 | |
|---|---|
 Cultural flag of the Meitei people | |
| Total population | |
| 1,800,000+[2] (2011) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 India | 1,760,913[3] |
| Manipur | 1,522,132[4] |
| Assam | 168,127[5] |
| Tripura | 23,779[6] |
| Nagaland | 9,511[7] |
| Meghalaya | 4,451[8] |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 2,835[9] |
| Mizoram | 2,242[10] |
 Myanmar | 25,000[11] |
 Bangladesh | 15,000[2] |
| Languages | |
 Meitei language(officially known asManipuri language) | |
| Religion | |
Majority: Hinduism - predominantlyVaishnavismMinority: | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Bamars,Shan,Chin,Kachin,Meitei Pangals,Tripuri,Nagas, otherTibeto-Burman groups | |
| Part of a series on |
| Meitei people |
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Politics |
TheMeitei people, also known asMeetei people,[13] are aTibeto-Burman ethnic group native to theIndian State ofManipur. They form the largest and dominantethnic group ofManipur inNortheast India. They speak theMeitei language (officially calledManipuri), one of the22 official languages of the Republic of India and the sole official language ofGovernment of Manipur.[1][14] The Meiteis primarily settled in theImphal Valley region in modern-day Manipur, though a sizeable population has settled in the other Indian states ofAssam,Tripura,Nagaland,Meghalaya, andMizoram.[2][15] There is also a notable presence of Meiteis in the neighbouring countries ofMyanmar andBangladesh.[2][11][16] The Meiteis represents about 53% of Manipur's population.[17]
The Meitei are known by a number ofendonyms,Meitei,Meetei,Meithei (Meitei),[1] and as well as by numerousexonyms, such asMeckley,[18][19]Manipuri,Cassay-Shan, andKathe (Burmese).[20] The termManipuri is widely used, but problematic because of its ambiguous scope: next to being a synonym forMeitei/Meetei, it can also refer in a wider sense to the native ethnic groups in the hills of Manipur.[13]
As per the 2011 census, there 1,761,079 Meitei language-speakers in India.[21]
The vast majority of them (1,522,132 people, 86 percent of the total) are in the state ofManipur, which is also their place of origin.[22][21]Estimated 239,836 people of this population areMeitei Pangals. The remainder, 1,353,999 people, are ethnic Meiteis.[23][a]
A significant number (168,133 people, 9.5 percent) of Meitei language speakers are in the state ofAssam.[21]In theBarak Valley region of Assam, Meitei people are the third largest ethnic group, after Bengalis and Hindi speakers.[24]
The population of Meiteis are found in four districts ofSylhet Division in Bangladesh, namelySylhet District (thirteen villages),Moulvibazar District (twenty-eight villages),Sunamganj District (three villages) andHabiganj District (four villages). In early times, there were Meitei population inDhaka,Mymensingh andComilla too.[25]
Myanmar has a significant population of Meitei people inKachin state,Yangon Region,Sagaing Region,Shan state,Ayeyarwady Region, among others.[26]
"The beginning of this oldManipuri literature (as in the case ofNewari) may go back to 1500 years, or even 2000 years, from now."[27][28][29]
The earliest sections of theCheitharol Kumbaba, a Meitei chronicle, record the gradual spread of Meiteis acrossKangleipak (Meitei for 'Manipur') and their assimilation of other clans into a confederacy.[30][31]
In 1100 CE,Loyumba Shinyen (Old Manipuri:ꯂꯣꯌꯨꯝꯄ ꯁꯤꯟꯌꯦꯟ,romanized: Loyumpa Shinyen), anancient Meitei languageconstitution was written and regulated under the supervision of Meitei KingLoiyumba (Loyumba) (1074 CE-1112 CE) in theAncient Kangleipak (earlyManipur).[32] It is a formal proclamation of the proto-constitution which was drafted in 429 CE by Meitei KingNaophangba.[33][34][35] The idea of itsconstitutionalism was functional until it was substituted by theManipur State Constitution Act 1947.[36]
Myanmar is home to a sizeable community of Meiteis, who are calledKathe in Burmese.[37] Unlike other Hindu communities in Myanmar, the Meitei resemble other Burmese ethnic groups in terms of physical appearance, which has accelerated their assimilation and integration into Burmese society.[37] In the early 1950s, Burmese Meiteis numbered approximately 40,000, with a third of them residing inMandalay.[38] Current estimates are approximately 25,000.[11] Meiteis have resettled throughout the country, including in villages nearMyitkyina to the north,Homalin,Kalewa,Pyay, in the center of the country, andYangon to the south.[38] They continue to practiceHinduism in Myanmar.[39]
As a result of wars between the Meitei kingdom and theKonbaung dynasty between the 17th and 18th centuries, many Meiteis were resettled in the Burmese kingdom.[40] Some Meitei settlements in modern-day Myanmar originate from the 1758–1759 war, and from the Burmese occupation of Manipur from 1819 to 1826.[40][38]Alaungpaya, during the former campaign, resettled Meiteis inSagaing andAmarapura.[38] The Meitei people's horsemanship skills were employed in the Burmese royal army, where they formed the elite Cassay cavalry (ကသည်းမြင်းတပ်) and artillery regiments (ကသည်းအမြောက်တပ်) which were employed during theBurmese–Siamese wars.[41] The Burmese court also retained a retinue ofManipuri Brahmins called Bamons, also calledKathe Ponna (ကသည်းပုဏ္ဏား) to advise and conduct court rituals.[38]
The Meitei people speak theMeitei language (also known as the Manipuri language), aTibeto-Burman language. Meitei is one of thelanguages with legal status in India, and was included in theEighth Schedule to the Constitution of India in 1992.[42]
There are manyMeitei language movements, includingclassical language movement (predominantly in Manipur),associate official language movement (inAssam),linguistic purism movement (predominantly inManipur), etc.
Historically and then after a long gap, presently, Meitei was written in the indigenousMeitei mayek script.[43] The script was replaced by an alphabet based on theBengali script in the early 18th century.[44] The Meitei Mayek script has seen a revival in recent decades, and is now seen in street signs, schools, newspapers, and legislative proceeding records.[45]
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Among the heritage of diverse literary works in Meitei literature, theKhamba Thoibi Sheireng, (Meitei: ꯈꯝꯕ ꯊꯣꯏꯕꯤ ꯁꯩꯔꯦꯡ,lit. 'poem on Khamba Thoibi')[46]), is regarded as thenational epic of the Manipuris.[47][48][49] It is anepic poem based on the ancient romantic adventure tale ofKhamba and Thoibi. It is the best knownmagnum opus ofHijam Anganghal Singh. It is often considered to be the greatest of all the Meitei epic poems. At 39,000verses, it isthe longest Indian epic just after the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.[50][49][51]
Some of the significant intricate designs of the traditionalMeitei architecture and sculptures are seen in various buildings and institutions, especially the temples oftraditional Meitei religion:Hiyangthang Lairembi Temple,Pakhangba Temple, Kangla,Sanamahi Kiyong Temple,Thangjing Temple, Moirang, among many. Others include theIma Keithel,Kangla Sanathong. include Some of the worthy to mention finely crafted sculptures are theMarjing Polo Statue,Kangla Sha sculptures,Statue of Meidingu Nara Singh.
TheLai Haraoba (Meitei for 'Merrymaking festival of the gods') is a traditional Meitei ritualistic theatrical festival, consisting of different dances, musical performances and carnivals in the temples and the streets. It's dedicated to the worship of theancient Meitei gods and goddesses, who are categorised as theUmang Lai (Meitei for 'Sylvan deities') andLam Lai (Meitei for 'Tutelary deities').[52][53]
TheManipuri classical dance, also referred to as theManipuriRaas Leela (Meitei:Jagoi Raas, Raas Jagoi[54][55][56]), is ajagoi and is one of the majorIndian classical dance forms, originating from the historicalManipur Kingdom.[57]
The firstManipuri-language film,Matamgi Manipur, was released on 9 April 1972.[58] Paokhum Ama (1983) is the first full-lengthcolour feature film (according to theAcademy's definition of a feature film)[59] of Manipur and was directed byAribam Syam Sharma.Lammei (2002) is the first Manipuri Video film to have a commercial screening at a theatre.[60]
Imagi Ningthem (Meitei for 'My Son, My Precious') (1981) is theonly Indian film that gets theGolden Montgolfiere at theFestival des 3 Continents,Nantes in 1982, bringing fame and honour of the Indian cinema at the international platform.[61][62]
Ishanou (Meitei for 'The Chosen One') (1990) was screened in theUn Certain Regard section at the1991 Cannes Film Festival,[63] and again after a gap of 33 years, it was recognised as a "World Classic" by the2023 Cannes Film Festival. Notably, it was the only film selected from India for the event in that year.[64][65][66]
According to the 2011 census, 222,422 people (14.6 percent) follow the traditionalSanamahi religion of the Meitei people.[67] The remainder (1,298,821 people, 85.3 percent) followHinduism andChristianity as per the census. The number of Christians is expected to be small. For example, the valley districts of Manipur, the major concentration of Meitei people, have about 3,000 Christians.[b]
Most Meiteis follow bothHinduism as well asSanamahi religious traditions and rituals. For example, they worship Sanamahi in the south-west corners of their homes.[70]
The Meitei people follow a traditional calendar calledMaliyafam Palcha Kumsing, which has 12 months and a 7-day week.[71]
Rice, vegetables and fish are staple food of the Meiteis, although meat is also consumed; but in traditional meitei dishes meat is never used in non-vegetarian dishes. In traditional and cultural gatherings fish, snails, oysters, crabs, eels etc. are the only non-vegetarian elements used and a significant number of meiteis follow it where meat is cooked and eaten outside the house if consumed. Rice is the main carbohydrate source in a Meitei dish; typically, it is served with vegetables, fish, freshwater snails, crabs, oyesters, eels etc. Among the most famous species of fishes Manipuri Sareng (Wallago attu) or commonly known as Helicopter catfish, Hilsa (ilish Tenualosa ilisha), freshwater snails (pila (gastropod)) and edible oysters are considered a delicacy. The vegetables are either made as stews (Kangsoi) with less oil/no oil used in sauteing, or stir fried directly in oil with various added spices to make an oily spicy side dish (Kanghou). Roasted/Smoked and Sun-dried fish or fried fresh fish is usually added in most of the stews and curry to impart special taste. The vegetables, herbs and fruits consumed in the region are more similar to those in Southeast/East/Central Asian, Siberian, Arctic, Polynesian and Micronesian cuisines such as Myanmar, Thailand, Inuit, etc. E.g. treebean (yongchak), galangal (loklei),culantro (awa phadigom),lime basil (mayangton),fishwort (tokningkhok) and many others, which are not cultivated in northern India. One of the most important ingredients in Meitei cooking is Ngari (fermented fish). Roasted ngari is used in thesingju (a kind of salad), morok metpa (chilli chutney),eromba (boiled and mashed veggies with chillies). A variety of fermented bamboo shoots (soibum) as well as fresh bamboo shoots (Ushoi/Shoidon), and fermented soya beans (hawaijaar) also form an important part of Meitei cuisines. All meals are served with some fresh aromatic herbs on the side.
A typical every day Meitei meal will have rice, vegetable or fish curry, a piquant side dish (either morok metpa oreromba accompanied with herbs), a champhut (a steamed/boiled vegetable with little sugar, e.g., carrot, pumpkin or cucumber slices or steamed/boiled mustard green stems, etc. without sugar), and a Kanghou. Meat cuisines are also popular amongst the Meiteis and some of the common meat curries are yen thongba (chicken curry) and nganu thongba (duck cury) and depending on regions, oak thongba (pork curry) and shan thongba (beef curry).
The Meitei are mainly agriculturists in which rice is a staple crop. However, they also grow mangoes, lemons, pineapples, oranges, guavas, and other fruits. Fishing is also common among the Meitei that can either be a profession or a hobby. Women tend to dominate the local markets as sellers of food items, textiles, and traditional clothing.[72]
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Arambai Tenggol is a socio-political organisation involved in the revival and preservation of indigenous Meitei culture, which has developed into an armed milita in the course of the2023–2025 Manipur violence.[73]Meira Paibi (Women torch bearers) is a Meitei women'ssocial movement referred to as the "guardians of civil society".[74]
Listed as Manipuri in the 2011 Indian census
The beginning of this old Manipuri literature (as in the case of Newari) may go back to 1500 years, or even 2000 years, from now.
The beginning of this old Manipuri literature (as in the case of Newari) may go back to 1500 years, or even 2000 years, from now...
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of November 2024 (link)H. Anganghal Singh's Khamba Thoibi Sheireng (Poem on Khamba Thoibi, 1940) is a national epic of the Manipuris based on the story of Khamba and Thoibi of Moirang. The poet composes the whole epic in the Pena Saisak style of folk ballads sung by minstrels or bards popular in Manipur.
His epic Singel Indu was published in 1938 which was followed by his magnum opus Khamba Thoibi Sheireng (1940), a poem of 39000 lines, considered to be the 'national' epic of the Manipuris, written in the Pena Saisak style of folk ballads.
His best work, Khamba Thoibi sheireng, in 39,000 lines on the story of 'Khamba and Thoibi' was started in 1939 and the composition was completed in 1940.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
| Indo-Aryans | |
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| Austro-Asiatic | |
| Dravidian | |
| Tibeto-Burman | |
| Others | |
| Immigrants and expatriates | |
| International | |
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| National | |
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