The Indo-Burma frontier area is inhabited by several indigenous communities including the Kuki-Ch... more The Indo-Burma frontier area is inhabited by several indigenous communities including the Kuki-Chin, the subject of Pum Khan Pau’s new book. There has been contestation over nomenclature among scho...
The Kuki-Chins are one of 'the least understood and most widely misunderstood' (p. ix) indigenous... more The Kuki-Chins are one of 'the least understood and most widely misunderstood' (p. ix) indigenous ethnic groups inhabiting the tri-junction of Northeast India, Myanmar/Burma and Bangladesh. One reason why this community's history has often been so one-sided was heavy reliance on colonial ethnography, in the absence of written records of their own. This is why this book by a young native scholar, who recently earned his PhD, should make a difference and should be viewed as significant and timely.
Manipur is an ethnically divided state located in the extreme north-eastern region of India. Ther... more Manipur is an ethnically divided state located in the extreme north-eastern region of India. There is the hill-valley divide as well as the division on ethnic lines among the three major communities – the Meiteis, Nagas, and Kukis. With the formation of the first BJP-led coalition government in 2017, the state had a brief period of normalcy which soon slipped back into an elusive state of peace. With this context in mind, the paper examines the emergence of the BJP in this ethnically divided state by citing evidence from some of the recent incidents. The paper contends that the first BJP-led coalition government (2017–2022) was able to offer newfound hope by replacing the previous Congress regime, which was characterised by frequent general strikes, economic blockades, and fake encounters with development-oriented governance. The state has witnessed a series of issues some of which have exposed the hill-valley divide since the latter part of the first BJP-led government. However, in 2022, the BJP was able to retain power with a stronger mandate after winning an absolute majority, but those concerns relating to the hill-valley or ethnic divide persisted necessitating tactful handling of sensitive matters to ensure peaceful coexistence.
The Northeastern part of India is known for its ethnic plurality as reflected in the existence of... more The Northeastern part of India is known for its ethnic plurality as reflected in the existence of multiple nomenclatures. These nomenclatures are broadly categorised into three "hierarchical levels", viz., a union of tribes, often called ethnic group; community of clans or tribe, and a group of families that comes under a clan. The Kukis are one such community, or union of tribes, having their own distinct languages, culture, tradition, and a common history of origin and migration. Among the tribes belonging to the Kuki ethnic group, the Thadou-Kuki speaking group are one of the major linguistic groups dispersed in Northeast India and parts of Myanmar. In Manipur, they are the single largest tribe with about 2.5 lakh population (2011 census). The tribe's official appellation has, however, been a source of friction in the post-independent period. Therefore, the paper brings into focus how the dynamics of tribe identity have such a huge impact on the larger Kuki-Chin identity.
Manipur is a state in India’s north-eastern region with deep ethnic divide between the hills and ... more Manipur is a state in India’s north-eastern region with deep ethnic divide between the hills and valley on the one hand, and among the three major communities—Meiteis, Nagas and Kukis—on the other. In the 1990s, the state have seen a series of bloodshed including the Kuki-Naga ethnic clash, the clash between Meiteis and Meitei-Pangals, the Thadou-Paite (Kuki-Zomi) clash, and the Kuki-Tamil clash leaving more than a thousand people death. Since then, ethnic tension continue to haunt the state’s major communities from time to time. The ethnic Kuki and Naga tribes often comes together against the state and the majority Meitei community on issues related with tribals rights but are also at loggerhead when it comes to demand for ethnic homeland. With this background, the present paper attempts to understand the ethnic divide in Manipur with evidences from recent developments in the state.
Every indigenous community in the world has their own unique folk traditions that persist into th... more Every indigenous community in the world has their own unique folk traditions that persist into the present time through songs, dances, legends, myths, tales, arts and crafts, etc. The Kukis living in the Bangladesh-India-Myanmar tri-junction are no less in this regard. Among the various traditions of the Kukis, folk songs and dances play an important role in preserving the community’s oral traditions. These dances are categorised into seasonal dances, ritual dances, martial art dances, and dances of the youths. For the indigenous Kuki people, performance of folk dances indicate not merely a showcasing of art, rituals or an act of recreation, but also reflected the cultural lore, orientation and worldview of the community. As time passes by, many of these folk dances slowly disappear, thereby endangering the true meaning of the traditions. However, there has been renewed interest in the last few decades in the performance of folk dances as ‘cultural dance’. Though the term ‘cultural dance’ is scarcely used in academic literature, it has become an integral part of a variety of festivals. Therefore, this paper attempts to study the emergence of ‘cultural dance’ as a popular cultural item among the Kukis by tracing back to their folk songs like Ju-ne-la, the earliest known musical tradition. The paper argues that the emergence of ‘cultural dance’ as performing art will not only popularise the rich cultural heritage of the community but also help in preserving the tradition.
Keywords: Cultural dance, folk song, folk dance, Kuki, Ju-ne-la
India’s ‘Act East Policy’, initiated in the early 1990s as ‘Look East’ policy by the Government o... more India’s ‘Act East Policy’, initiated in the early 1990s as ‘Look East’ policy by the Government of India (GoI), is now an important component of India’s foreign policy (IFP). Since the launching of this policy, India’s relationship with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) becomes ‘a key feature of our foreign policy’. Six months after taking office in May 2014, India's newly elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserts that India’s ‘Look East' policy has been transformed into ‘Act East Policy'. The Prime Minister also reviewed the current status of the India-ASEAN Strategic Partnership and placed ASEAN at the “core” of India’s ‘Act East Policy’ calling for strengthening of relations in all sectors. This paper tries to analyse the historical background, its economic dimensions, strategic and diplomatic aims, the place of Northeast and Manipur, challenges and opportunities for Northeast, and finally ends with a concluding remark.
India’s ‘Act East Policy’, initiated in the early 1990s as ‘Look East’ policy by the Government o... more India’s ‘Act East Policy’, initiated in the early 1990s as ‘Look East’ policy by the Government of India (GoI), is now an important component of India’s foreign policy (IFP). Since the launching of this policy, India’s relationship with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) becomes ‘a key feature of our foreign policy’. Six months after taking office in May 2014, India's newly elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserts that India’s ‘Look East' policy has been transformed into ‘Act East Policy'. The Prime Minister also reviewed the current status of the India-ASEAN Strategic Partnership and placed ASEAN at the “core” of India’s ‘Act East Policy’ calling for strengthening of relations in all sectors. This paper tries to analyse the historical background, its economic dimensions, strategic and diplomatic aims, the place of Northeast and Manipur, challenges and opportunities for Northeast, and finally ends with a concluding remark.
The Indo-Burma frontier area is inhabited by several indigenous communities including the Kuki-Ch... more The Indo-Burma frontier area is inhabited by several indigenous communities including the Kuki-Chin, the subject of Pum Khan Pau’s new book. There has been contestation over nomenclature among scho...
The Kuki-Chins are one of 'the least understood and most widely misunderstood' (p. ix) indigenous... more The Kuki-Chins are one of 'the least understood and most widely misunderstood' (p. ix) indigenous ethnic groups inhabiting the tri-junction of Northeast India, Myanmar/Burma and Bangladesh. One reason why this community's history has often been so one-sided was heavy reliance on colonial ethnography, in the absence of written records of their own. This is why this book by a young native scholar, who recently earned his PhD, should make a difference and should be viewed as significant and timely.
Manipur is an ethnically divided state located in the extreme north-eastern region of India. Ther... more Manipur is an ethnically divided state located in the extreme north-eastern region of India. There is the hill-valley divide as well as the division on ethnic lines among the three major communities – the Meiteis, Nagas, and Kukis. With the formation of the first BJP-led coalition government in 2017, the state had a brief period of normalcy which soon slipped back into an elusive state of peace. With this context in mind, the paper examines the emergence of the BJP in this ethnically divided state by citing evidence from some of the recent incidents. The paper contends that the first BJP-led coalition government (2017–2022) was able to offer newfound hope by replacing the previous Congress regime, which was characterised by frequent general strikes, economic blockades, and fake encounters with development-oriented governance. The state has witnessed a series of issues some of which have exposed the hill-valley divide since the latter part of the first BJP-led government. However, in 2022, the BJP was able to retain power with a stronger mandate after winning an absolute majority, but those concerns relating to the hill-valley or ethnic divide persisted necessitating tactful handling of sensitive matters to ensure peaceful coexistence.
The Northeastern part of India is known for its ethnic plurality as reflected in the existence of... more The Northeastern part of India is known for its ethnic plurality as reflected in the existence of multiple nomenclatures. These nomenclatures are broadly categorised into three "hierarchical levels", viz., a union of tribes, often called ethnic group; community of clans or tribe, and a group of families that comes under a clan. The Kukis are one such community, or union of tribes, having their own distinct languages, culture, tradition, and a common history of origin and migration. Among the tribes belonging to the Kuki ethnic group, the Thadou-Kuki speaking group are one of the major linguistic groups dispersed in Northeast India and parts of Myanmar. In Manipur, they are the single largest tribe with about 2.5 lakh population (2011 census). The tribe's official appellation has, however, been a source of friction in the post-independent period. Therefore, the paper brings into focus how the dynamics of tribe identity have such a huge impact on the larger Kuki-Chin identity.
Manipur is a state in India’s north-eastern region with deep ethnic divide between the hills and ... more Manipur is a state in India’s north-eastern region with deep ethnic divide between the hills and valley on the one hand, and among the three major communities—Meiteis, Nagas and Kukis—on the other. In the 1990s, the state have seen a series of bloodshed including the Kuki-Naga ethnic clash, the clash between Meiteis and Meitei-Pangals, the Thadou-Paite (Kuki-Zomi) clash, and the Kuki-Tamil clash leaving more than a thousand people death. Since then, ethnic tension continue to haunt the state’s major communities from time to time. The ethnic Kuki and Naga tribes often comes together against the state and the majority Meitei community on issues related with tribals rights but are also at loggerhead when it comes to demand for ethnic homeland. With this background, the present paper attempts to understand the ethnic divide in Manipur with evidences from recent developments in the state.
Every indigenous community in the world has their own unique folk traditions that persist into th... more Every indigenous community in the world has their own unique folk traditions that persist into the present time through songs, dances, legends, myths, tales, arts and crafts, etc. The Kukis living in the Bangladesh-India-Myanmar tri-junction are no less in this regard. Among the various traditions of the Kukis, folk songs and dances play an important role in preserving the community’s oral traditions. These dances are categorised into seasonal dances, ritual dances, martial art dances, and dances of the youths. For the indigenous Kuki people, performance of folk dances indicate not merely a showcasing of art, rituals or an act of recreation, but also reflected the cultural lore, orientation and worldview of the community. As time passes by, many of these folk dances slowly disappear, thereby endangering the true meaning of the traditions. However, there has been renewed interest in the last few decades in the performance of folk dances as ‘cultural dance’. Though the term ‘cultural dance’ is scarcely used in academic literature, it has become an integral part of a variety of festivals. Therefore, this paper attempts to study the emergence of ‘cultural dance’ as a popular cultural item among the Kukis by tracing back to their folk songs like Ju-ne-la, the earliest known musical tradition. The paper argues that the emergence of ‘cultural dance’ as performing art will not only popularise the rich cultural heritage of the community but also help in preserving the tradition.
Keywords: Cultural dance, folk song, folk dance, Kuki, Ju-ne-la
India’s ‘Act East Policy’, initiated in the early 1990s as ‘Look East’ policy by the Government o... more India’s ‘Act East Policy’, initiated in the early 1990s as ‘Look East’ policy by the Government of India (GoI), is now an important component of India’s foreign policy (IFP). Since the launching of this policy, India’s relationship with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) becomes ‘a key feature of our foreign policy’. Six months after taking office in May 2014, India's newly elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserts that India’s ‘Look East' policy has been transformed into ‘Act East Policy'. The Prime Minister also reviewed the current status of the India-ASEAN Strategic Partnership and placed ASEAN at the “core” of India’s ‘Act East Policy’ calling for strengthening of relations in all sectors. This paper tries to analyse the historical background, its economic dimensions, strategic and diplomatic aims, the place of Northeast and Manipur, challenges and opportunities for Northeast, and finally ends with a concluding remark.
India’s ‘Act East Policy’, initiated in the early 1990s as ‘Look East’ policy by the Government o... more India’s ‘Act East Policy’, initiated in the early 1990s as ‘Look East’ policy by the Government of India (GoI), is now an important component of India’s foreign policy (IFP). Since the launching of this policy, India’s relationship with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) becomes ‘a key feature of our foreign policy’. Six months after taking office in May 2014, India's newly elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserts that India’s ‘Look East' policy has been transformed into ‘Act East Policy'. The Prime Minister also reviewed the current status of the India-ASEAN Strategic Partnership and placed ASEAN at the “core” of India’s ‘Act East Policy’ calling for strengthening of relations in all sectors. This paper tries to analyse the historical background, its economic dimensions, strategic and diplomatic aims, the place of Northeast and Manipur, challenges and opportunities for Northeast, and finally ends with a concluding remark.
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Keywords: Assembly election, BJP, Ethnic divide, Hill-valley, Manipur.
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Keywords: Cultural dance, folk song, folk dance, Kuki, Ju-ne-la
Keywords: Assembly election, BJP, Ethnic divide, Hill-valley, Manipur.
Keywords: Cultural dance, folk song, folk dance, Kuki, Ju-ne-la