness of a summer night) Seen was equal to the number of persons died in the village that year.

Prominent person were seen with big lights and children with dimmer lights. Still, it is believed that these row of tourch light were seen moving farther and farther away like a row of fireflies on the slopes of Ango hills (Ukhrul) in the darkness. Not only this Pakhangphal (Boy's Dormitory) and Leisaphal (Girl's Dormitory) are also found in Tangkhul Society. In short, the Tangkhul and Meetei are sons of the soil.