Anāl Naga

The Anāls are a Naga tribe native to Manipur state in North-East India and part of Myanmar.^[2] They are listed as a Scheduled Tribe, in accordance with The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (Amendment) Act, 1976 Indian Constitution.^[3][4] The Anāl tribe is one of the 'sixty six Naga tribes' of the Naga ancestral homeland. The members of this tribe are found both in India and Myanmar. In India, they are situated in the States of Manipur and Nagaland but mostly concentrated in the former. In the State of Manipur, the Anāl Naga population concentrated in Chandel ^[5] and a few Anāl villages are located in its neighbouring districts, Churachandpur district has about three villages and Thoubal district has one or two.^[6]

The Anāls in Myanmar live in Sagaing sub-division. The Anāl population in this part has been dwindling. At present, there are three Anāl villages, 'Nga Kala, Napalun and Haika'. Formerly the Anāls had no problem to move or visit Anāl areas now in Myanmar and vice versa.^[7] However, with the demarcation of boundaries, they came under two distinct units and the consequent restriction imposed on the movement of the people of both sides, the Anāls had to stop such free movement between them. Consequently, there has not been any interaction between the members of the same tribe now existing under two different countries. The Anāl community is one of the oldest inhabitants of the hill areas in Manipur state. The archaeological findings at Chakpikarong also point it. Despite this, the numbers of Anāls remain small. According to Census of India, the Anāl population was 21,242 and 1991 census placed as 10,642.^[8]

The Anāl Naga is recognized as a tribe in Manipur since 1951. Therefore, Anāl Naga is one of 33 tribes in Manipur.^[9] The Anāl Language falls under Tibeto-Burman languages family.^[10] Referred to them as one of the 'Naga" tribes of Manipur and recognised as part of the Naga by the state government of Manipur.^[11]

History

The Anāl Naga tribe is one of the oldest indigenous tribes in the state of Manipur in Northeast India.^[12] According to Sanajaoba Naorem,^[13] in Chakpikarong the relics of the Paleolithic period have been found by the archaeologists. Chakpikarong is a land of the Anāls since the time the earliest settlers occupied the hill country of Manipur. The Anāls settled both in India and Myanmar, their settlements crossed the Indo-Myanmar border. In India, the members of the tribe are found in the state of Manipur, mainly in Chandel district and a few villages in Churachandpur district and Thoubal district. There are hundred and forty one villages in Chandel district. The neighbouring districts, Churachanpur district has three Anāl villages, namely Kolen, Dutejol and Warkhu, and the Thoubal district has one Anāl village- Moirankhom. Under the Myanmar administrative unit, there are three Anāl villages namely, Ngakala, Napaleen and Haika. According to the census report of 2001, the total Anāl population in India ais 21,242. The Anāl population in Myanmar is not known because many of them are assimilated to the major community ^[14] Originally, the Anāls were animistic but are now largely Christian.^[15] However, Christianity became a religion for the Anāls only after India's independence. Today, more than 95 per cent of Anāls are Christians and are concentrated in Chandel of Manipur.^[16] One of the positive impacts of Christianity among the Anāls is education.^[13][17]

The Anāls are amongts the indigenous of Manipur. The history of Moirang (a Meitei kingdom) and the Anāl traditional songs and tales suggests an existence in the presence inhabited areas since the beginning of the 1st century AD or much earlier.^[12] The Anal cultural and traditional relationship with the Meitei brethren dates backs to 33 AD, and the Meitei King Wangbarel (Pakhangba) married an Anāl woman belonging to the Wanglum clan of Anal Khullen.^[13]

Folklore

In the words of Horam,^[18] in ‘Naga Polity, “it can be said that the Nagas at first live in stone caves or in the womb of the earth”.^[19] YL. Roland Shemmi also writes, “Angami, Lotha, Rengam belief that they came out from the earth hole. Tangkhul Naga came out from earth hole at Hundung. Ao tribe believes that they were the first to come out of underground cave’. Thus cave theory as an epicenter of their origin is common among many tribes and all the Nagas tribe shared this theory. Anāl legend states that the Anāl, together with the other Pakan tribes, originated in Mongolia.^[13] They lived in a cave guarded by a man-eating tiger. Two Anāls, Hanshu and Hantha, killed the tiger with the help of birds from the sky. After the tiger's death, the tribes left the cave, travelling through China, Tibet, and numerous other areas before settling in Manipur. The Anāls are divided into two groups based on who they believe they are descended from, Hanshu and Hantha .^[13]

Ethnic identity

The political relationship between the Nagas and the Kukis since the eve of British colonialism to post-British era has always been opposed to one another. The Anāls oral history says they were always at war with the Kukis. In Chakpikarong (The Anāls Naga habitation) Stone Age culture age has been explored and found the existence of this culture.^[17] This shows the Anāl Naga tribe is one of the oldest tribes of Manipur state. The oral history of the Anāls says that Anāls were oppressed by the Kukis during the Kuki rebellion of 1917.^[17]

Demographics

The Anāls live in the Manipur region of Northeast India, which is surrounded by the Imphal valley to the north, Churachandpur districtto the west, the Chin Hills to the south and Kabaw valley to the east. The area is very hilly, with thick jungles and many wild animals.According to the 2001 census, there are approximately 21,242 Anāls in Manipur. In 1981 they were living in 45 villages.^[20][21]

Literacy and educational level

According to Census India in the year 2001, the Scheduled Tribe (ST) population in Manipur recorded 65.9 per cent literacy, which is above the national average for STs (47.1%). Of the thirteen major STs, the Anals recorded the fourth highest literacy rate of 73.9% while Hmar recorded the highest literacy of 79.8 per cent, followed by Paite (79%), Any Mizo (Lushai) tribes (74%) and Tangkhul (72.7%).^[8]

Social life

In social practices, many of them are unique. One conspicuous trait is division of tribe's clans into two distinct groups, viz., 'Mosum' and 'Murchal'. Such as marriage can occur between the members of these two blocks, if any, intra-marriage prevails, it leads to ostracism of the concern couple. The economy of Anāls is primarily based on crude agriculture.^[6]

The Anāls' political system, since time immemorial, is democratic in nature and practice. This could be evinced by the election of village authority: the chief and his associates are elected by either voice vote or raise hand.^[6][22]

References