The Rongmei, also known as Kabui, are an indigenous Naga tribe living in the states of Assam, Manipur and Nagaland in North-East India. They were divided when the official boundaries were set by the Government of India, making them a minority in each state. Most Rongmei live in the Tamenglong district of Manipur. Some of the Rongmeis reside in Imphal valley, the capital city of Manipur. The Rongmei are patrilineal and patriarchal. The Rongmei dance is one of the popular dances of the Naga tribes of Manipur. Gaan-Ngai is their biggest festival which is celebrated annually in December or January.
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One of the indigenous tribe of Manipur, the Ruangmei (some called it Rongmei) were in very good relations with other communities like the Meitei and the Pangals. They are settled in every nook of eastern and western regions of Imphal, the capital city of Manipur. Ruangmei tribes have their different and distinctive socio -cultural, traditional and linguistic variants and also genetic identity. However, in spite of these associations, these Ruangmei tribes also have their individual endogamous groups.
Ruangmei is a combination of two words RUANG and MEI meaning SOUTH and PEOPLE respectively. Thus Ruangmei stands for the southerners, the ancestral home of the rongmei lies in the mountain ranges in the Tamenglong sub division of Manipur and adjacent mountainous areas of Nagaland and Assam. The Rongmei settlement area within the territory of Manipur happens to be the southern portion of the vast tract of Naga country and hence those who settling in the southern part of their habitat within Manipur call themselves the Rongmei (Ruangmei) the southerners. (Life style, Indian tribes: locational practice, Volume 2: By Shiva Tosh Das). In present day literature, the word kabui has been widely used within and within and outside Manipur and the name Ruangmei is less known to the other communities. The original home of the rongmei of the Manipur lies in the Tamenglong area which is a vast tract of hilly region situated along the western borders of Manipur. It is reported that many early settlers into the valley of Manipur came from Tamenglong area. It is reported that the earliest settlement of the rongmei in Imphal is more than a century old. In terms of race and language, the rongmei fall under the Tibeto-Burman family of the Mongolian race. It is believed that a number of Mongoloid groups, including the Kabuis, used to inhabit the upper course of the Chinese rivers of the Yangtze and Hwang Ho. According to the writings of ancient ethnographers of as early as British era, they are one of the twenty two tribal communities who belonged to the Manipur state. Today also, these rongmei tribes have been enlisted as one of the twenty nine tribes of the Constitution of India.
The social and cultural features and practices of the Ruangmei tribe are determined to a great extent by the physical environment which surrounds their habitation. They live in close communication with nature, and their natural environment has a major influence on their lifestyle. The villages of the Ruangmei are usually small in size and the habitation is scattered. Each village has a headman called Khulakpu (Khulakpa).There is a house of commons called the Peikai. All problems are expressed and sorted out here. The people are allowed to express their different views, following which the decision is taken. Theft and violent crimes are usually not seen. The social system of the Ruangmeis is patriarchal and each of the clans enjoy equal status. They usually try to maintain exogamy, and marriage between cousins is most preferred. Apart from the traditional Naga systems of marriage, they also have their own unique marriage rituals. Some distinct systems may be mentioned here. Noumang-mei-Nou-kao is a system which allows a boy to stay at a girl's place for three to four years as her husband. This system is followed with the agreement of both parties and after the completion of the time agreed on, the boy returns home. Chamemei is when a girl is married without her consent as repayment for some debt or obligation. Naokakhaomei is the ritual which dictates that at the death of a man, his closest brother will have to remarry his wife and look after the family. As regards dressing habits, the Ruangmei wear a lot of ornamentation. Both men and women have pierced ears. While the males usually wear feathers in their ears, the women traditionally wear brass rings. The traditional dress of women usually includes the Phe-soi (shawl), though traditional attire is fast being replaced by modern clothes.
The religion of the Ruangmeis has been greatly determined by basic human needs, and is often seen to include magic and mysticism. Many of the tribals still follow traditional tribal practices. They believe that sacrifices are a must in order to appease the deities, as otherwise they might incur their wrath and this will ruin their crops. When the Christian missionaries started coming in, majority of the Ruangmeis converted to Christianity. In fact Christianity has been seen to exist here since the last 150 years. However, some of the Ruangmei people still follow the ancient traditional practices. In Assam, a significant number of the Rongmei are Vaishnav Hindu. Recently there were clashes between the Hindu Rongmei and the Christian Hmar tribes in Assam.[1]
More than 90% of all Naga living in Assam are Rongmei. According to the 1991 Census, 46.60% of all Naga living in Assam were Hindu (7,155 out of 15,354). In 2001, it declined to 37.62% (8,165 out of 21,706).[2].
As with everything else, the various festivals of the Ruangmei are closely linked to their physical habitat and are also a celebration of religion. The celebrations usually reflect the different agricultural stages. The celebrations usually include an expression of physical prowess and talents. Some of the important festivals are- Gan-Ngai, Rih-Ngai (Chaga Ngai) and Gudui-Ngai.
Ganngai is celebrated following the harvest season, in December–January. Festivities are held for five days. The festival commences with the blowing of the traditional horn. A fire is made by the ancient system of the friction method and it is distributed among the different households. Song and dance is held on a large scale, only to be interruoted by feasting.Gaan-Ngai is the greatest festival of the Zeliangrong people who inhabit in the State of Manipur, Assam and Nagaland. ‘Zeliangrong’ is the combined name of three cognate kin group namely Zeme, Liangmai and Rongmei. Puimei, another cognate group performs the same festivals of the Zeliangrong. Gaan-Ngai is called Hegangi among the Zeme, Gin-Ngi among the Liangmai and Gaan-Ngai among the Rongmei and Puimei. The name, Gaan-Ngai literally means the festival of winter season (Gaan orGanh means winter or dry season and Ngai means festival). It is derived from the name of winter season like Chakan Ganh, Gan-bu or Enganh. All the festivals of the Zeliangrong people like other tribes throughout the world are based on the different stages of agricultural operations; pre-operation and post harvest. The Gaan-Ngai is a post harvest festival. When the granaries are full, the landscape is dry, the whole village is free from all agricultural works, people turn to celebration, festivity and worship of the God and honouring of the dead. This festival is also described as a new year festival as it marks the end of the year and beginning of the new year. It is a festival heralding the new year. Every tribal new year festival is marked by the production of new fire either by friction of wood and bamboos or friction of the flint. The Gaan-Ngai performs the production of fire, Mairapmei. It is rightly described as a new year festival. The Gaan-Ngai is a festival during which those who died in the previous year are given ritual farewell or departure; their graves are beautified, dances are performed in their honour, feast is given to the community in the honour of the dead. Gaan-Ngai is thus the festival of both the death and living. The Gaan-Ngai was usually performed between the month of October and December depending on the state of the progress of agricultural operation. However, the Kabui Naga Association, the progenitor of the present Zeliangrong Union decided in 1947 that Gaan-Ngai be performed on the 13th day of the Meitei month of Wakching as per the Meitei Calendar (Chandrabda) of the lunar year. Since then, due to efforts of the community leaders, it has been performed on 13th Wakching onwards. Gaan-Shanmei (heralding of the Gaan-Ngai): The duration of the festival varies from place to place. But in the beginning of the month in which the Gaan-Ngai is to perform, the village elders will announce the coming of the festival by blowing the horn of the buffalo or the mithun informing the community to make the necessary arrangement for the festival. This is called Gaan-Shanmei (Heralding of the winter season or the Gaan-Ngai festival). Ngai-Gangmei (starting of the festival): Gaan-ngai is essentially based on the religious belief of the Zeliangrong people (worship of Tingkao Ragwang, the God of the universe). The whole culture, religion and social life are interwoven in the performance of Gaan-Ngai. The first day of the festival is called Ngai-Gangmei (Starting or coming of the festival). It starts with omen taking (Danjaomei) rite at the abode of the village deity (Shong or Bambu) outside the village gate by an elder through the offering of egg and ginger. He will perform divination by ginger to know the future, the prosperity or otherwise of the new year. Sacrifice to Tingkao Ragwang: The whole village elders, men, youth will gather at the respective boys dormitory (Khangchu) or dormitories. The girls will gather at the girls’ dormitory (Luchu). An animal either a pig or a mithun will be sacrificed as offering to the Supreme God, Tingkao Ragwang. This will be preceded by a competitive catching of the pig or the mithun. After the sacrifice of the pig, the spleen will be examined to find out the omen for the future. There will be community feasting at the dormitories. A feast will be preceded by an invocation to God by Ho-Hoing. Hoigammei (Hoi procession) In the afternoon, there is the Hoigammei procession. Every male, the elder, married male, youth and even child putting on the best ceremonial dresses, holding spears, participate in the Hoigammeiprocession. It starts from the boys’ dormitory, proceeds to the village gates shouting Ho, Ho (Ho-Hoing) and then to the village jumping ground (Danshanpung). Competition in stone throwing, long jump and wresting are carried out in the presence of the whole community, the inauguration of the stone throwing and long jump being performed by a village elder. Mairapmei (making of new fire) The procession goes to the boys dormitory where the new fire is produced by the wood and bamboos friction and the fire will be distributed to every household or several team of youth visit the individual families to produce the new fire. Every family will perform Napkaomei ceremony (worship to God for plentiful harvest) as a thanksgiving for the good harvest and prayer for good agricultural production in the coming year. The evening will be spent in merry making, drinking and eating and singing in the dormitories. Ngaidai (The great festival) The second day is called 'Ngai-dai' (the great festival). It is also popularly known as 'Tamchan Ngai' (The performance - of Tamchan dance) The senior members of the boys dormitory and family members of both the boys and girls who passed in the previous year will present the Tamcha (gift in the form of food, drinks, meat, vegetables and rice) to their respective dormitories for partaking by the member. The parents of the dead members give thetam-cha in remembrance of their deceased near and dear ones. There will be feasts in the respective dormitories. Tamchan Dance In the evening, girls will perform a dance in the selected families. This dance is known as 'Tamchan Laam' (Tam means chutney of vegetables; chan means 'request'; Laam means dance, dance requesting for Tam). Because of the performance of the Tamchan dance; the day is also known asTamchan Ngai. If there is no such dance, there is usually a singing competition between the boys and girls dormitories. Merry making continues. Tuna Gaan-Ngai The third day is known as the Tuna-Gan-Ngai (Festival of the youth). This day is important for both the death and living and for the strength and prosperity of the village. i) The dormitories will perform Thei-Kadi-Laam (Dance in honour of the death) will be performed at the selected families where death occurred in the previous year. The family will prepare the graves of the death to whom offering in the form of food and drink will be made. The dead will be given a ritual farewell. The performance of the dance in honour of the death is performed if the deceased happens to be a member of the dormitory. But it is not compulsory. ii) The dormitories perform Khangbon Kadi Lam (a dance in honour of the elder members of the dormitories being promoted to a higher age grade position known as Ganchang). Rangteng pammei (Ritual of reaffirmation) On the third day or on the eve of the Long ruimei (Hill trekking) when there is no dancing, a ceremony known as the Rangteng pammei is performed. This is a ceremony to strengthen and confirm the village against the elements and forces inimical to the village. Rangtang pammei literally means 'embracing' the village gates. Khunnummei (offering at the hole of the village gate) In the afternoon, the head of the settlers clan of the village as Nampou (owner of the village), the chief funcitonary will go to the village gates and will dig holes in which he offers an egg and iron pieces with the chanting of hymns. It is an affirmation that he is the descendant of the founder of the village and prays for the affirmation of his position and strength of the village. This has social and administrative significance. It is the reassertion of the chiefship of the head of the settler's clans which should be accepted by everybody in the village. At night, when there is complete silence in the village, the Rangteng Pammei ceremony will be performed. During the day time, a wooden pole will be prepared, the gaa creepers and canes will be collected by the youth and kept in the village gates. In the night, the wooden pole of the village gate is raised by the head or an elder of the settler's clan which is the family of the rangteng Pammei at the right side of the village and with appropriate hymns chanted. (It is not to be audible to the gathering). Two warriors dressed in ceremonial warrior dress, holding dao and spear cut the village gate pole (Rangteng Khumei). It is followed by the Ho-Hoing of the gathering to scare away the wild beasts and evil elements followed by a complete silence. The two warriors report to the elder, 'Our village is protected and safe it will be prosperous'. The gathering at the village gate will respond by shouting 'gaiye, gaiye, gaiye (meaning good four times). Then the Ho-hoing and again the response of 'gaiye' four times. From the village gate, the gathering proceeds shouting Hoi to the village jumping ground. Then the refrain of 'gaiye, gaiye, gaiye, gaiye' will be repeated and it is over. They return to the dormitories in a Hoi procession. In the villages which are not established by a founder clan, it is not performed. On this day of the festivals, the traditional dances of different pattern will be performed by the youths (boys & girls). On this day, the dance, merry making, songs of the Zelian-grong are performed. The essence of the aesthetic sense of the Zeliangrong people and their culture are found expressed in a grand form. Longkumei: Hill Trekking The fourth day is called Long Kumei or Long ruimei (Hill Trekking) performed by the boys, girls and members of the dormitories in a nearby mountain range. They will offer girls, sing songs (Long-Luchenlu) and janting tam (Hetam in Zeme) made of boiled pork.Gakting Tam is an item of boiled pork pounded with garlic, onion, chilli, ginger and salt and made into round balls. They return to the village and perform dance in honour of those boys and girls who have been chosen as the phak gwang or namlengwang. The kings and queens are adorned with phak grass. The families of the chosen boys and girls in whose honour the dance is performed will offer money, wine, drink and other eatables. Napchanmei The fifth day is called Nap-chanmei, offering of pig and fowls to God for good harvest and prosperity followed by the feasting at the dormitories. Individual families may perform this ceremony. A pig is sacrificied at the boys' dormitory to the God and a fowl is also offered. There will be feasting with the invocation of God by Ho-Hoing, after the feast, there will be song competition between the boys and girls and merry making. There will be Kairong Lonmei (Guarding of the village with youth singing village guarding songs). Those who participate are entertained by the individual families. Rangpatmei It is the last day. In the early morning, there will be a ponnimmei, exchange of gifts in form of money, and necklace, bangles among the members of the boys and girls dormitories as a mark of farewell, marking the end of the happy Gaan-Ngai. Rangpatmei is the offering of sacrifice to the deities of the pantheon of Gods worshipped by the village concerned. A sacrifice known as Ralen-loumei will be performed. The village priest and the elders will perform this sacrifice in which three categories of Gods are worshipped by the Zeliangrong people with offerings of fowls, egg, ginger and water. It is performed at the village deity's abode. i) The eight brothers of the Ragwang who are the members of the pantheon of Zelian-grong Gods below the Supreme God, Tingkao Ragwang. ii) The Gods and deities worshipped by the particular village. iii) The Gods of different aspects of nature like the God of the wind, fire etc. iv) Propitiation of spirit not to disturb men. A complete genna or neihmei is observed in the village during the period of the sacrifice. The elder will eat the chicken cooked at the ritual place. Bukaomei (Calling of the Soul) The elders will return to the village Pei (office of the village council) and perform another ceremony known as the Bu-kaomei (calling of the souls) to Tingkao Ragwang. A big cock will be sacrificed after chanting the hymns invoking Tingkao Ragwang, the Supreme God to extend protection to the people of the village from death and danger and provide welfare to the village and its people. The cock will be cooked and eaten by the elders and pieces of the meat will be distributed to every household. Thus the Gaan-Ngai comes to an end. The community prays to Tingkao Ragwang as a Thanks giving and for future prosperity (Good harvest), the soul of the death leaves the households and go to the land of the death (Taroilam), the village reinvigorates its energy by affirmation of strength and unity, rejoices in the performance of dance, music, merry making and festivities. Gaan-Ngai is a great festival, a unique cultural phenomenon, a form of aesthetic expression of the Zeliangrong religion and philosophy. It is also an institution through which the community sustains their cultural heritage and way of life. Gaan-Ngai is the essence of the Zeliangrong culture.
Rih Ngai like a war festival, celebrated only by men. During this time, the men have to stay separate from the women, and even food cooked by the womenfolk is not taken. Strangers are not allowed to enter the village during this time.
This festival is celebrated during the sowing season, sometime in April. Durimg this time, people celebrate by drinking the juice of ginger, after having cleared the fields for sowing. A tug-of-war is held between the men and the women, symbolic of the competition between the Gods and Goddesses. If the war is won by the girls, it is a good omen, symbolic of a good harvest.
Dances are one of the prime forms of celebration among the Ruangmeis. A number of different dances are performed during different festivals, distinct in their step and style of performance. Colourful costumes are worn by the dancers, replete with various ornaments and even hornbill feathers. Dancers continue to perform throughout the day and all through the night, accompanied by thudding drums and a viloin-like instrument called the Nrah.
The Ruangmei (officially called known as Rongmei) are among the earliest inhabitant of Manipur. The rich variety of their clothing reflects their rich cultural heritage. The Ruangmei dance with their colourful costumes is a well known tribal form of tribal performing art. The Ruangmei dress is categorised on the basis of gender (Male and Female) and age gradation ; child, youth, married and elder woman.
The staple food of the Ruangmeis is rice. It is eaten twice a day with meat or vegetables. The Ruangmei are fond of meat and non-veg. Meat and even skin are often dried over the fire and stored for future consumption. Where drinks are concerned, the local brews are Jou and Jung Ou. During celebrations and festivities like marriages, Jung Ou is the drink of choice. Among beverages, tea is quite popular.
The economy of the Ruangmeis is agrarian in nature. Agriculture is the main source of livelihood for the people. Jhum cultivation is practised in a great way here. Pigs and stock are also maintained by the people. These serve a dual purpose of consuming the plant wastes as well as stock for sacrifice during periods of festivities and scarcity. The Ruangmei are greatly skilled in bamboo, wood, blacksmith and pottery works. The raw materials for the same are easily available here. Bamboo baskets, mats, shields etc. are manufactured in a great way here.