Darkhuang, also known as Zamluang (Jamluang) , is a large brass musical drum used as part of cultural activities of dance and festival revelry in the State of Mizoram in the northeastern part of India. It is a costly drum. [1] [2] Beating of this dar or drum or gong is known in the local Mizo language as "Darkhuang-Tum" and the central knob or boss is known as "Darkhuang-Tum Pawn". In ancient days it was an important musical instrument used to convey or exchange messages. [3] It is also used to convey messages of mourning to distant areas and is therefore known as Zamluang. [2] Since the last several decades it is used in the legislative assembly hall of the Government of Mizoram to take quorum calls of the assembly at its every morning and evening sessions. [4] This gong's cultural usage is also said to be as a dowry gift demanded by the bride's parents, which is attested by the following verse. [1]
Chawngvungi her price so high
I gave necklace hut they refused,
I gave a gong and they refused
They demanded our sacred gong,
Chawngvungi, her price unsurpassed"
The Darkhuang gongs were originally imported from Myanmar (earlier known as Burma) in sets of three gongs with varying modulations giving sounds of emotion. [5] However, Mizos have developed local types which are made in two sizes; the larger gong is known as Darkhuang while the smaller gong is called as Darmang; The collective name of the gongs is dar. These instruments are commonly used during festivals, known as Khuangchawi or Thangchhua, [6] where the Khuallam dance (a mixed-gender dance) is performed. [5]
A large Darkhuang gong measures 3.41 spans in circumference with a diameter of one span (unit conversion 1 span = 9 inches), [2] and has a circular projection at the center which is struck to make the sound. As the drum is considered precious by the people of Mizoram it is normally kept in a basket and is taken out only on special occasions for use. [7]
Mizoram is a state in northeastern India, with Aizawl as its capital city. The name is derived from "Mizo", the name of the native inhabitants, and "Ram", which means land, and thus Mizoram means "land of the Mizos". Within the northeast region, it is the southernmost landlocked state, sharing borders with three of the Seven Sister States, namely Tripura, Assam and Manipur. The state also shares a 722-kilometre border with the neighbouring countries of Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Northeast India is the easternmost region of India representing both a geographic and political administrative division of the country. It comprises eight states – Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. The region shares an international border of 5,182 kilometres (3,220 mi) with several neighbouring countries – 1,395 kilometres (867 mi) with Tibet Autonomous Region, China in the north, 1,640 kilometres (1,020 mi) with Myanmar in the east, 1,596 kilometres (992 mi) with Bangladesh in the south-west, 97 kilometres (60 mi) with Nepal in the west, and 455 kilometres (283 mi) with Bhutan in the north-west. It comprises an area of 262,230 square kilometres (101,250 sq mi), almost 8 percent of that of India.
Hmar are ethnic Mizo group in northeast India, western Burma and eastern Bangladesh.
Mizo Union was the first political party in Mizoram, northeast India. It was founded on 6 April 1946 at Aizawl as the Mizo Common People's Union. At the time of independence of India from the british rule in india in 1947, the party was the only political force in the Lushai Hills. It won the first Mizoram District Council general election under the new Indian Union in 1951, and consecutively in 1957, 1962 and 1966.
Mizoram is a region in India. Its folk music consists of vocals (singing) accompanied by traditional drums, gong and other native percussion instruments. There is also a long history of flute-playing which is now defunct. The drums are made from a hollow tree trunk with membrane made from cow hide and the gongs, made of brass, are very similar to those found in Myanmar.
The Mizo people are Zo people native to north-eastern India. This term covers several ethnic peoples who speak various Kuki-Chin languages. The Mizos are indigenous people in the Indian state of Mizoram and its neighboring areas. All Mizo tribes and clans, in their folk legends, claim that Chhinlung/Sinlung/Khul, which means 'enclosed with a rock' in the Mizo languages, was the cradle of the Mizos.
The history of Mizoram basically encompasses the history of Mizoram which lies in the remotest part of northeast India. It is a conglomerate history of several ethnic groups of Chin people who migrated from Chin State of Burma. But information of their patterns of westward migration are based on oral history and archaeological inferences, hence nothing definite can be said. The recorded history started relatively recently around the mid-19th century when the adjoining regions were occupied by the British monarchy. The land is now inhabited by a mixture of people from Chin Hills and Bangladesh and its history is therefore largely reflected by those of Lusei, Hmar, Lai, Mara and Chakmas tribes. Following religious, political and cultural revolutions in the mid-20th century majority of the people agglomerated into a super tribe, Mizo. Hence the officially recognised settlement of the Mizos became Mizoram.
The Kukis constitute one of several hill tribes within India, Bangladesh, and Burma. Zo people (Mizo) are known as Chin in the Chin State of Myanmar, as Mizo in the State of Mizoram and as Kuki in the state of Manipur in India are a number of related Tibeto-Burman tribal peoples spread throughout the northeastern states of India, northwestern Burma, and the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. In Northeast India, they are present in all states except Arunachal Pradesh. This dispersal across international borders is a culmination of punitive actions made by the British during their occupation of India.
The Mizo language, or Mizo ṭawng, is a Kuki-Chin-Mizo language belonging to the Tibeto-Burman family of languages, spoken natively by the Mizo people in the Mizoram state of India and Chin State in Burma. The language is also known as Duhlian, a colonial term, as the Duhlian people were the first among the Mizos to be encountered by the British in the course of their colonial expansion. The Mizo language is mainly based on Lusei dialect but it has also derived many words from its surrounding Mizo sub-tribes and sub-clan. Now, Mizo language or Mizo ṭawng is the lingua franca of Mizoram and its surrounding areas and to a lesser extent of Burma and Bangladesh and in India in some parts of Assam, Tripura and Manipur. Many poetic language is derived from Pawi, Paite, and Hmar, and most known ancient poems considered to be Mizo are actually in Pawi. Mizo is the official language of Mizoram, along with English, and there have been efforts to have it included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India.
Jampui Hills is a part of the Mizo hills range located in the North Tripura district in the north eastern part of the Indian state of Tripura. The average altitude of the hill range is approximately 1000 metres above sea level.
The Halam community are various tribes native to the state of Tripura and Assam, Mizoram in India. The name Halam was coined by the Tipra Maharaja. As per their oral tradition they called themselves "Riam", which literally means "Human being". And lyrically they also call themselves "Riamrai, Reivon, Longvon, Manyâ, Chepvon etc.". The Halam are further divided into 12 sub-tribes, namely Chorei, Molsom, Hrangkhol, Kaipeng, Kalai, Ranglong, Khelma Saimâr, Bongcher, Korbwng, Dab and Rupini.
The Zo people are an ethnic group of India, Bangladesh and Myanmar. The word Zo is used to describe an ethnic group, also known as the Mizo, the Kuki, the Zomi, the Chin and a number of other names based on geographic distribution, are a large group of related Tibeto-Burman peoples spread throughout the northeastern states of India, northwestern Myanmar (Burma) and the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. In northeastern India, they are present in: Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur and Assam. This dispersal across international borders resulted from a British colonial policy that drew borders on political grounds rather than ethnic ones. They speak more than fifty dialects.
The Biates are one of the hill tribes of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and Manipur .Their language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman family. Spread over many parts of North-East India, they have a unique identity with a rich and distinctive history, culture, dialect and religious heritages. They are one of the oldest hill tribes of North East India especially among the Chin-Kuki-Mizo family. The term Biate comes from the word Bia-te. The word ‘Bia’ or ‘Biak’ means ‘speak’ or ‘worship’. ‘Te’ is a suffix denoting plurality. Hence, the two words combine to form the word Biate, which means worshipper.
Ranglong language is a Kuki-Chin language of India and Burma. It is also recorded as Langrong by UNESCO and declared as critically endangered language.
The Chapchar Kut is a festival of Mizoram, India. It is celebrated during March after completion of their most arduous task of jhum operation i.e., jungle-clearing. It is a spring festival celebrated with great favour and gaiety.
The Darlong people are a small tribe living in the state of Tripura, India. The Darlong call themselves ‘hriam’ or ‘manmasi’. They constitute less than one percent of the population of Tripura.Under Darlong communities are mizo, halam and other kuki tribes.
Mizoram is a state in the northeast of India. Mizoram is considered by many as a beautiful place due to its dramatic landscape and pleasant climate. There have been many attempts to increase revenue through tourism but many potential tourists find the lack of amenities to be a hurdle. However, the State continues to promote itself and many projects have been initiated. The tourism ministry continues to maintain or upgrade its tourist lodges throughout the state. Foreign tourists are required to obtain an 'inner line permit' under the special permit before visiting. The permit can be obtained from Indian missions abroad for a limited number of days or direct from Mizoram Government authorities within India. The state is rich in bird diversity, which has the potentiality to make it a major birding destination. For Mrs Hume's pheasant, Mizoram is a stronghold. There is also a rare record of the wild water buffalo from the state. There are several past records of the Sumatran rhinoceros from Mizoram, then Lushai Hills. The small population of wild elephants can be seen in Ngengpui and Dampa Sanctuaries. Some of the interesting sites are Mizo Poets' Square also known as Mizo Hlakungpui Mual in Mizo, the Great Megaliths locally known as 'Kawtchhuah Ropui'.
Laltluangliana Khiangte is an Indian scholar, playwright and poet of Mizo literature. He was the principal of the Serampore College and a former professor of the North Eastern Hill University. As of December 2020, he is a professor in the Department of Mizo at Mizoram University. He is a recipient of the Pu Buanga Award, the highest literary award of the Mizo Academy of Letters. The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of the Padma Shri, in 2006, for his contributions to Indian literature.
Mizo Culture is the culture of the Mizo people. Mizo culture is rooted in the arts and ways of life of Mizo's in India, Bangladesh and Myanmar
The hill tribes of Northeast India are hill people, mostly classified as Scheduled Tribes (STs), who live in the Northeast India region. This region has the largest proportion of scheduled tribes in the country.
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