Mao Naga
Encyclopedia
The Maos are one of the major tribes constituting the Nagas
, a group of tribes spread over the eastern most part of India
and the western border region of Burma. The Maos inhabit the northern part of Manipur
State of India, bounded by similar Naga tribes such as the Angami
and Chakhesang
tribes in the north, the Maram and Zeme Naga
tribes in the west and south, and the Tangkhul
and Poumai tribes in the east. The Maos are also known as Memai or Ememai, in their own language. The term 'Mao' also refers to the area where most of the old and original villages are situated, as distinguished from the newer settlements in an expanded area of their habitation.
in the 19th Century in the Naga areas. The term was used extensively to refer to a group of people inhabiting the hilly ranges immediately south of the border of the then Naga Hills district of Assam. It is probably a derivation from "Momai" or "Maomai", a combination of two words "Mao", the proper name and "Mai" meaning people, by which their southerly neighbours, the Marams, called them. Since the Meiteis of the Manipur valley had interactions with the Maos through the Marams by way of trade relationships, the term of reference used by the Marams might have been shortened to "Mao" when the Meiteis began to use the name, dropping the suffix “mai”.
Today, the name 'Mao' is also used to refer to the area where most of the old and original Memai villages are situated, as distinguished from the newer settlements in an expanded area of their habitation. While the larger area is called Mao, the small township that has developed along the National Highway 39 is referred to as 'Mao Gate', probably deriving its usage from the inter-State border post/gate between Nagaland and Manipur located at the town area.
, although the Maos can inter-communicate fully with many of the villages in the Poumai group and to a certain extent in the Angami group.
In popular Mao folklore, there is a story transmitted through an old folksong which says that each of the three brothers descended from the first man was given a language and a script scrolled on three different materials by their father. The eldest son was given the script scrolled on a bark, the middle one on a bamboo culm sheath and the youngest on a hide. As the youngest of the brothers, the forefather of the Nagas did not understand the significance of having a script and casually tucked away the scroll at the side of his bed. Over time, the scroll was lost and the Nagas lost a major tool in the advancement of knowledge. Since the script was scrolled on a hide, it was thought that the scroll was nibbled away by mice. Later, suspicion arose that the two older brothers might have conspired to deprive their brother of the script as later interactions among the brothers showed the reluctance of the two older siblings to accept their youngest brother as an equal.
Naga people
The term Naga people refers to a conglomeration of several tribes inhabiting the North Eastern part of India and north-western Burma. The tribes have similar cultures and traditions, and form the majority ethnic group in the Indian state of Nagaland...
, a group of tribes spread over the eastern most part of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and the western border region of Burma. The Maos inhabit the northern part of Manipur
Manipur
Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of...
State of India, bounded by similar Naga tribes such as the Angami
Angami
The Angamis are one of the major Naga tribes of Nagaland, India. They are known for the Sekrenyi celebrations that take place every February.-Division:...
and Chakhesang
Chakhesang
Chakhesang is a Naga tribe found in Nagaland, India.The word Chakhesang comprises three tribes: cha - Chakri, Khe - Khezha, Sang - Sangtam.Chakhesangs are the former Eastern [Angami], who have separated from the Angami Naga tribe, and are now recognized as a separate tribe. It is a major tribe in...
tribes in the north, the Maram and Zeme Naga
Zeme naga
Zeme Naga is one of the sub-groups of Zeliangrong people. The Zeme inhabits the Northeastern states of India. Zemes reside in NC Hills of Assam, Tousem Sub-Division of Tamenglong district and Senapati district of Manipur, and Peren district of Nagaland...
tribes in the west and south, and the Tangkhul
Tangkhul
Tangkhul is a Naga tribe living in the Indo-Burma border area occupying the Ukhrul district in Manipur, India and the Somra Tangkhul hills in Upper Burma. Despite this international border, the Tangkhul have continued to regard themselves as one nation...
and Poumai tribes in the east. The Maos are also known as Memai or Ememai, in their own language. The term 'Mao' also refers to the area where most of the old and original villages are situated, as distinguished from the newer settlements in an expanded area of their habitation.
Etymology
The people who are today known as the Maos (Mao, as the proper name of the tribe) do not refer to themselves in their language as such; rather they still call themselves "Memai" or "Ememai". Indeed, the term "Mao" is of outside origin and does not figure in their language. The term “Mao” became popular with the advent of the BritishBritish Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
in the 19th Century in the Naga areas. The term was used extensively to refer to a group of people inhabiting the hilly ranges immediately south of the border of the then Naga Hills district of Assam. It is probably a derivation from "Momai" or "Maomai", a combination of two words "Mao", the proper name and "Mai" meaning people, by which their southerly neighbours, the Marams, called them. Since the Meiteis of the Manipur valley had interactions with the Maos through the Marams by way of trade relationships, the term of reference used by the Marams might have been shortened to "Mao" when the Meiteis began to use the name, dropping the suffix “mai”.
Reference
The term "Mao" is used for the people who belong to the particular tribal group known by this name. Till the early part of the 21st century, the name was applied to a larger group of people including the Memais, who are now called the Maos, and the Poumais, constituting a more heterogenous amalgam of four major dialect groups, namely the Memai, Paomata, Lepaona and the Chiilevei sub-groups. In earlier times, they were collectively known as 'Shiipfomai' in the Memai dialect and 'Shepoumai' in the Poumai dialect. Later on, differences over the use of particular dialects for literary and other common uses as well as other extraneous factors led to their division into two groups, the Memais retaining the name 'Mao' and the other three sub-groups forming the Poumai tribe.Today, the name 'Mao' is also used to refer to the area where most of the old and original Memai villages are situated, as distinguished from the newer settlements in an expanded area of their habitation. While the larger area is called Mao, the small township that has developed along the National Highway 39 is referred to as 'Mao Gate', probably deriving its usage from the inter-State border post/gate between Nagaland and Manipur located at the town area.
Language
The Mao language belongs to the Angami–Pochuri branch of the Tibeto-Burman family. It displays a lot of variations in tonality, spelling and pronunciation among the Mao villages, suggesting a lack of interaction in the past. Many of the physical and metaphysical objects are referred to by different names by different villages. The degree of variation gets considerably widened with the neighbouring dialect groups such as the Poumai and the AngamiAngami
The Angamis are one of the major Naga tribes of Nagaland, India. They are known for the Sekrenyi celebrations that take place every February.-Division:...
, although the Maos can inter-communicate fully with many of the villages in the Poumai group and to a certain extent in the Angami group.
In popular Mao folklore, there is a story transmitted through an old folksong which says that each of the three brothers descended from the first man was given a language and a script scrolled on three different materials by their father. The eldest son was given the script scrolled on a bark, the middle one on a bamboo culm sheath and the youngest on a hide. As the youngest of the brothers, the forefather of the Nagas did not understand the significance of having a script and casually tucked away the scroll at the side of his bed. Over time, the scroll was lost and the Nagas lost a major tool in the advancement of knowledge. Since the script was scrolled on a hide, it was thought that the scroll was nibbled away by mice. Later, suspicion arose that the two older brothers might have conspired to deprive their brother of the script as later interactions among the brothers showed the reluctance of the two older siblings to accept their youngest brother as an equal.