Languages | |
---|---|
Zeliangrong languages | |
Religion | |
Christianity (majority), Tingkao Ragwang Chapriak, Paupaise and Heraka. | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Other Naga tribes |
![]() | This article possibly contains original research .(January 2024) |
Zeliangrong people are one of the major indigenous Naga communities living in the tri-junction of Assam, Manipur and Nagaland in India. They are the descendants of Nguiba. The term "Zeliangrong" refers to the Zeme, Liangmai and Rongmei Kindred tribes combined. [1] Earlier, the term also covered the Inpui tribe. [2] The descendants of Hoi of Makuilongdi (Makhel) were divided and were made peripheral appendages to three political entities - Nagaland , Manipur and the Dima Hasao (N.C Hill district) of Assam. The Zeliangrong may be classified as an ethno-cultural entity. The Zeliangrong belong to the larger Southern Mongoloid population and their language belongs to the Sino-Tibetan family of languages. [3]
The ethnonym ‘Zeliangrong’ is derived from 3 words ZE-LIANG-RONG. ZE from Zeme, LIANG from Liangmai and Rong from Rongmei. It traced back to the three kindred tribes. The three tribes are the Zeme (dwellers of the warmer) or Mejahme (lower region), Liangmai (men of the North) the original Northerner; on the other hand the term Rongmei (people settled in the south) and finally Inpui (Puimei).
The word Zeliangrong was first coined on 15 February 1947 at Keishamthong Imphal. [4] The terminology Zeliangrong was coined in coherence with the solidarity movement after India's independence.
The population of Zeliangrong in Assam, Manipur and Nagaland is estimated to be around 4.9 - 5 lakhs (approx). According to 2011 census data of India. In Nagaland state; Zeme and Liangmai numbers around 84,877. Whereas, In Manipur holds around 186,158. Hence, Rongmei holds a number of 197,908 in Manipur. Zeme Liangmai and Rongmei also settled in Dima Hasao District of Assam and other parts Assam which holds to be in between 50 and 60 thousands.
When it comes to religion, majority of Zeliangrong follow Christianity.
At present, the non-Christian Zeliangrongs follow three faiths, namely the the Heraka, Poupei Chapriak (in Assam) and Tingkao Ragwang Chapriak (in Manipur), all venerating Tingkao Ragwang (Tingwang in short), the supreme deity of the Zeliangrong pantheon.
The Zeliangrongs have been living in the present location of their land since time immemorial, in a compact and contiguous geographical setting of approximately 12,000 km2 lying between 93 degrees E and 94 degree E longitude and 94.40 degrees and 24 degrees N latitude in N. C Hills of Assam; Peren district of Nagaland; Tamenglong district, Senapati district, Kangvai subdivision of Churachanpur district, Jiribam subdivision of Imphal district, Imphal valley and Cachar district along with various villages and its adjoining slopes in Manipur.
Earlier Manipur had only 9 districts but due to administrative changes, it led to formation of 7 new districts namely Kamjong, Kakching, Noney, Kangpokpi, Tengnoupal, Pherzawl and Jiribam. [5]
Nagaland is a state in the north-eastern region of India. It is bordered by the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh to the north, Assam to the west, Manipur to the south, and the Naga Self-Administered Zone of the Sagaing Region of Myanmar (Burma) to the east. Its capital city is Kohima and its largest city is the twin Chümoukedima–Dimapur. The state has an area of 16,579 square kilometres (6,401 sq mi) with a population of 1,980,602 as per the 2011 Census of India, making it one of the smallest states of India.
Dima Hasao district, is an administrative district in the state of Assam, India. As of 2011, it is the least populous district of Assam.
Imphal East district is one of the 16 districts of Manipur state in northeastern India. In 2011, it was the second most populous district in the state, after Imphal West. In 2016, the Jiribam subdivision, which was an exclave at the western periphery of the state, was separated as an independent district.
Senapati, is one of the 16 districts of the Indian state of Manipur. The present Senapati district was formed in December 2016, after spawning off the Sadar Hills region in the south into a separate Kangpokpi district. The district headquarter is located in the municipality of Tahamzam.
Gaidinliu Pamei popularly known as Rani Gaidinliu was a Naga spiritual and freedom fighter, political leader who led a revolt against British rule in India. At the age of 13, she joined the Heraka religious movement of her cousin Haipou Jadonang. The movement later turned into a political movement seeking to drive out the British from Manipur. Within the Heraka faith, she came to be considered an incarnation of the Goddess Cherachamdinliu. Gaidinliu was arrested in 1932 at the age of 16, and was sentenced to life imprisonment by the British rulers. Jawaharlal Nehru met her at Shillong Jail in 1937, and promised to pursue her release. Nehru gave her the title of "Rani" ("Queen"), and she gained local popularity as Rani Gaidinliu.
The Zeme people, also known as the Zeme Nagas, are a Tibeto-Burmese ethnic group from Northeast India. Their villages are mostly spread across Peren district in Nagaland; Tamenglong district, Senapati district in Manipur and Dima Hasao district in Assam.
The Rongmeis are one of the Naga ethnic communities of North-East India. They are recognised as a scheduled tribe (STs) in the Constitution of India.
The Zemeic, Zeme, Zeliangrong or Western Naga are a languages branch of Sino-Tibetan languages spoken mostly in Indian state of Nagaland, Assam and Manipur in northeast India. It may have close relationship with other Naga languages pending further research. The corresponding ethnic group is the Zeliangrong people. There were 63,529 Zeliang-speaking people in India in 2011.
Naga nationalism is an ideology that supports the self-determination of the Naga people in India and Myanmar, and the furtherance of Naga culture.
Rongmei is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Rongmei Naga community in Northeast India. It has been called Songbu and is close to Zeme and Liangmai. The language has been nomenclatured as "Ruangmei" and studied as a First Language paper from class I to X of Board of Secondary Education, Manipur. Ruangmei is studied as a Minor Indian Language (MIL) in Class XI & XII of Council of Higher Secondary Education Manipur (COHSEM).
Zeme is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken in northeastern India. It is one of the dialects spoken by the Zeme Naga, the other being Mzieme.
Lianglad is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by Liangmai Naga community in India. It has been called Kwoireng and is particularly close to Zeme and Rongmei.
Inpui or Puiron is a Naga language spoken in different villages of Senapati district, Tamenglong district, Noney District, and Imphal district in Manipur, and in some areas in Nagaland, India. Speakers of Inpui and Rongmei are subsumed under single ethnic group Kabui. But the two major ethnic groups have different languages and identity. Even though they are considered to be cognate ethnic group. The speakers of this language use Meitei language as their second language (L2) according to the Ethnologue.
Jadonang Malangmei (1905–1931), popularly known as Haipou Jadonang, was a Naga spiritual leader and political activist from Manipur, British India. He established the Heraka religious movement, which was based on the ancestral Naga religion, and declared himself to be the "messiah king" of the Nagas. His movement was widespread in the Zeliangrong territory before the conversion to Christianity. He also espoused the cause of an independent Naga kingdom, which brought him in conflict with the colonial British rulers of India. He was hanged by the British in 1931, and succeeded by his cousin Rani Gaidinliu.
Lui Ngai Ni is the seed-sowing festival celebrated by the Naga tribes of Manipur India. The festival heralds the season of seed sowing and marks the start of the year for the Nagas and the festival was declared a state holiday since 1988.
Tingkao Ragwang Chapriak (TRC) is one of the two traditional religions followed by the Zeliangrong people of Assam, Manipur and Nagaland states in North Eastern India. It is a polytheistic religion based on the fundamental belief of Tingkao Ragwang, the supreme god or almighty and other smaller brotherly gods.
Gaan-Ngai is a festival of the Zeliangrong people of Assam, Manipur and Nagaland states in North Eastern India. Gaan-Ngai is a festival of light, celebrating the victory of light over evil and the commemoration of the coming of light or fire. It is a post harvest festival celebrated to thank the God Tingkao Ragwang for a good harvest season and heralds the beginning of a new year. The festival is celebrated for five days with various rituals, prayers and festivities such as music, dance and feast accompanying the same.
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.
Ramkuiwangbe Jeme Newme is an Indian social worker from Assam. He is a retired Elementary Education Officer from Dima Hasao district of Assam. The Government of India awarded him the Padma Shri in 2023 for his lifelong efforts to promote education, eradicate sacrifice and protect and preserve the Heraka movement of the Naga people.