NSCN/ GPRN on Tangkhul Meiteis

GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF NAGALIM

Ministry of Information & Publicity

                    Press Statement

                      22nd Oct'2023

TANGKHULS AND MEITEIS ARE BROTHERS?

History says that the Nagas, the Meiteis and the Kukis come from a common history.They are brothers of Mongoloid family . This is a common knowledge. With respect to the much talk about the Tangkhul and Meitei brotherhood, history is very clear. The story is, however confined only to Hundung village and does not apply to the whole Tangkhuls. History has it that one Tangkhul brother from Hundung village went down to the present Imphal valley and settled down there to live with the Meitei community. A story also says there are cases where some Tangkhuls and other Naga tribes who were married to Kuki women settled in their land and lived with the Kuki community.

Points to understand

Whereas we cannot undermine the blood relationship of the Hundung royal family and the Meiteis, one should not take it too far to give wrong meaning. We should understand that all Tangkhuls are not part of Hungdung royal family.

Hungdung was one big village in the Tangkhul community that time. But that does not mean Hundung village represents the whole Tangkhuls. Therefore, the relationship is not about the Tangkhul and Meitei but Hundung village royal family and few Meitei salais(clans) and royal family in the Imphal valley.

Individual inter-tribal marriage never mean tribe-level bond when the relationship is only between the two families.

Naga people should not be carried away or misled by such propaganda by people with vested interest to dilute the sanctity and distinct Naga national identity.

In days gone by, the past generations traced their brotherhood only in blood line. But things have changed now, where ideological brotherhood and brotherhood in one faith counts. Pakistan and India, East Bengal and West Bengal come from the same blood line. They speak the same language and read the same scripts, but they were divided in the lines of religion and politics. 

We love our Meitei and Kuki brothers and sisters and we respect them. But we know we have been living here together without political foundation. We must live together, but on correct foundation. Apart from the common blood line, we must speak the same political language and profess the same faith. We must build our world on the foundation of a living history and not on concocted history.

All said and done, there is no feeling of antagonism towards the Meiteis and the Kukis as well. 

(Source: MIP, NSCN/GPRN)