Hmar people

Last updated

Hmar
Women's Hockey5s Medallist Ceremony YOG18 14-10-2018 (041) (cropped).jpg
Lalremsiami Hmarzote, a Hmar field hockey player
Regions with significant populations
India [1]
Languages
Hmar language
Religion
Majority: Christianity Minority: Animism
Related ethnic groups
Mizo people

Hmar people are a scheduled tribe ethnic group [2] [3] from the states of Manipur, [4] [5] Mizoram, [6] Assam, [7] and Meghalaya [8] in Northeast India. They use the Hmar language as their primary language. In 2023, the Hmar Inpui, an apex body of the tribe 'reaffirmed' the identity of the Hmar people as Mizo.

Contents

Population

According to the 2011 Indian Census, there were 98,988 Hmar speakers (as first language). [9] The Hmar population itself (including Hmar people who speak Mizo language as their first language) roughly stands at 200,000–300,000. [10] Several critics and scholars point out that a significant population of the Hmar people are fully 'Mizonised' in Mizoram, hence do not reflect as "Hmar tribe" population, rather as "Any Mizo tribes" in census reports.

Language

Hmar people use the Hmar language, which closely resembles the Mizo language and uses the Roman script. [11] The script was introduced by British missionaries, including 'Pu Buanga' (James Herbert Lorrain), during the colonial era in India and is locally known as the 'A Aw B.' [12] Hmar language is within the Tibeto-Burman stock of languages. [13]

Religion

The majority of the Hmar people practice Christianity. [14] [15] They were Christianized by Welsh missionaries in the 1910s (specifically at Senvawn village). Animism was dominated among them. [15]

Place of origin

The Hmar people believe Sinlung to be their ancestral origin. [16]

Notable people

Politicians
NameNotes
HT Sangliana Indian policeman and former Lok Sabha MP. A South Indian movie, Sangliyana, was made in honor of him.
Robert Romawia Royte MLA from Mizoram and owner of Aizawl FC.
Ngurdinglien Sanate Former Minister from Manipur.
Lalnghinglova Hmar Current Minister of State (Sports) and MLA from Mizoram.
Ngursanglur Sanate Current MLA from Manipur.
Lalhmingthanga Hrangchal Former Deputy Chief Minister of Mizoram, Chief of Mizoram People's Conference.
Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl Politician from Tripura.
PachhungaFirst President of the Mizo Union.
Chaltonlien AmoFormer Minister from Manipur. [17] [18]
Lalmuanpuia Punte Current Political Advisor [19] [20] to Lalduhoma and MLA, Mizoram.
K. Sapdanga Current Home Minister, Mizoram.
Sportspersons
NameContribution(s)
Lalremsiami India women's national field hockey team player
Marina Lalramnghaki Hmar India women's national field hockey team player
David Lalhlansanga India national football team member
Alfred Lalroutsang youngest ever player to play in the Indian Super League at the age of 16 years.
Lalrinliana Hnamte Indian professional footballer.
Lalvarmoi HmarIndian professional footballer.
Lalram Luaha Indian professional footballer
Hmar Zothanchhunga Indian professional cricketer.
Nazareth Lalthazuala HmarIndian professional mixed martial artist.
Academics & Authors
NameNotes
Rochunga Pudaite Included the Hmar people, Anāl people, and many others as one of the Schedule Tribes of India, 1956, and the founder of Bibles for the World. [21]
Lal Dena Manipur historian.
Lalthlamuong Keivom Former Indian diplomat and writer of Zoram Khawvel series.
Zirsangzela Hnamte Author.
Lallukhum FimateFormer Director, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences [22] and Zoram Medical College. [23]
Singers, Composers & Musicians
NameNotes
Mami Varte Singer
Esther Hnamte Singer
LalruotmawiSinger
BuonglienkungComposer
ThangngurComposer
LienrumComposer

Clans (Pahnam)

Darngawn
RuolngulFaihengTlauFatlei
BanzangSinateFamhawite (Famhoite)Chonghmunte
LamchangteSanate
Faihriem
SaivateKhawralKhawkhengTuollai
TuimuolBapuiTusingKhawlum
SekongSelingThlangnungSalhmar
DulienAimuolKhawhrangSote
Thanghnieng
Ngurtedescendants of Santleichal
SanateSaingurZallienBungran
ChiluonSingaTuolthlaPara Thla
PusingathlaSaidangthla
Hrangkhol
PonatuPhuoitongDumkerCholkha
Khuolhring (Khawlhring)
LungenThlauteMidangLeidir
SuoklingChunthangLozunPieltel
MilaiRawlsimKhintungZahrin
Khawbungdescendants of Tingkul
Fenate (Fente)PangamtePazamteRiengsete
LaisingMuolpheiPhunte (Punte)Bunglung
SierthlangSiersak
Lawitlang
HrangchalLaiasungSielasungDarasung
TungteSungteSuomteTlawmte
Chawnsim
Rawite
PieltuSawrteBuiteArro
ZateAiteHnungteSeldo
Zote [24] (Joute)descendants of Vanso
PusieteChuonkhupSingphunHriler
ChawnghauChawngvawrBuonsuongChawngtuol
BarkhawlaiTlangteParateSaihmang (Saiate, Sailung, Saite)
NgaiateChawnhniengDarteDarkhawlai
VaithangThangsuokMaubukHrangngam
HrangdoHrangateChawngsieksimNgaite (Hauler, Tlurha, Saichawnkhup, Sailientuol)
HmangteChante (Chamte)HrangsoteParate (Bualthang, Khawtial, Rualngai, Zani)
Leiri
NeingaitePuruoltePudaitePulamte
PuhnuongteThlandar
Changsan
ZilchungZilhmangNgulthuomNgaithuom
HrawteHranhniengChailengThangngen
KelluArmei
Ṭhiek [25]
AthuAmaw (Amo)TuolorThilsong
BuhrilHekteRalsunChawnghekte
Thluchung (TC)KungateSelateTuolte
ṬaiteHnamteKangburKhawzawl
LalumLaldauSaibungVankal
PangotePangulteKhawbuolPakhumate
KhumthurKhumsenThlihranTamte
HmanteChawnnelZate
Lungṭau
MihriemateSongateInfimate (Fimate)Nungate
IntoateLungchuongInbuonPasulate
Keivawm (Keivom)TamhrangSielhnamTheisiekate
ThlawngateKhumsenKhumthurSunate

Ethnic Cultural Items

Traditional Shawls
NameOriginal Designer
HmarpuonFimneizo
Thangsuopuon
Ngoteker
Puonlaisen
Hmaram

Legacy

The Hmar people are credited to be the first settlers of Champhai, Mizoram until they left the place and the Ralte people came in to later occupy it. [26] Old stone structures, such as the Sikpui Lung (a monolith associated with a particular festival of the Hmar people) can still be found to this day. The inscription on the monolith reads:

HE LUNG HI HMANLAI HMAR HO SIKPUI A NI TIN KEINI KUM 28.12.1918 A HIAN KAN AWM TA. ZAHULA SAILO

Rough Translation:

This is the stone erected by the Hmars in the past to commemorate Sikpui, and we have now occupied this place from 28.2.1918, Zahula Sailo

The Sikpui Hlapui is associated with the Hmar people. This folk song is used by the Bnei Menashe people of Northeast India to claim an alleged connection to the state of Israel. [27] [28]

Literature

Vanlal Tluonga Bapui

Lal Dena

L Fimate

RH Hminglien

FT Hminga

HC Hrangate

Lalhmuoklien

SN Ngurte

Ruolnekhum Pakhuongte

Jonathan Pudaite

Rochunga Pudaite

Rosiem Pudaite

John H. Pulamte

Darsanglien Ruolngul

Ngurthangkhum Sanate

Thangsawihmang Sawngate

Lalthankhum Sinate

Hranglien Songate

JC Thangsiem

Hrilrokhum Thiek

H Thuomte

H Zaneisang

Timothy Z Zote

Robert L Sungte

Immanuel Zarzosang

Piani Hmar

See also

References

  1. ↑ Census of India 2011 (2011). "Hmar" Language – India, State and Union Territories (PDF). Office of the Registrar General, India. p. 9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ↑ https://tribal.nic.in/ST/LatestListofScheduledtribes.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  3. ↑ https://tribal.nic.in/WriteReadData/CMS/Documents/201212010344115039062File1061.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  4. ↑ https://data.gov.in/resource/population-mother-tongue-2011-manipur [ bare URL ]
  5. ↑ "Scheduled Tribes" (PDF). DISTRICT CENSUS HANDBOOK CHURACHANDPUR (PDF). Directorate of Census Operations Manipur. 2011. p. 28.
  6. ↑ https://data.gov.in/resource/population-mother-tongue-2011-mizoram [ bare URL ]
  7. ↑ https://data.gov.in/resource/population-mother-tongue-2011-assam [ bare URL ]
  8. ↑ "Open Government Data (OGD) Platform India". data.gov.in. 21 January 2022. Archived from the original on 13 May 2024. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  9. ↑ Census of India 2011 (2011). "Hmar" – Language: India, States and Union Territories (Table C-16) (PDF). Office of the Registrar General, India. p. 9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ↑ ritimo (30 June 2011). "Hmar Struggles for Autonomy in Mizoram, India". ritimo (in French). Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  11. ↑ Lallungawi (2022). Hmar Grammar.
  12. ↑ Vanlalawmpuia, C (2024). "Ṭawngkasuok: Traditional Sayings of the Hmar People". Mizoram University Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences. X (1).
  13. ↑ Government of India (2011). "Census of India 2011: PAPER 1 OF 2018. LANGUAGE INDIA, STATES AND UNION TERRITORIES (Table C-16)" (PDF). p. 21.
  14. ↑ Project, Joshua. "Hmar in India". joshuaproject.net. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  15. 1 2 "Hmar and Zomi Tribes, Distribution, Language, Latest News". Vajiram & Ravi. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  16. ↑ Dena, Lal (2008). In Search of Identity: Hmars of North East India. Akansha Publishing House: Delhi.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
  17. ↑ "Dr. Chaltonlien Amo(Indian National Congress(INC)):Constituency- TIPAIMUK(ST)(CHURACHANDPUR) – Affidavit Information of Candidate". myneta.info. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  18. ↑ "Manipur: Senior Congress MLA joins BJP". The Indian Express. 9 January 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  19. ↑ "Appointment of PS to Adviser to Chief Minister" (PDF).
  20. ↑ "Mizoram Legislative Assembly". www.mizoramassembly.in. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  21. ↑ "About". Bibles For The World. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  22. ↑ "New Director RIMS L Fimate". e-pao.net. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  23. ↑ https://mimerfalkawn.edu.in/uploads/attachments/1327694a5fb79c2a96bceef0c08b6edd/zmc-prospectus.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  24. ↑ Hrangchhuana, H.B. (1987). Hmar Chanchin (Hmar History) (1st ed.). India: Hmar Students Association Jt Hqrs Aizawl, Mizoram. pp. 4–10.
  25. ↑ "Hmar Clans" . Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  26. ↑ https://champhai.nic.in/history/
  27. ↑ https://www.degelmenashe.org/bneimenashe
  28. ↑ https://www.dw.com/en/israel-to-admit-thousands-from-indias-jewish-lost-tribe/a-74855366

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.