15.4 Conclusion
As observed, the interrelationship of Hamai Primal Religion, Christianity, and the indigenous reformed movement Heraka and Tingkao Ragwang Champriak (TRC) during the last hundred years and more are significant.
Primal religious tenets have played a central role in the Hamai community, explicitly or implicitly up to now. Despite it losing the battle and being disseminated, its spectre continues to visit the Hamai community primarily at the subconscious level. The reformed movements embarked on in Heraka and TRC have shown the richness of Hamai’s religion and culture. Moreover, the transformation of these sects deriving several tenets of Christianity and other religions for their survival, enrichment, relevance, and adaptability in the (post)modern world is critical. Hamai religion and its offshoots, Heraka and TRC, are at par with other major religions worldwide. In a nutshell, Hamai indigenous vision is a significant aspect of the community; it encompasses all spheres of life, living, and actions.Notes
1 The word ‘Hamai’ is the traditional name of the Zeliangrong community, which includes cognate communities, namely Inpui, Liangmai, Rongmei, and Zeme. The term ‘Hamai’ is preferred as the common nomenclature because of its originality, historicity, and inclusiveness (Taleping 2006; Niumai 2019; Newmai 2009; Daimai 2018 and Newmei 2018).
2 Characheng, meaning God’s way of life, is the primordial religion of the Hamai (Zeliangrong). In this chapter, the terms ‘Characheng’, ‘Poupe Racheng’ (meaning ‘ancestors’ religion’), ‘primal religion of the Hamai’, and ‘primal Hamai religion’ are interchangeably used to denote the same religion.
3 The word ‘Heraka’ is a Zeme word meaning ‘pure’ (Zeliang 1998:3; Newme 1991:1; Longkumer 2010:8 and Zeliang 2010:19). Literally, hera means demigod, and ka signifies ‘fenced out’, ‘avoided’, ‘outcast’.
4 Tingkao Ragwang Chapriak (TRC) is derived from Rongmei words: tingkao signifying heaven, ra meaning god, and gwang meaning king, and chapriak signifying religion. Hence, TRC implies the religion of ‘god of heaven’ or ‘almighty god’. Hereafter, the short form TRC will be used and the long form will be used only in exceptional cases.
5 Heraka and Tingkao Ragwang Chapriak (TRC) can be best considered as two sects or denominations of the reformed primal Hamai religion. They have their origin in the works of Jadonang and Gaidinliu. They are similar in almost all aspects except in linguistic, geographical entities, and belief systems. Heraka is a Liangmai and Zeme dominated group, whereas TRC is a Rongmei dominated religious sect. Heraka followers are based mainly in Assam and Nagaland, whereas TRC followers in Manipur. Heraka believes in monotheism, whereas TRC in polytheism.
6 Interview with Kenhiping Newmai, village elder, Chiang Village, Manipur, April 23, 2021.
7 A history of the Hamai and the Nagas, in general, is traced back to Makhel (Shimray 1985:26). It is from Makhel, the cradle of the Nagas, that the Hamai groups migrated to their present territories. Other languages such as Inpui language, Rongmei language and Zeme language among the present Hamai community are later versions that have root words in Liangmai. These languages evolved after the Makuiluangdi period some hundred years ago.
Inter-village feud was a seasonal event among the Hamais. Each village had two/three enemy villages and only within them war, conflict, and killing occurred (see Newmai 1992). Few villages such as Rianglong Village, in Tamei, Manipur had no enemies and there was no history of war (Interview with K. Palungbou, Liangmai Scholar and he is an authority in Liangmai/Hamai culture; Tamei, Manipur, 03 April 2021).
Primal religions or any religions of the tribals or small and homogenous communities have a belief in Supreme Being, gods, spirits, ancestors; however, Tylor (1871:384-385) picked only the belief in spirit categorically and unfairly declared such religions as ‘animistic’ or ‘animism’.
Thus, animism is a study that investigates the deep-lying doctrine or practice of Spiritual Being.Several tribal-native writers uncritically accepted tribal religion as animism. Veprari Epao (1993), From Naga Animism to Christianity; Asoso Yonuo (1982), Naga Struggle against the British Rule under Jadonang and Rani Gaidinliu, 1925-1947, 31-57; S.R. Tohring (2010), Violence and Identity in North-East India, 72, and others are some examples.
Ting means universe, and wang means king; Tingwang, therefore, means King or Ruler of the Universe. Izieteilung Nsarangbe comments that different names are attributed to the Supreme Being in Hamai community such as Tingwang (Ragwang), Heratingrangpui, Ngaukemakrampau (see Nsarangbe 2007:281-282).
Phaimiu foresees future, prophsises, and gets vision of spirits; he or she also practices medicine. He or she is a shaman in the community. Aku involves only in religious rituals.
Tingwang is the name of the Supreme Being in Liangmai and Zeme languages.
Tingkao Ragwang is the name of the Supreme Being in Rongmei language. Both Tingwang and Tingkao Ragwang denote the same being.
Tingkao Ragwang Chapriak is an article published in e-pao.net in 2012. Please refer to the reference section.
Conversion was possible due to several factors such as colonisation over the natives, the introduction of various facilities like western education, medical facilities, job opportunities, abolition of kaniu-kari (gennas) and inter-village wars, and many more.
The practice of taking the head of the defeated enemy as a trophy during inter-village feuds. Colonial writers have wrongly used the phrase head hunting to describe the tradition. The connotation behind the phrase head hunting is at the backdrop of designating Nagas as savage. Elungkiebe Zeliang writes, “Generally they [Hamai] lived in the grip of fear of evil spirits or malevolent spirits that were thought to be the cause of all the misfortunes in life... However, since the coming of the Gospel to the Nagas in the 1870s, Christian Nagas have experienced liberation form the traditional fear of evil spirit” (Zeliang 2001:88).
Interview with Saphulang Newmai, Pastor, Namdilong Baptist Church, Kanglatongbi, Manipur, 12 April 2020.
The concept and practice of inter-village feuds varied from tribe to tribe among the Nagas (Newmai 2000:81-85).
Hamai community has various myths such as Creation Myth, Myth of early civilisation, Myth of Charawang and his brothers, Myth of the Feast of merit of Mang, and others. The first narrative Creation Myth talks about the creation where Tingwang, the Supreme Being, created the whole universe; he created a tree, bird, and a human. The human, with the help of the tree and the bird, went in search of his partner. Finally, he found her partner, Charatingrangpui, the daughter of God, in the southern part of the earth, and he married her. When they returned, they reached a junction which is divided into eight roads;there Charatingrangpui gave birth first to all the plants and animals, birds, landforms, and other things, and finally, she gave birth to humans. This story depicts the creation of all animals, birds, plants, landforms, and humans and the interrelatedness of all entities.
The second story on Myth of early civilisation narrates the spread of all plants, animals, and humans and the beginning of a primordial civilisation. God, deities, and spirits were part of this civilisation; they spoke one language, and everything was peaceful and cordial. However, humans became arrogant, and they discriminated against plants and animals. Due to that reason, plants stopped bearing fruits, thus leading to famine. With this wretched condition, humans had no choice but to request God Tingwang to help them. God admonished humans to do justice and change their behaviours, and God helped them and gave them two sacks of paddy to plant and cultivate. In spite of the blessings and help, humans did not repent or reform. Thus, this situation led to the end of the early primal civilisation. For further reading Newmai 1992; Miri 1991, 2008; Tunchapbou 2012 and Maisuangdibou 2014.
23 Interview with Saphulang Newmai, 12 April 2020.
24 Interview with Saphulang Newmai, 12 April 2020.
25 His other names are Munsanu in Zeme, Munchanu in lower Liangmai, Bonchanu in upper Rongmei (Thomas 2017:70).
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