18 August Page 2

Imphal Times Supplementary issue 2 Editorial Manipur: The Boiling Bowl of Ethnicity Saturday August 18, 2018 By- Dr. Aaron Lungleng The Land of Jewel or Switzerland the present habitat. Some were due language. Names such as ‘Hung/ Therefore, Makhel occupy a very of India has now become the to pressure of population and wung’/Tatar etc. and other names like, important place from a historical Unsettle crisis epicenter of ethnic conflict apparent some due to ecological and ‘Hungshi’ ‘Yang’ among the point of view not only for the Mao The one thing that the people of the state would to tremor any time suspected of environmental hazards and for Tangkhul Naga traced their history alone but for the Nagas as a whole. perhaps be pining for at present is “if only….”. erupting ethnic inferno. The boiling some, due to socio-political issues to Hwang-Ho River or China. Human (Maheo M. Lorho, 2004). If only-the state government would have heeded bowl lies in the North-Eastern region (Shinmi, 1988). “One of the factor sacrifices when chiefs died drawn The Nagas is a generic name the protests of the people and the opposition at of Indian Sub-continent, between of their migration within Asia was parallel practices among the Chinese applies to all the people inhabiting the outset before any instrument is being finalized 23.5oN-25.3oN Latitude and 93.4oE- the expansion of the Chinese Han and Nagas are some of the instances. in the Naga Hills that refers to the o either for settling of the vex Naga issue. If only- 95.3 E Longitudes. The total area of people pushing southwards as The Chinese and Nagas share a confluence of India, China and the state government have understand the emotion Manipur is 22,327 sq. Km. Out of population grew in the valley of common belief that the spirit of a Myanmar. The area which lies at the which only 2,238 sq.km is valley the Yellow River (Gerald, 1972). person could work actively; these are tri-junction is about 1, 20,000 sq.km of the public. If only- the state government have while, the remaining areas are They filled up sub-tropical and the few illustrations of the common lies within 93°E-96°E longitudes and been more transparent in its dealings, especially covered by Hills. The people of tropical China and the pressure of belief of the Sino-Nagas from the very 23 ½ °N-28°N latitudes (Raising et. when it concerns the interest of the public. If only- Manipur State are distinctly grouped population triggered the ancient times. al.,1994). In the word of J.P. Mills the state government have recollect the series of into three main ethnic communities. momentum which sets off ripples Oral traditions abound among (1922), the area inhabited by the events that occurred in the state as the fall of Meiteis (inclusive of the Meitei of migration which affected the the many Naga tribes regarding how Naga is “bounded by the Hukawng wrong decision that hurt the sentiments of the Bamon and the Meitei Pangans). whole of Asia (Sardesai, 1981). they came, dispersed, etc., Folk songs, valley in the northeast, the plain of people. Whereas, the hills are inhabited These immigrants’ tribe took folk tales and stories of Nagas tells Brahmaputra valley to the north- The present situation is a result of the failure predominantly by the tribal dividing different routes. Some took the the latest waves of migration and the west, Cachar to the south-west and of the state government to perform its most basic into two main ethnic-dominations Himalayan section which extends particular spot from where they took Chindwin (river) to the east. In the function- that of ensuring the welfare of its people- namely, Nagas in the north, east and down through the Patkai, Arakan off are traced back to China as their south, the Manipur valley roughly economically and politically. The perennial effort west whereas Chin-Kuki-Mizos in Yoma, and Banda Arch towards root habitation. According to marks the point of contact between the South. It will be worthy to study Sumatra and Java, and some took Shimray, R.R. (1985), the Nagas had the Naga tribes and the very much to appease the central government and to be in the sensitivities among the the Pacific section extend from first followed the southward more closely interrelated group of its good books, and worse still, to maintain and ambiguous ethnic anthology within Formosa through the Philippines, movement and after reaching the Kuki-Chin-Mizo tribe. increase their coterie of unscrupulous racketeers one administrative entity. Borneo and on to Japan. Smith, coast or some island, they turned The area of the present and swindlers to do their dirty deeds and biddings The Nagas 1925, Hodson, 1911, Hutton, 1921, north-west, but left their brothers Nagaland State is 16,579 Sq. Km and have distanced the so called peoples’ William Watson (1961), basically for Vissie, 2008 argued that perhaps somewhere near the coast or perhaps the Nagas areas in Manipur measure representatives from the public. Distrust, suspicion much of history, South East Asian the Nagas were among those in some island. They take the 15,519 sq. Km. Many Nagas such as and lack of communication increases as a result. earliest settlers were Paleolithic or tribes who migrated from China and westward movement and finally Somras Tangkhul, Kongyaks, The declaration by the major civil society pre-Paleolithic food gatherers, settled on the way in the Naga Hills. reached Burma from there they came Khiemngans, and Yimchungers etc. organization of the state as well as the main hunters, fishers and folk who had The sinologist Derk Bodde posits to the present hills. The hypothesis are living in the Naga Hills of Burma opposition political parties including Congress to made the transition to stone-using in The Cambridge History of of the Nagas that come from the sea (Myanmar). Today, one will find the convene a special state assembly session to discuss culture. A Hindu epic tells the China stated that “for every man cost or at least from some islands is Nagas in four divided folds in India presence of the Mongoloids in India whom Meng Tian could put to strengthened by the lifestyle of the and another two folds in the province the issue and to take a consensus harms none to as early as 2500-2000 BC. work at the scene of actual Nagas and the ornaments being used of Kachins and Shans State of Burma the ruling BJP led govt. as it is a matter of the Archaeological excavations found, construction of the Great Wall of till today. Their fondness of cowrie (Myanmar) numbering to 4 million in state. such as stone and bone tools, as China, dozens must have been shells for beautifying the dress, and population” (www.tangkhul.com The voice of the opposition on the present steps well as animal remains as evidence needed to build approaching roads use of conch shells as ornaments assessed 21/4/2010). In the Indian being taken up by the state government as not of Stone Age habitation in the four and to transport supplies”(Bodde (precious, valuable and prestigious side, there are 16 tribes in Nagaland trustworthy conveys the manner in which the public caves of Khangkhui Caves located 1978, p. 63). This was supported to them are marine gastropods which and 32 tribes in Manipur, Assam and have come to view those at the helm of affairs. It near Khangkhui, some 11 kilometers by the Han dynasty are found only on the sea beaches) Arunachal Pradesh. Tanai would not be an exaggeration to state that the (6.8 mi) southeast of Ukhrul statesman Zhufu Yan’s description and the fact that the Nagas have many in Kachin state of Myanmar is present set of ministers and MLAs has shifted their District on the border with Upper of Qin Shi Huang’s Ordos project customs and way of life very similar populated by the Tangshang Nagas focus from governance towards profiteering. Every Burma (Sharma, T.C. Pandey S.N. Ed. in 128 BC. “When the populace to that of those living in the remote while Khamti Township is populated single activity is being carried out on consideration 1985). The first evidence had become, tired and weary, they part of Borneo, Sarawak, Indonesia, altogether by all the Naga tribes. of Pleistocene man in the northeast started to disperse and escape. Malaysia etc. indicates that their Around 120000 Nagas are said settle of money and personal benefits and nothing else. India dates back to about 30,000 BC. The orphans, the frail, the ancient abode was near the sea, if not in the Naga Self-Administered Zone The practice had thus been institutionalized leading Other notable caves nearby include widowed and the seniors were in some Islands. It is also said that in (Sagaing Division). Therefore, the to a trickle-down effect. Hunding Caves, 11 kilometers desperately trying to escape from remote past one party having pierced stretch of Naga Hills in the tri- When thoughts about how to remain in power (6.8 miles) south of Ukhrul (Ukhrul their appallingly derelict state and ears left Chiangmai area in Thailand. junction of China, India, and filled the mind of those ruling the state, bureaucrats district), Purul Cave in Purul wandered away from their home This group of people with pierced ears Myanmar is the home of the Nagas and other political advisor had failed to give good (Senapati District) and the Song (Yap 2009, p.

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