| Tedim Tiddim |
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Tedim
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Burma |
| Division | Chin State/Zomi State |
| District | Falam District |
| Government | |
| • Ukpi, Mangpi, Thuzekpi, | Currently not available |
| Population | |
| • Total | 84,953 as of 2,006 |
| • | Population |
| • Religions | Christian |
| Time zone | MST (UTC+6:30) |
Tedim (Burmese: တီတိန်မြို့; Official name Tiddim) is a town in Chin State in the northwestern part of Myanmar. The name "Tedim" was derived from a pool on the top of the hills that used to be twinkling under sun's light, therefore, called "te (bright, shine)" and "dim (twinkling, sparkling)" in local Paite dialect.
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As a result of lack of a formal writing system in the past, the story of Tedim mostly depends on oral traditions. The first establishment of Tedim is ascribed to Gui Mang II, a powerful prince from the then ruling Guite family in the region (c. 1600). However, due to the untimely death of Gui Lun (the fifth generation from Gui Mang II), Tedim was deserted for two generations. By the time of Pum Go, Tedim was reestablished as the political base of the Guite family. At the time of Mang Suum II, son of Pum Go, the allied force of the Pawihangs began their advance in the region and attacked Tedim. Tedim was again deserted by many, though some local residents survived under the leadership of Mang Gin from the Hatlang family.[1] In 1840, in order to secure peace, the remaining citizens invited the leadership of Kam Hau of Mualbem, of the emerging Sukte family, since they had good military and political ties with the Zahau family of the Pawis.[2]
When British rule began in 1824, Tedim was chosen as the local residence for the district officer.
The geography is unique in its shape and slopes, and the climate is pleasant, since is lies on the Tropic of Cancer. There are three seasons: summer, winter, and autumn.
The ranges of Hills of Thangmual include Kennedy's Peak, Lunglenkawl, the Rih Bual, the Hausapi, the Gullu Mual, the Zangmualli, the Tuikangpi, the Suangsuang, and the Lentangmual. There are dams, caves, peaks, and other attractions, including Lennupa Mual, the Twin Fairy Hill, and historic sites.
The native settlers were warriors and mighty fighters from ancient times. Sing Kho Khai, a native writer, writes that the people living in the Tedim region were referred to as 'Paite' by the Lushai, Falam Pawi, and other neighboring tribes. He states that it is possible that the term Paite could have been used by the people themselves even before Ciimnuai was founded by their chiefs. Ciimnuai was a place founded by the Zo people long before the present Tedim township was established by Gui Mang II.
The name Tedim is the official name used for the town; but the written Tiddim,Thiddim, or Chindits (used during World War I and II) have also been used in the past. The local people prefer to call the town "Tedim" rather than "Tiddim" of the Burmese based pronunciation.
The Tedim language is the most common version spoken and understood by the nearby ethnicities including the Kuki (Thados), the Manipur (Meitei and Paite), the Lusei (Mizo), the Laimi (Khalkha or Hakha and Thangtlang), and the Falam (Pawite).
Tedimkam or Tedimpau is the major language of the whole Chin or Zomi, Kuki, Mizo, Manipur, Paite, and Pawite tribes of people. It is not a mere dialect such as the Siyin or Sihzang or Saizangpau, but it covers the following 12 dialects: (1) Sizang, (2) Khuano (2) Saizang, (4) Zo, (5) Teizang, (6) Phaileng, (7) Paihte, (8) Thahdo (In Myanmar), (9) Losau, (10) Vaiphei, (11) Dim and (12) the Simte. Therefore it is unique among other spoken languages in the Chin State.
It is estimated that around 550,000 people speak this dialect and arguably is next only to Lusei (Mizo) in terms of number of speakers among the Zo people, who use 50 different dialects. Lusei is now spoken by close to 600,000 people.
Tedim is the only language of the Zo languages that has the word literature in its vocabulary. It is the word "lai" which also means, apart from literature and paper, middle or center.
The Zomi includes these subgroups: Tedim, Pawite (Falam namte), Laizo (Laimite), NuaiZo, Zo Phei, Lusuang (Luseite), Paihte (Simte), Thahdo (Kuki), and Meitei (Manipurte).
The people who live in the Tedim area or Tedim Township call themselves Tedimmi. The residents of the town of Tedim are called Tedimte. The language spoken in the area is called Tedimpau or Tedimkam, the land and space area it covers is called Tedimgam or Tedim Uksung. The governor and or rulers are called Tedim Uk, or Ukpi, the styles and fashion they use and the way they live called Tedimdan,Tedimzia and Tedim zia leh tong.
Languages spoken by the Tedim people are as follows:
Here is a commemorative song said to be composed by Pum Go concerning the growing prosperity in Tedim:
(Translation)
The Tedimmi have been well known for their skills in black magic, ritual healing, white magic, witchcraft, occult, alchemy, and hunting, since ancient times. There is a legend and eye-witnesses that say a Wicca Pu-Ngul Tuan (the Father of Pu-Khampi) from Anlangh once stopped an avalanche on Mount Hiangtaam near his home village with his wiccan power.
Under the capable leadership of Kam Hau, Tedim became a safe place, assuming the position of commercial and political center of the region.[3]
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