The Milhiems are an ethnic group living in parts of Northeast India and Myanmar

Myanmar

Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....

. Some writers refer to them as Milhem, Meriem, Mirem, Marrem or Miriam. They belong to the "Old Kuki

Kuki people

The Kukis are an ethnic group that spread throughout the Northeastern region of India, Northwest Burma and Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh. In Northeast India they are present in all the states except Arunachal Pradesh. This dispersal across international borders is mainly attributed to the...

 tribes" 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...

. The Milhiems believe that they descend from a common ancestor who came from a cave which they call Khul. Their history is based on oral tradition, folklore and myth handed down from one generation to the next. Their society is organised into clans and subclans. The village is the highest unit of society and lands belong to the village chief, who is considered the head of their clan or subclan. Some Milhiem clans and subclans are scattered among other Old Kuki tribes such as the Chothe

Chothe

The Chothe tribe is one of the Old Kuki group of clans of the Kuki people found in some parts of Manipur, India. Some historians and anthropologists had recorded them as "Purums" which is a misnomer. At times the Chothe have been confused with the Purum of India.-Social Administration:Chothe...

, Purum

Purum

The Purum are an "old Kuki" tribe of Manipur. They are notable because their marriage system is the subject of ongoing statistical and ethographical analysis; Buchler states that "they are perhaps the most over-analyzed society in anthropology"...

, Koireng, Kom

Kom people (India)

The Kom are a community of people mainly found in Manipur, North-East India. They are scattered over all the districts of Manipur. They have very close cultural similarities with non-Naga tribes of Manipur, native tribes of Tripura and the Mizos . They are a sub-tribe of Komrem/Komhrem...

, Lamkang, Aimol

Aimol

The people of Aimol are settled in different regions in different districts of Manipur and some in Assam and Nagaland. Some people live in Senapati district and some are in Churachandpur district. Most of them are found in Chandel in the South-eastern part of Manipur...

, Maring

Maring (tribe)

The Maring are one of the small tribal groups of Manipur State in North East India. Their name is derived from mei meaning fire and ring meaning to start or produce...

, Tarao, Vaiphei

Vaiphei

The Vaiphei are an ethnic group who inhabit the North-East part of India, Bangladesh and Burma. They are one of the old Kuki clans of Manipur and recognized as part of the Chin-Kuki-Mizo tribe by the state government of Manipur. The group is originally from the Tan valley located in the province of...

, Paite

Paite

The Paites are one of the constituting tribes of the Zomi who inhabit Burma, India and Bangladesh. The word paite means " a group of people marching " or 'Walkers' in a word,. The Paites are a recognised scheduled tribe in Manipur as well as in Mizoram. The Paites concentrated in Manipur, a...

, Lusei and also among the Thadou-kuki tribe.

Origin

Milhiems claim to originate from a cave which they refer to as Khul. According to their folklore and myths, their ancestor Hangmi, born of Vumchom, went out from Khul with his followers after killing the serpent Gulhiemnu, keeper and guardian of the cave opening. Hangmi (sometimes referred to as Hangmang), Bepa, Shongthu and the priest Zahong were all members of the group that came out from Khul. Hangmi is the ancestor of the Lupho, Lupheng, Misao and Neitham clans. Shongthu is the ancestor of the Doungel, Hangsing, Chongloi, Haokip, Kipgen, Guite and Thadou clans. Zahong is the ancestor of the Sauntak and Khaute clans. The three ancestors represent separate and distinct genealogies.

Society

The village is the highest unit of Milhiem society. It is ruled by the village chief, who is usually the head of the clan or subclan. Community ownership of land is practiced in some villages. The chief is assisted by selected elders from the village, who are assigned portfolios in the village administration by the chief. Milhiem society is patriarchal; the eldest son inherits the family property and land. Milhiem society is divided into the clans, which are, in order of seniority: Lupho, Lupheng, Misao and Neitham. The clans are further divided into subclans. Lupheng and Misao are recognised as "notified Scheduled Tribes" (under sub-heading "Any Kuki Tribes") in Mizoram

Mizoram

Mizoram is one of the Seven Sister States in North Eastern India, sharing borders with the states of Tripura, Assam, Manipur and with the neighbouring countries of Bangladesh and Burma. Mizoram became the 23rd state of India on 20 February 1987. Its capital is Aizawl. Mizoram is located in the...

, Assam

Assam

Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...

 and Meghalaya

Meghalaya

Meghalaya is a state in north-eastern India. The word "Meghalaya" literally means the Abode of Clouds in Sanskrit and other Indic languages. Meghalaya is a hilly strip in the eastern part of the country about 300 km long and 100 km wide, with a total area of about 8,700 sq mi . The...

.

Family structure

Clan Name	Subclans	Subclans	Subclans
Lupho	a) Genealogical line of the Progenitor (Lupho)	b) Pholun, Phomang, Lenglim, Lelngoh, Haosoh and others
Lupheng	a) Hanjou family	b) Lhanghal family
Misao	a) Humtum family	b) Leivon family	C) Neitham family

Organisations

Some organisations in Milhiem society are ("NEI" in the table refers to Northeast India):

Original Name	Present Name (since 2000 AD)
Milhiem Tribe Organisation, NEI	Hangmi Union, NEI
Milhiem Student Organisation, NEI	Hangmi Student Union, NEI
Milhiem Sporting Association, NEI	(defunct)

Folklore

The Milhiems have many myths and folktales, including: Thilha-Gal, Lhangeineng (see below), Lhanghal-Changvai, Leivon and Ngoilu.

Lhangeineng

Long ago there lived a man of the Lupho clan, who married and fathered a lovely daughter called Lhangeineng. She was clever and pretty and possessed a quality quite different from her friends. Lhangeineng, was believed to be the most beautiful and charming girl.

One day, a handsome young man saw how beautiful she was and persuaded her that he was none other than the god of water appearing in the form of a man so that he could woo her.

In his bid to get her, the god of water sent torrential rain over the land, making the Milhiems and their kin run for their lives to Lupho village, sometimes known as Kholmol. The rain continued for many days, the water rising up and up to flood the parts of the mountain where the village was.

As the flood was rising high, the water echoed the name Pho.Pho.Pho... Many families sacrificed their daughters to appease the god, but in vain. Eventually, Lhangeineng understood that the god of water wanted her, and she realised how much he loved her. Seeing the danger her people were in, she resolved to sacrifice herself to the man so that they should not vanish in the flood. Thus Lhangeineng sacrificed her life for her people and normal life was restored to the people in Kholmol Village.

To this day, Milhiems consider a shower of rain as a blessing from Lhangeineng who sacrificed herself for her people.

Marriage

Marriage outside the clans was strictly prohibited and monogamous marriage was possible within certain clans and subclans. But such taboos are no longer strictly upheld. Elopement is known to occur.

Bride prices are measured in terms of number of Mithum, Gongs shawl and necklaces.

Early practice

Milhiems were animists who believed in nature and the environment. They believed in one supreme god called Pathien. They also worshipped a village and household god called Indoi. All religious ceremones were held and supervised by the religious head (priest) called Thiempu, who is next to the chief in the village hierarchy. Animal sacrifice was practiced for ceremonies of appeasement and cleansing and for other rituals.

Advent of Christianity

During the early 20th century, many Milhiems were converted to Christianity. At present, no Milhiem village church is affiliated to any of the ethnic denominational churches. In a few villages affiliation to ethnic denominational churches is found.

Economy

The economy of Milhiem villages is based mainly on agriculture. They practice both wetland and Jhum cultivation

Jhum cultivation

Jhum or Jhoom cultivation is a local name for slash and burn agriculture practiced by the tribal groups in the northeastern states of India like Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland and also in the districts of Bangladesh like Khagrachari and Sylhet...

. Many Milhiems are also employed in government and nongovernmental organisations.