VAIPHEI

The Vaiphei, which falls under Mongoloid stock, is one of the many Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi-Hmar tribes living in the North-East India, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. The belief common among the Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi-Hmar tribes, that their ancestors emerged out of Khul/Khur/Sinlung/Chhinlung (cave) exists among the Vaipheis. The origin of the name 'Vaiphei' is still debated but the general understanding is that the name derived from a village called Khawvaiphei (in erstwhile Burma) where the Vaipheis developed a distinct identity all their own and in which each member took immense pride. As time went by the Vaipheis had a sharp disagreement with the Suktes and the Pawis. The Vaipheis left Khawvaiphei and founded Khawzim where they lived in peace and prospered until the Pawis made war on them and scattered them, levelling Khawzim to the ground.
The Vaipheis have founded many settlements in the Chin Hills and Mizoram.
According to some legends when the Thibom dynasty of Mandalay became powerful and began to subjugate smaller communities, the Vaipheis left their settlement site in fear. They fled to a place called Kalemyo and then to Saizang. Moving on from Saizang they came to Ciimnuai and then Khawsak where they were divided into Sizang and Vaiphei. The Vaiphei group went towards the Chin Hills and from there began to enter Manipur from its hilly south eastern regions around 1491 A.D. Leaving a group in Manipur, many Vaipheis spread out further to the north and west and settled down in what is today Mizoram, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Bangladesh.
[Legend has it that the Chief of Ciimnuai was Pu Zahong, the ancestor of the Vaiphei, who was also sometimes referred to as Nuaimangpa which literally means Chief of Nuai/Ciimnuai].
At present the Vaipheis numbered over one hundred thousand in population, outnumbering their brothers who remained in Sizang Valley. Basically, there is no difference between them. However, with the passage of time the dailect they used became totally different.

Contents

Place of settlements

Society

Occupation

Administration

Religion

Festivals

The root of the people called Vaiphei

Place of settlements

The earliest known settlements of the Vaipheis include Khawvaiphei(Phaiza), Tuantak(Thuantak), Kalzang, Tualket, Thiklum, Lamkhai, Zawng in zein, Changzal, Khawzim , Khawsak, Khawngen, Khawhiang, Zopi, Salem, Bungte, Hiangpek, Tuallian, Bungkhua, Khawbual, Thuklai, Buanman, Vangchik, Vawngzang, Sailuttak, Lophei, Thangkhal, Sialkal, Champhai, Mimbung etc.
However due to the many tribal wars in the old days, many of these villages were either abandoned or destroyed by others.
Today, the Vaipheis are mainly concentrated in the Churachandpur district of Manipur though more than half of their populations are founded to be scattered to different parts of North east India, Myanmar and Chittagong Hill tract of Bangladesh.
The Vaiphei Puandum, Khiangkawi/Chiangkawi and Thansua puan are the three important traditional cloth of the Vaipheis.

Society

The Vaiphei society is patriarchal and patronymic. The kinship structure is of classification type and one kinship term is used for different categories of relatives. The tribe is divided into a number of clans and sub clans. The clans are endogamous though inter clan marriage is not uncommon. Many Vaipheis are confused about the exact number of their clan. Each clan has its head called ‘Upa’. The eldest son inherits his father's property.
An individual born in the Vaiphei soceity was welcomed through a function called Naoyuneck(?) when the pregnant mother is about seven or eight months due. The birth ceremony of a child was held on the seventh day of the child by its father entertaining the villagers with a feast. Children whether male or female, get their earlobes pierced with a tough hair of Saku (porcupine) and black & red thread. Marriage is by engagement or negotiation. Traditionally the prescribed mate for a boy was the daughter of his maternal uncle called Neinu. Pre-marital sex is considered a disgraceful act and if the boy after 'polluting' the girl refuses to marry her, he is imposed a fine of one mithun and one pig. Death ceremony of a child under six months is not necessary. Otherwise the dead is buried with the head facing eastwards. Cooked spleen of cattle, considered to be the food of the deceased, is also buried along with the corpse.

Occupation

Their main occupation, agriculture, is practiced through both types of cultivation - shifting and wet cultivation. Among them, there exists a system of community and social obligations under the term and conditions of Tawmngaihna and Kihutuana which means the services rendered to others in times of need or in other words, solidarity of the village in every moments of joy, sorrow or calamity.

Administration

Every Vaiphei village has a legitimate chief called Khaw Hausa, which is a hereditary post. He is assisted by Siamang Pachawng (Ministers, nobles or elders). Taangsampu is the village crier, informing the entire village in any matter. Thiik-Seekpu (Blacksmith), Tunpu (hunting commander) also command respect from the villagers. Every dispute is tried in the Innpi-Vaihawmna (village court) by the Chief and the nobles.

Religion

Before their conversion to Christianity, the traditional religion of the Vaipheis was animism. Amorphous deities and spirits are responsible for benevolent and malevolent effects. The supreme deity is Pathian. They also believed in manna-like powers, which in their dialect is known as Bulung and possessor of it enables him to have a good harvest. They also have a family deity known as Dawibawm. From around 1907 A.D. under the Welsh Missioninaries, the Vaipheis were converted to Christianity which eventually led them to ignore or neglect many traditional practices and customs incompatible with the Christian faith.

Festivals

The important traditional festivals include Thazinglam (a dead festival), Sa-ai (hunting), Oa ai (fishing), Bu-ai (harvest), Sawm zu (Boys' dormitory) and lawm zu (Friends' organization). Sometimes a rich person can make merry ‘feast of merit’ involving combined celebration of Sa-ai and Bu-ai lasting for at least a week.

The root of the people called Vaiphei

The descendants of 'Pu Vaiphei' are to be found almost every where in the Chin State in Burma, in the northeastern part of India and in the Chittagong hill tract of Bangladesh. Regarding their genealogy, they trace their descend from Pu Zahong, the son of Pu Sungmang, the son of Pu Songthu, the son of Pu Nawsong, the son of Pu Nawphut , the son of Pu Kipmang, the son of Pu ZO (the common ancestor of all the Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi-Hmar-Laimi-Laizo-Mara-KhulmiKhurmi-Komrem-Halam etc.). The Vaipheis and the Thados are said to be grandsons of Pu Zahong. In this regard ,Thado historians wrote that the Vaipheis (including Baite, Hangmi etc.), Kom (Karong, Saiche, Leivon, Tellein,Hmangte, Serto, etc.), Aimol, Chothe, Chiru, Purum, Koireng, Koirao, Tuboi, etc are descended from Pu Hangmeng, the younger brother of Pu Shingmeng whom they regard as their progenitor. Among the Vaipheis, there is a diverse opinion among its clan on seniority. The Vaipheis mainly divided themselves into two families viz.
i). Khaute/ Vanglua groups- { Khaupua [Khuanghau, Tungnung, Tungdim, Tunglut, Khuangdal, Mangvuk (Ngulvung and Thavuk), Mangtong (Jaktong), etc.], Senchong [Chontung, Chonlut, Chonmang (Nakal and Keusel)], Chonlu (Phaltual), Ellu (Selut, Kemtong, Zamang, Pabawm) , Elphuak [Hatlei, Khantun, Hatlang(Thimman and Langel), Hatzaw, Hatziam], Ralte or Galte, Duhlian (including Nunga and Keivom ) , Neitham (Chonniang, Singphun, Lupho, Lupheng, Ngoilu, Misau, Khawthang, Maubuk,Vaithang etc.), Neihsial (Haulai, Lengen, Thagen, Nunthuk, Dawlbak, Singto etc.), Khaupho or Hoinge, Buite or Berhvate or Khauza {including Zomsing, Thuksuang, Faihriem or Phairiam(including Bapui, Saihmar, Khawlum, Tusing, Tuadal, Tualai/Tuolai, etc.), Chunthang [ Khawlhring (Midang, Khintung, Leidir, Lozum etc.), Vangsia/Vangchhia ( Dosil, Invang, Theidu, Tlukte, Vanghawi, Zapte , etc.}, Pautu (Buangzal, Singate, Sehlawn, Tluangate), etc.] and the Vanglok-Invang-Vankal-Vangsak-Vanghoi family and
ii). Suantak groups- Baite( Paute, Meihlai, Thangthem, Phungkhol, Kholsong etc), Boklua/Zahmuaka( Zadeng, Palian, Thangluah, Rivung , Rokhum, Chonglul, Sailo, Chenkual), Neilut{Khupmu, Suante( Suanman, Suanzong, Luahlang, Manghil ,Doson etc.) , Leisel, Hansing, Lutngul, Puakpawl, Kapsel, Haungul, Thanglet, Thianglal etc,), Hinnung, Nunzong, etc], Dopmul, Thangniang (Khomang, Thangluai, Pamngai, Sipi, etc.), Sialiap(Liapvung, Kapvung, Thangvung, Elvung etc), Sizang ( Batkai, Thatlang, Thatmun,Khansing, Mangson, Tuangthang, Suante, Hinnung, Nunzong, Haunam, Taukon, Haunung, Namzo, Hinnam, Thuklai, Hangsawk, Limkhai, etc) , Thangkhal, Ngawn etc
According to one source, Pu Zahmuaka, the direct progenitor of the Sailo, Zadeng, Palian, Thangluah, Thangur, Rivung, and Rokhum was descended from Pu Boklua Suantak who is also known as Sisinga or Sizanga. Boklua's father, Ngengu (Nenu) was the founder of Lophei village in Sizang valley of Chin State. Ngengu is the eldest son of Pu Suantak, who himself is descended from 'Pu Vaiphei' or 'Pu Zahong'. The Sizang regarded Pu Suantak as the direct progenitor of the Sizang and Vaiphei.
According to a noted Zo historian, all the Vaipheis and the Sizangs should infact be called 'Suantak' as they are all descended from him.
However according to another source, the name "Duhlian" should be used to denote the Vaipheis [ Phulums {Khaute (including Ralte, Khala , Nungate, Keivom, Vangsa , Vanglua, Neitham, Neihsial etc.), Khaupho (Hoinge) and Khauza or Buite or Berhvate ( Phairiam or Faihriem, Chunthang (Khawlhring, Vangchhia, Pautu etc.) etc } and Lianlum {including Baite, Sailo, Suantak ( Leisel, Hansing, Thanglet, Thianglal, etc.), Suante, Suanzong, Thangniang, Sialiap, etc.} ] and also the Chawngthu, Chawhte/Chawthe (including Chamte, Chawndang, Chawnfieng, Halte, etc), Renthlei, Lawitlang ( Chawnsim, Hrangchal, Parate, Sungate, Suomte, Tlangte, Tlawmte, Varte etc. ), Leiri (including Neingaite, Pudaite, Puhnuongte, Pulamte, Puruolte, Tlandar etc.), Hnamte, Ngente, Kawilam, Seifa {or Lusei including the Chhakchuak (Hualngo and Hualhang) and Hualnam etc.) and Tlaute. However, this version is not reliable because with the exception of the Khala sub-clan of the Khaute clan of the Vaiphei tribe, no other tribe/clans mention above called themselves DuhlianDulian.
According to some historians from Mizoram, the Vaipheis, Faihriem, Khawlhring, Vangchhia, Pautu , Rawite etc. all belongs to a tribe called 'Mivam'. In the Vaiphei dailect, 'Mi' means people and 'Vam' means white which signify purity. Thus, Mivam means white or pure people. However, there is no such mention of it among the historians of the Vaipheis.
The Sizang elders held that Pu Zahong had three sons viz. Sektak or Sehtha , Tohin and Suantak. Sektak and Tohin are the progenitor of the Thalun [Dongel, Guite ( Mangzo, Sianthuam, Vangteh, Phualzang, Hauzel, Dousel, Munsong, Kullai, Tonsing etc), Thomlhun, Lotzem etc], Thado[ Sitlou, Singson , Kipgen & Haukip], Hangsing, Tongluai(Chongloi), Touthang(Lamhau Kukis), Tohin etc. and from Pu Suantak, the Sizang and the Vaiphei are being descended.
According to Sizang elders, Pu Suantak have four sons viz. Ngengu, Neihlut , Daitawng and Vanglok from whom are descended the clans of the Sizang and Vaiphei.
1. 'Ngengu'
(i)Lamhtam- Batkai(Kiimlel and Seam Muang), Neizalh (Thatmun & Thatlang), Liimtuang (Khansiing, Mangson & Tuangthang) etc.
(ii) Khuakuan - Baite [Paute, Meihlai, Thangthem, Phungkhol,Kholsong(Chongzang), Kholngul, Kholphut(Thangkon),Thenchuang, Thangsei, Singngul, Ngulmun, Senlhung ,Langtho etc].
(iii) Boklua - Zadeng,Palian, Thangluah,Rivung,Rokhum,Sailo (Chengkual),
(iv) Phulum- Khaute [ Khuanghau (Tualtung, Tungnung etc),Vanglua etc. ], Khauphaw and Khauza.
(v) Phucil
(vi) Nantal
(vii) Nge Ngawn- Ngawn, Zil om , Lenthuan etc.
2. 'Neihlut'
(i) Hennek
(ii)Genzo - Khupmu and Suante[ Suanman, Suanzong, Luahlang, Manghil, Doson etc.]
(iii) Muamul
3. 'Daitawng'
(i) Nunzong- Tuakon etc.
(ii)Hinnung- Hinzong, Haunam etc.
(iii)Namzo- Hinnam etc.
(iv)Sukzo
(vi)Zasuan etc.
4.'Vanglok'
(i)Hangsawk - Tonsung etc.
(ii)Thuklai - Lunmun, Suumniang, Tuanuam, Zangkaai etc.
(iii)Limkhai - Sitzom, Tunawi, Tunmang, Ngo Thua, TunSeal etc.
Contrary to the Sizang sources, the Doungel, the Guites, the Thadous etc. didn't regard themselves as descended from Pu Zahong. Moreover, the Baites (Paute, Meihlai etc.), the Khautes (Tualtung, Tungnung, Neitham, Neihsial etc.) etc. while not denying their descend from Pu Vaiphei or Pu Zahong, regard themselves as senior or elder brother to Pu Suantak and not descended from him.
According to some Vaiphei elders, Pu Vaiphei and Pu Thado are descended from Pu Zahong. And Pu Vaiphei had one son Honglian, from whom are descended the three brothers- Phulum, Lianlum and Lunglum.
1. 'Phulum' or 'Vanglua' family.
'Phulum is said to have three sons viz. i).Khaute ( Khaupua, Chontung, Chonlu, Chulzang/Chilzang, Ellu, Hatlei, Hatlang, Neisial, Neitham, Ralte/Galte, Duhlian/Dulian, Keivom, etc.), ii).Khauphaw (Hoinge) and iii).Khauza ( Buite/ Berhvate, Zomsing, Thuksuang, Phairiam or Faihriem, Saivak or Saivate, Chunthang (Khawlhring, Vangchhia, Pautu etc)'.
1.1 'Khaute'-
1.1.1 Khaupua - Khuanghau ( Tualtung, Tungnung, Tungdim & Tunglut), Khuangdal and Khuangmang [Mangvuk (Ngulvung & Thavuk), Mangtawng/Mangchawng & Zaktawng/Zakchawng].
1.1.2 Senchawng or Sentong - Chawntung, Chonlut & Chonmang or Tonmang(Nakal & Keusel)]
1.1.3 Chonlu(including Phaltual)
1.1.4 Buanchil or Chilzang or Chulzang,
1.1.5 Musia
1.1.5.1 Chinmang or Ralte - Colney or Kawlni(Talbok),Siakeng-Kaizong & Tongtual, Khelte-Hmaimawk, Lutmang, Singlu, Sierchuang, Thatsing, Vankeu, Vohang, Vohlu, Zahlei & Zaucha and Lelhchhun.
1.1.5.2 Paulut
1.1.5.3 Khala - Dulian or Duhlian , Nunga & Keivom
1.1.5.4 Pael/ Vanglua - Ellu [ Selut, Kemtong, Zamang& Pabawm] and Elphuak[ Hatlei, Khantun, Hatlang{ Thimman & Langel ( Lusing and Hawsing}, Hatzaw (Lunmang) & Hatziam}.
1.1.5.5 Neitham - Chonniang, Nunngam or Singphun, Khawthang, Maubuk, Thangleh, Thangnawk, Vaithang and
Hangmi { Luphaw, Lupheng, Ngoilu or Ngailut & Misau}
1.1.5.6 Vangngem or Neihsial - Haulai, Lengen, Thaning, Thagen, Nunthuk or Nungthut, Thutlai, Thutnel, Aikho, Engthang, Tualkhen, Singto, Dawlbak, Banlawng, Tunling, Thaling, )Singlut or Singhil & Zawngbe.
1.2 'Khauphaw'
1.2.1 Hoinge - Notlut, Chungsel, Lutthang & Songhil
1.3 'Khauza' or 'Buite'/ 'Berhvate'
1.3.1 Zomsing or Rochil - ( Thuksuang etc.)
1.3.2. Chunthang - Khawlhring (Khintung, Leidir, Lozum, Lungen/Lunsen, Midang, Milai, Pialtel, Parte, Rawlsim, Suakling, Thlaute or Thaute), Vangsia/Vangchhia(Dosil, Ivang, Theiduh, Tlukte, Vanghawi, Zapte), Pautu (Fuangzal, Senlawn, Singate, Tluangate), etc.
1.3.3. Phairiam or Faihriem - Bapui, Khawhrang, Khawkhiang, Khawlum, Khawral, Saihmar, Saivak , Seiling, Seikong, Thangnung, ,Tualai/Tuolai,Tuadal, Tuimual & Tusing.
1.3.4. Saivate -
2.'Lianlum' family
'Pu Lianlum have two sons viz. i).Sattong and ii).Thanglun. And Pu Sattong is said to have three sons- Suantak , Thangniang and Sialiap. Most of the Thangkhal clans are descended from Pu Sattong. The Baites, Sailo, Zadeng, Palian, Rikhum, Rivung etc. are also descended from Pu Suantak. And it is believed that the Gangtes are descended from Pu Thanglun'.
2.1. Sattong
2.1.1 Baite
2.1.2 Suantak - Sailo, Thangluah , Zadeng, Palian, Rivung, Ringur, Chengkual, Ngawn , Neilut (Suante, Suanzong, Suanman,Khupmu, Leisel, Hansing, Dopmul etc},Daitong - Hinnung, Nunzong etc.,
2.1.3 Thangniang- Khomang, Thangluai, Sipi, Pamngai etc.
2.1.4 Sialiap- Liapvung, Capvung, Thangvung , Elvung, etc.
2.2. 'Thanglun' family.
3. 'Lunglum' family
The Vaipheis regarded that from Pu Lunglum are descended the Poi or Lai tribes and some of the old Kuki tribes. However, there is no mentions of Lianlum or Lunglum in the Sizang and Poi sources.
Some of the sub-clans of the Vaiphei or descendants of Pu Zahong such as the Ngengu (Sailo, Thangluah, Baite etc.), Khaute [Ralte, Duhlian, Nungate, Keivom, Tungnung, Tunglut, Tungdim/Lhungdim, Hangmi(Luphaw, Lupheng, Ngoilu or Ngailut and Misau), Hatzaw, Hatlang etc.], Khauza ( Buite, Faihriam, Chunthang (Vangsia/ Vangchhia, Khawlhring, Pautu, etc.), Thuksuang, etc.) are found within the fold of other tribes.