Mapping the Context
Hamai, also known as Zeliangrong, is the traditional nomenclature of the four kindred communities or tribes, namely Inpui, Liangmai, Rongmei, and Zeme of Northeast India. It is originated from the name Haang, the ancestor of the Hamai people (Newmai 2014:15 and Daimai 2018:2-3 and M.
Nampibou, telephonic Interview, April 24, 2017). It was the generic name of the community before the four kindred communities mentioned above separated from one another after the Makuiluangdi (also known as Makuilongdi) villageDOI: 10.4324/9781003516415-19
239
republic disintegrated, hundreds of years ago. The term ‘Hamai’ has lost currency in recent times, and it is less employed in the socio-political discourse. Historically, its narratives have been diminishing specifically after dispersion of the Hamais from Makuiluangdi village and subsequently after the establishment of new villages and new identities, such as Liangmai, Inpui, Rongmei, and Zeme. In this context, it needs to be mentioned that the different Hamai-kindred communities preferred to call themselves with their own local names according to their peculiar linguistic inclination, such as Liangmai, Inpui, Rongmei, and Zeme. However, this ethnic identity was fluid and flexible until the 1990s6. Anyone can change his/her identity depending on the socio-geographical milieu.
The term ‘Hamai’ or ‘Haomei’ in Rongmei was the preferred nomenclature to unite and identify the four cognate communities of the Makuiluangdi descendants. Gaidinliu, one of the founders of Heraka religion, and several others argued for the word Hamai/Haomei as the common identity (Pamei 2001:39, 43). In contemporary times, certain Hamai scholars erroneously traced the word ‘Hamai’ to a Manipuri word haomei, which means hill people or tribe and have pejoratively connoted as primitive, undeveloped, and savage (Samson 2014:48-75).
Due to this reason, some Hamais have uncritically rejected the traditional nomenclature. But the fact is that ‘Hamai’ has nothing to do with the Manipuri word haomei. In its place, the nomenclature Hamai is a historical identity of cognate kindred groups, and the identity bears indigenous connotations. Therefore, it has no bearing with the Manipuri word ‘haomei’. In the midst of diversity and unity, the term ‘Zeliangrong’, deriving from the prefixes of Zeme, Liangmai, and Rongmei, was coined in 1947 as a collective unit to advance its economic, social, and political ideals (Pamei 2001:51).The history of the Hamai beyond Makhel in the present Senapati District of Manipur is shrouded in mystery and mythical discourses7. There is no historical evidence beyond Makhel; therefore, V.K. Nuh (2002:2) agrees with P.D. Stracey’s opinion that different tribes have their own version of the story of origin and migration, and it is not a surprise that the origin of the Naga still remains a mystery. An oral tradition talks about the people who migrated from tingpi lam (north). However, the place located in tingpi lam, from where they migrated, is not identifiable. The history of the Hamai became intelligible from Makhel and its subsequent settlement. It is said that the Liangmai language, which is considered ‘the language of God’ by the Hamais, was the language of the Hamai people (see Taleping 2006 & Daimai 2000)8.
From Makhel, the Hamai moved to Makuiluangdi, south of Makhel, and settled there. The unique history, identity, and culture of the Hamai are located in Makuiluangdi village republic. R. Taleping (2006) remarks that at Makuiluangdi, the Hamais’ “inherited ancient traditions were ameliorated, which became a rich distinct custom, culture, and religion” (Taleping 2006:28). The village-nation or village republic flourished, and it reached 7,777 households as oral tradition affirmed (Taleping 2006:27; Pamei 2001:14 and Miri 1991:2).
Here, the society began to develop into a complex system at various levels such as social, political, cultural, economic, religious, and others. For instance, the society continued to be structured in a communitarian model without social distinction of class or caste systems. The Hamai transformed its social pattern with an intricate system with clans, subclans, and new kindred groups. Further, the institutions of morungs - khangchiu (bachelors’ dormitory) liuchiu (ladies’ dormitory) - were permanently set up with multifaceted structures. From Makuiluangdi, the Hamai split into four cognate tribes/communities: Inpui, Liangmai, Rongmei, and Zeme, and spread to different places which these communities occupy today. These communities inhabit a geographical territory lying between 93 degrees E and 94 degrees E longitude and 24.40 degrees and 24 degrees N latitude in the tri-junc- tion of Assam, Manipur, and Nagaland (Pamei 2001:28).Historically, the Hamai society was a relatively homogenous community having a shared culture, religion, tradition, history, and worldview until the British colonisers annexed its land in the 19th century. The only significant diversities of the four kindred groups are in linguistic variations, geopolitical autonomy, and social distancing due to inter-village feuds9. The colonisation of the Hamai territory was followed by Christian missionary activities and the process of Christianisation (Maisuangdibou 2022:288-303). The Christian proselytisa- tion gradually led to the destruction of the Characheng, and the remnants of this primal religion revived as Heraka and TRC religions that began in 1920s. These two sects are like the two sides of the same coin as both sects trace back their foundation to Characheng or the primal religion of the Hamai.
15.2