The Chothes of Manipur

Thao Mingthing Chothe *

Chothe Traditional Dance at BOAT, Imphal on 23 November 2022 :: Pix - Khaba Kh

It is a fact that the Chothe tribe though one of the minority communities in Manipur, had been occupying a big chapter in the annals of the ancient Manipur History. Starting from their great and legendary hero called Chothe Thangwai Pakhangba is not a new story for all of us to learn and to hear.

So, it may not be an exaggeration to say that writing the history of ancient Manipur without mentioning the role of the Chothes in the past, the story of ancient Manipur (Itihas) may remain incomplete in the history of Manipur.

To be precise, Chothes are one of the indigenous tribes in Manipur and its existence in the land can be traced from the earliest periods according to the writings and the accounts left by several writers, scholars and academicians including the foreign writers particularly the Britishers.

Thus, now the Chothe tribes are a well-knit community, maintaining their own unique and distinct culture and traditions in the land of Manipur. The name Chothes are mentioned several times in ancient Chronicles of Manipur, including the Cheitharol Kumpapa and the Royal Chronicle of Moirang Lambuba by Ningthou-khong-jam Khelchandra Singh.

From all these accounts, it is clear enough that Chothes are one of the earliest inhabitants of Manipur. However, regarding the question – whether Chothes are Naga or Kuki, to answer the question, the following points are the shining example for everyone to understand the real identity of the Chothes .

1. In the writing of the W Ibohal Singh “The History of Manipur, an early period”, on page 310, he mentioned that “the Chothes are among the earliest settlers in Manipur who took part in the formation of Meitei and its language but continued to live on the hills, maintaining their separate identity and developed seven clans in the pattern of the valley.”

2. In the writings of Prof Gangmumei “History of Manipur”, (pre-colonial period) and “The Naga Polity” by Dr Horam, both of these renowned writers clearly mentioned Chothe as Naga.

Whatever the opinions or ideas of the different writers on the real identity of the Chothe community, we the Chothes were recognized as Nagas even in the early period of British rule in India.

To authenticate and support my opinion, here one can go through the book, “Gazeeteer of Manipur” by captain EW Dun, BSC published in 1886 by the Superintendent, Govt. Printing Calcutta under the order of Quarter Master General in India,
where a Chothe village called Chumbang in Chandel district nearby Pallel area was personally visited by the said Englishman and in his record book,
ie the “Chumbang” a Chothe village was correctly recorded as Naga by having direct interactions with the people in the village.

Observing and assessing their pattern and way of life, he found Chothes’ lifestyle synonymous with other Naga communities. As a result the Englishman rightly recorded the Chothes as the Nagas in the official books of the British Govt. even before the independence of India.

Chothe Dance at the Festival of Tribal Dance on March 26 2012 :: Pix - Phurailatpam Banti

Again another evidence of knowing the real identity of the Chothes or correct nomenclature of Naga term for the Chothe tribe was in 1913 that there was an order issued by the President Manipur State Durbar regarding a land dispute be- tween a Chothe village called Lamlanghupi near Bishenpur and the neighbouring Bishenpur Kha Meiteis in which the claim of the Chothes were found genuine and the word “Chothe Naga people” was clearly mentioned in the order.

Besides, we the Chothes have been paying taxes of land and houses to the Govt. and in our Pattas (Jama-bandi), the term Naga is always mentioned in the leaflet. From the above mentioned points, it is clear that the joining of the Chothes or assimilation of the Chothes with other Naga communities is not an accidental event. It has a big and long historical background and enough reasons to affiliate to the present UNC organization in Manipur.

Lastly the UNC also published in the local newspaper both in The Sangai Express and Poknapham on 10th June 2023 under the heading “Don’t Harm the Nagas” and “Don’t Drag the Nagas In” in which the UNC has already clarified and pointed out the real identity of the Chothe tribe in Manipur.