Paite

The Paites are one of the constituting tribes of the ZOMI/ZOs who inhabit Burma, India and Bangladesh. The word paite means " a group of people marching " (pai-march ;te - "plural maker"). The Paites are a recognised scheduled tribe in Manipur as well as in Mizoram. The Paites are concentrated in Manipur, a northeastern state of India. They are dominant in Lamka Town of Churachandpur of Manipur state with a population of 60 thousands (as per the population consensus 2001). Almost all ethnic Paites follows Christianity, mostly Protestant denominations like Baptists, Lutherans, Penticostal, Church of Christ though there are a good percentage of Roman Catholics as well. They adopted Christianity in the 19th centuryFact|date=August 2007 with the intervention of British missionaries.

The Paites are mainly shy, introvert people who are sincerely devoted in whatsoever they perform. Their main occupation is still cultivation though they have achieved much at the various offices of the Federal India. In spite of their minority status, there are some prominent paites who have achieved in the mainstream governance of the Indian Union, according to a national consensus - it was learnt that the Paites are one of the most educationally advanced ethnic group in India'Fact|date=August 2007}

These days Paite tribes are spread throughout the whole world.

There is also a large Paite population in the Indian State of Mizoram. They are well integrated in the Mizo group which consist of many very similar tribes. Mizo being the predominant inclusive name for the tribes of the area, as opposite to Zomi which is preferred in Manipur and Burma. Usually people of the Paite tribe in Mizoram have the letter P before their given name which is more or less the only way to distinguish Paite-Mizo from non Paite-Mizo.

Paite: They live in Churachandpur district in Southern Manipur. Along with Thadou, Vaiphei, Zou, Gangte, Hmar and others they were referred to as Chin-Kuki group in the past. At present, they call themselves as Paite and affiliate to Zomi denomination. They also believed in supreme god Pathian and believed to have originated from a cave or Khul. Their population was 49,271, [ [http://www.censusindia.gov.in/ Indian Census] ] spreading over 125 villages. Folksongs and folktales related to everyday life and culture of the people are orally passed through generations. They are an educated group of tribes and participate actively in local and state politics.

The Zomi Tribes

Let us now turn our attention to the Zo generic under which the Paites constitute a sub-clan or tribe. Listed below are the various tribes under the Zo umbrella. In the present day, the Zomis, of which the Paites form a tribe under it, are divided into three geo-political regions.

Northern Zomis

The Northern Zomi constitutes the Galte (Ralte), Gangte, Paite, Sihzang, Simte, Tedim, Vaiphei, Thadou, Zou, etc. They are found to have been geographically concentrated in such locations as the Tonzang district, the Tedim district (both in Burma), the north-east of Mizoram, the Naga Hills, the Somra Tracts, the Hkamti district, the Kale-Kabaw valley and the North Cachar Hills and Karbi Anglong districts of Assam. The Northern Zomi’s socio-cultural system is basically complex but despite important structural distinctions, they have closer affinity to the Central Zomi, rather than to the Southern tribes.

The Zomi tribes inhabiting the Tripura state of India are the Molsom, Langrong, Chongrai, Bong, Kaipeng, Hrangkhawl, Ruankhum, Darlong, Lushei, Rangchan, Paite/Paitu, Namte, Mizel, Lantei, Laifang, Fun, Khephong, Khareng, Balte, Jantei, and Hajango.

In Bangladesh, about seven Zo tribes can be identified viz; the Bawmzo, Asho, Khami or Khumi, Kuki, Lushei, Mosho and Pankhu.

Almost all the tribes inhabiting the Chin State in Burma and Mizoram state in India belong to Zo racial groups.

Ethnologically, the above named tribes belong to Zomi group because their progenitor is Zo. The close ethnicity is proved by the peculiarity that though variations in dialects exist, the Zomi - unlike other tribes - can converse with one another in their respective dialects with 70% comprehension. Thus the chain of their relationship is circumscribed not only by geographical bounds, but more often by racial unity.

A more detailed study into Zomi languages was made in 1931 and 44 (forty four) separate dialects were recorded as belonging to Kuki-Chin (Zomi) group.

As per the memorandum submitted to the British Government on April 22, 1947 by the Mizo Union, 47 (forty seven) major Zomi tribes were included, viz Aimol, Anal, Bawng, Baite, Bawngzo, Chiru, Chawhte, Chawrai, Chongthu, Chongthu, Darlawng, Dawn, Fanai, Hmar, Hrangkhawl, Hnamte, Kaihpen, Khumi, Khiang, Khiangte, Khawlhring, Kawm, Lushei, Lakher, Langrong, Mualthum, Miria, Ngente, Paite, Pawi, Purum, Pangkhua, Pangte, Pante, Pawite, Ralte, Renthlei, Thadou, Tarau, Tikhup, Tloanglau, Tlau, Vangchhia, Vaiphei, Zou, Zawngte and Gangte.

Central Zomis The Central Zomi includes the Falams, the Hakas, the Thantlang, the Maras (Lakhers), the Lushei, the Hmars, the Zahaus, the Hualngou, the Khuanglis, the Tlasun, the Laizou, the Bawmzou, the Zoukhuas, the Tawrs, the Zoutung, the Ngentes, the Kneltes, the Fanais, etc. They are found to have been geographically concentrated in such locations as Northern Arakan District, the Pokokku Hills, the Central portion of Chin State (all in Burma), Mizoram, Tripura Hills and the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. Southern Zomi

The Southern Zomi includes the Asho, the people of Kanpetlet, Patletwa and Matupi areas such as Chinbok, Chinme, Chinbon, Khumi, Khami, Mro, and Matu. The Asho (or the plains’ Chin) are found to have been geographically concentrated in such locations as Thayetmo, Insein, Minbu, Prome, Aunglam, Akyab, Sandoway, Syrian and Cape of Morton in the plains of Burma. Among the Southern Zomi, the Khyang and Chaungtha in Paletwa district of the Chin State have old relationships with the Arakan, like that of the Old Kuki to Manipur and Tripura.

Criticism

The population mentioned is only about 60,000 that is simply the population of Paites. To include others like Lushei, Hmar, Mara(Lakher), Zotung, Zophei, etc under Zomi is a futile attempt to classify them as if they are any small tribe than the Zomi which an acceptable ethnic name of Paites. Various tribals living this Chin Hills, Lushai Hills and its surrounding areas are closely related tribes but are distinctly different today speaking different languages. It is a futile attempt for any tribe to try to dominate any smaller tribe forcing them to use their adopted name as superior and should be used as a unified name for everyone. Lets believe it is still evolving... We must remember the total population is almost 5 millions, name used by 60,000 cannot be shared by everyone.

External links

* http://www.zogam.org
* http://www.zogam.com
* http://www.zogam.net
* http://www.zogamonline.com
* http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7798938964281962092&q=paite
* http://mizoram.nic.in/
* [http://www.zokuomthawn.com Zo Peoples' Online]
* http://www.sinlung.com

References

Endnotes:

External Links:

*http://www.worldscriptures.org/pages/paite.html
*http://www.cic.nic.in/cicmanipur/html/c_syll_paite.asp
*http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=pck