imported>MrOllie: /* Notable Zo people */

2021-07-22T16:13:53Z

Notable Zo people

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{{For|the smaller, northern Zomi group with an homonymic name|Zou people}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox ethnic group
| group = Zo people/Zomi
| total = 10+ million
| regions = [[United States]]; [[Australia]]; [[Chin State]], [[Myanmar]]; Northeastern [[India]]; Eastern [[Bangladesh]]; [[Thailand]]
| languages = Various [[Kuki-Chin languages|Chin, Kuki, Mara, Hmar, Mizo & Zomi languages]]
| religions = Predominantly [[Christianity]], minority [[Animism]] and [[Buddhism]]
| related_groups = [[Naga people|Naga]], [[Meitei people|Meitei]], [[Kachin people|Kachin]], [[Karen people|Karen]], [[Shan people|Shan]], [[Karbi people|Karbi]]
| footnotes =
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
}}

The '''Zo people''' are an ethnic group of [[Myanmar]]. The word Zo is used to describe an ethnic group, also known as the [[Paite people|Zomi]], the [[Chin people|Chin]], the [[Mizo people|Mizo]], the [[Kuki people|Kuki]] and a number of other names based on geographic distribution, are a large group of related [[Tibeto-Burman languages|Tibeto-Burman]] peoples spread throughout the [[Northeast India|northeastern states of India]], northwestern [[Myanmar]] (Burma) and the [[Chittagong Hill Tracts]] of [[Bangladesh]]. In northeastern India, they are present in: [[Nagaland]], [[Mizoram]], [[Manipur]] and [[Assam]]. This dispersal across international borders resulted from a [[British Raj|British colonial policy]] that drew borders on political grounds rather than ethnic ones.<ref>T. Haokip, 'The Kuki Tribes of Meghalaya: A Study of their Socio-Political Problems', in S.R. Padhi (Ed.). ''[https://www.academia.edu/4392866/The_Kuki_Tribes_of_Meghalaya_A_Study_of_their_Socio-Political_Problems Current Tribal Situation: Strategies for Planning, Welfare and Sustainable Development]''. Delhi: Mangalam Publications, 2013, p. 85.</ref> They speak more than fifty dialects.

==Names==

Various names have been used for the Zo peoples, but the individual groups generally acknowledge descent from ancestral Zo. Among the more prominent names given to this group are "Chin" and "Zomi" generally in Myanmar, and "Mizo", "Zomi" and "Kuki", generally in India.

In the literature, the term ''Kuki'' first appeared in the writings of Rawlins when he wrote about the tribes of the [[Chittagong Hill Tracts]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Rawlins |first1=John |year=1792 |title=On the Manners Religion and Laws of the Cucis or Mountaineers of Tipra |journal=Asiatic Researches |volume=2 |issue=12 }}</ref> It referred to a "wild tribe" comprising numerous clans. These clans shared a common past, culture, customs and tradition. They spoke in dialects that had a common root language belonging to the [[Tibeto-Burman languages|Tibeto-Burman]] group.<ref>Grierson (1909), ''Linguistic Survey of India'', Vol. III, Tibeto-Burman Family, General Introduction, Specimens of the Tibetan Dialects, The Himalayan Dialects and The North Assam Group, Pt. II, with Grierson (1903), Specimens of the Bodo, Naga and Kachin Groups, Pt. III, Grierson (1904) Specimens of the Kuki, Chin and Burma Groups.</ref>

The origin of the name "Chin" is unknown . Later the British used the compound term "Chin-Kuki-Mizo" to group the [[Kukish language]] speaking people, and the [[Government of India]] inherited this.<ref>Violence and identity in North-east India: Naga-Kuki conflict - Page 201 S. R. Tohring - 2010 "... for these tribes including • the Kuki/ speaking tribe such as: 'Chin', 'Mizo', 'Chin-Kuki-Mizo', 'CHIKIM', 'Zomi', 'Zou', 'Zo'. ... During the British era, the British rulers used the term 'Chin-Kuki-Mizo' and the Government of India seemed to follow ..."</ref> Missionaries chose to employ the term Chin to christen those on the Burmese side and the term Kuki on the Indian side of the border.<ref>Sachchidananda, R. R. Prasad -''Encyclopaedic profile of Indian tribes''- Page 530 1996</ref><ref>Pradip Chandra Sarma, ''Traditional Customs and Rituals of Northeast India: Arunachal ... '' Page 288 Vivekananda Kendra Institute of Culture "chose to employ the term Chin to christen those on the Burmese side and the term Kuki on the Indian side of the ... The Mizo of today's Mizoram are the descendants of Luseia, and the Zomi of Manipur are from the Songthu line, and thus all ..."</ref> Chin nationalist leaders in Burma's [[Chin State]] popularized the term "Chin" following Burma's independence from Britain.<ref>Amy Alexander ''Burma: "we are Like Forgotten People" : the Chin People of Burma'' Page 16 2009 "... within Chin State, Chin nationalist leaders popularized the term "Chin" following Burma's independence from Britain."</ref>

Beginning in the 1990s, the generic names Chin and Kuki have been rejected by some for "Zomi", a name used by a group speaking [[Northern Kukish languages]], including the [[Zomi people|Zomi]].<ref>History of Zomi T. Gougin - 1984 "In Burma the people like to renounce the term Chin in favour of Zomi. Zomi is becoming more and more popular in Churachandpur district of Manipur adjoining the Chin State of Burma as group identity in repudiating Chin and Kuki. The term ..."</ref> The speakers of the Northern Kukish languages are sometimes lumped together as the Zomi's.Some [[Zomi nationalism|Zomi nationalists]] have stated that the use of the label Chin would mean subtle domination by Burmese groups.<ref>B. Datta-Ray ''Tribal identity and tension in north-east India'' Page 34 1989 "Now to accept the term Chin would mean subtle Paite domination in the matter, which the other groups like the Hmars, Zous, Anals and Koms may not coopt. A Zomi leader categorically stated that 'Chin' is a Burmese word which literally ..."</ref><ref>Keat Gin Ooi - Southeast Asia: A Historical Encyclopedia, from Angkor Wat to East ... - Volume 1 - Page 353 2004 "Until recently, there appeared to be a consensus that the term Chin was not an identity that any of these peoples would choose to describe themselves, ... Some promote the terms Zomi and Zo, stating that they are derived from the name of the mythic common ancestor of all ..."</ref>

The term "Mizo" (poetic version of "Zomi"), was incorporated in the name of the Indian state [[Mizoram]].<ref>Chin Kho Lian Guite - ''Politico-economic development of the tribals of Manipur: a study ... '' Page 8 1999 "Conceptual Meaning and Various Interpretations of the Terms— Chin, Kuki and Mizo (a) Chin The term Chin is the name given to this Zomi/Zomi tribes (formerly known as Chin-Kuki-Mizo) group of people in Myanmar (Burma). They are mostly found in the ..."</ref>

== Geography ==
{{further|Zomia (region)}}
[[File:Zogam Lim.png|thumb|right|Zomi inhabited areas]]
They are spread out in the contiguous regions of [[Northeast India]], Northwest [[Burma]] (Myanmar), and the [[Chittagong Hill Tracts]] in [[Bangladesh]]. In India, they are most prominent in [[Manipur]], [[Nagaland]], [[Assam]] and [[Mizoram]]. Some fifty Zo peoples are recognised as [[Scheduled castes and scheduled tribes|scheduled tribes]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Alphabetical List of India's Scheduled Tribes|url=http://www.tribal.nic.in/alphabetical_list.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210171227/http://tribal.nic.in/alphabetical_list.html|archivedate=10 February 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Cultures and customs==

Like other tribes of the world, Zo people have some cultures, traditions and customs which only Zo people preciously keep and conserve. At the same time, this fact makes Zo generations superior to all other tribes who claim to be Zo descendants. This practice can only be found in Zo generations.

There are 12 categories of Zo cultures and customs: (1) Ton, (2) Ton and Han, (3) Ton and Taang Aih, (4) Taang Aih, (5) Kimulvu (6) Khuodo (Khal leh Ginua Khuado) (7) Sielkhup (8) Si Vailhak (9) Si Cieng Aa Diel Khaina (10) Mo Laakna (11) Ai Sanna (12) Nau Aaitahna Zo Traditional Ballads. There are 18 categories of Zo major traditional ballads / songs: (1) Lapi (2) Laguui (3) Si La (Gaal La, Sa La, Simai La ) (4) Si Pusuoh La (5) Daak La (6) Lampisuh La (7) Taang La (8) Lamkiil La (9) Sawlnei La (10) Lakawi (11) Latawm' (12) Tomun La (13) Tuivai La (14) Loma La / Lakap (15) Tuibuong / Phaaisat La (16) Haaidawi La (17) Sim La (18) Zawl La / Lataang Zo Dances. There are also 10 categories of Zo traditional dances: (1) Khaw Khai Dance (2) Saipi Khupsu Dance (3) Phiit Lam (4) Doldeng Dance (Daak lam)(5) Daai Lam (6) Khuongtung Dance (7) Khangtung Dance (8) Lumsui Dance (9) Lamguui Dance (10) Phiit kengpaih Dance.

==Folktales==
All the stories or [[Oral tradition|folktales]] such as the stories of ''Thanghou leh Liandou'' ,''KhupChing leh NgamBawm, GalNgam leh Hangsai, Khalvompu and Neino leh Naltal'' that are very widely popular throughout the North Western part of [[Chin state]] and other parts of the world where Zo people reside were originally written and spoken in pure Zo dialect.

==Notable Zo people==

* [[Mary Kom|Mary Kom(Zomi)]]
* [[Henry Van Thio|Henry Van Thio(Chin)]]
* [[Zoramthanga|Zoramthanga(Mizo)]]

==See also==
* [[Kuki–Paite ethnic clash of 1997–1998]]
* [[Leen Nupa]]
* [[Zomi Nationalism]]
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==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Clear}}

{{Kuki-Chin-Mizo tribes}}
{{Scheduled tribes of India}}
{{Ethnic groups in Bangladesh}}
{{Ethnic groups in Burma}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Zomi people}}
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Manipur]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Myanmar]]
[[Category:Tribes of Assam]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Northeast India]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in South Asia]]
[[Category:Hill people]]

Zo people - Revision history

imported>MrOllie: /* Notable Zo people */