Zo Mi (literal translation of Zo people/Zo tribe) is the correct original historical name of the Zo people who used to refer themselves since the days of Myanmar settlement as ZOU or YO or YAW, having a common ancestry and smilar dialects. The different Zo tribes hold the common belief that they originally emerged out of a cave or hole. This mythological cave is known by various names like Khuul, Khur, Khurpui, Khurtu-bijur, Sinlung, Chinlung, Chhinlung etc. by various tribes like Thadou (Shaw 1929:24-26), Lushai (Shakespear: 1912), Lakher (Parry 1976:4), Tedim/Paite-Chin (Kamkhenthang 1967:1-2) and Moyon-Monsang, Hmar etc.
The name (Kuki and Chin) is not used by the tribes themselves, it is a name merely given to them by the neighbouring foreigners. (Source: G.A. Grierson, Dr., Linguistic Survey of India vol. III, part 3, p.2)
Probably the first recorded used of the name “Kuki” appeared in the History of Tripura as early as 1512 AD . During the reign of Tripura Raja Dhanya Manikya (around 1490 AD), it was pointed out that a wild race called Kukees lived in the Thannangchi Forest of Tripura. (Source: GA Gierson, op. cit., p.1, Bhattacharya, A.C.: Progressive Tripura, New Delhi, 1992, p.44-58). Lt. Col. J. Shakespeare in his book “The Lushai Kuki Clans” put the strong>Hmars under the common name of ‘Old Kuki’ and ‘Khawtlang’ to ‘differentiate them from the Lushais and those currently known as Kukis’. J.W. Edgar, a Civil Officer who accompanied the British column to Tipaimukh on 3rd April 1872 wrote that the term ‘Kuki’ was used by the Bengalis to refer to the hill people but that none of the people wanted to be called by this term.
In Burma the Zomi are known as Chin, Prof. F. K. Lehman was of the view that the term might be from the Burmese word ‘Khyan” which means ‘basket’, saying, “The term ‘Chin’ is imprecise. It is a Burmese word (khyan), not a Chin Word. It is homologous with the contemporary Burmese word meaning basket”.
‘Mizo’ became the official name of the people of Mizoram after 1946 only when the Lushai Hills was changed to ‘Mizo Hills’ and the first political party, the Mizo Common People’s Union was formed on 9th April 1946. The Party was later renamed the Mizo Union, and wanted to change the name Kuki/Chin/Zomi to Mizo.
The Mizo union wanted the Lushai hills to be called Mizo hills and the people to be oficially called Mizo. Extract from the Memorandum of the Mizo Union 1947 SUBMITTED TO HIS MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA (source: True copy):
“The Mizo people have been known under different names. The nomenclature of the word ‘KUKI’was and is known to the Mizos; it was a name merely given to them by the neighbouring foreigners.
“Again, it was wrong that the word Lushai should be used as covering all the Mizo tribes since it is misrending of the Lusei, only sub-tribe of the Mizo race. Hence though perhaps, not originally intended, it has created a division. Only the word ‘Mizo’ stand for the whole group of them all : Lusei, Hmar, Ralte, Paite, Zo, Darlawng, Kawm, Pawi, Thado, Chiru, Aimol, Khawl, Tarau, Anal, Puram, Tikhup, Vaiphei, Lakher, Langrawng, Chawrai; Bawng, Baite, Mualthuam, Kaihpen, Pangkhua, Tlangau, Hrangkhawl, Bawmzo, Miria, Dawn, Kumi, Khiangte, Khiang, Pangte, Khawlhring, Chawngthu, Vanchiau, Chawhte, Ngente, Renthlei, Hnamte, Tlau, Pautu, Pawite, Vangchhia, Zawngte, Fanai, etc, all closely related to one another culturally, socially, economically and physically thus forming a distinct ethnical units.”
[My conclusion:
Didn't William Shakespeare rightfully say:
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose, By any other name would smell as sweet."
No matter what, i believe that we all acccept that we have a common ancestry and that we have a brotherhood that ......binds us together in terms of language and culture similarities. No matter what we call ourselves, we are not going to change.
This is a never ending DISCOURSE. Personally I accept the term ZOMI but why we all must be called MIZO (and not KUKI/ZOMI/CHIN) is because there is a land called MIZORAM and a people recognized as a nation called MIZO in it, if we can accept this term then we all have a home (emotionally) and there will surely be a morale boost for everyone, from this will then spread awareness of the different clans and dialects within our tribe. I believe this is the first step in reuniting.
MIZO is a very new term but it cannot be erased now that it is part of the Indian Constitution’s official name for a state tribe. So, let’s have an open heart, the choice is ours. Debate or The end 
]
Similar Posts:
- Chhiar peih tan!
- Who are the Zomis?
- Hnam hnuk khawih thil..
- Tripura chuan Halam mite tawng atana Mizo tawng a tih chu a sût
- Who are the Mizos?
May 2nd, 2011 at 10:04 am
A sei hle mi a
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May 2nd, 2011 at 10:11 am
E he….. anih hi…… 2nd … !!!!!!!!
Sisen thawt thawt chu, ka hmet hrep dawn che maw ni….lolzzzzzzzzzz
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May 2nd, 2011 at 10:11 am
Kuki,zomi etc etc,,hnam hnam hnam tihreng mai hi a ninawm tawh ani
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May 2nd, 2011 at 10:12 am
No more president
And all the wars will end
One united world,under God
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May 2nd, 2011 at 10:13 am
” … We’ve chivied the Naga an’ Looshai …”
— Rudyard Kipling
A khawi chin nge Looshai … khatih hun lai khan ni ang aw?
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May 2nd, 2011 at 10:18 am
sammy tunlai chu zeleng ah i reh ka tia, i article lo buatsaih vang a ni maw? CHIKIM an tih pawh tuma’n an pawm chuang lo.
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May 2nd, 2011 at 10:50 am
“Anal” tih hnam hi ka lo hre ngai miah lo.. vulgar reuh mange..
NOI
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May 2nd, 2011 at 10:53 am
favicon chu a va nalh ta phet phet ve.
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May 2nd, 2011 at 10:53 am
Kanlo inchhung kual vek ani hi
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May 2nd, 2011 at 11:16 am
Hatiang post hrim hrim hi KA HNE …
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May 2nd, 2011 at 12:36 pm
Mi hriat loh hriah ni awm tak…KA NING LUTUKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
Sap ka ni tawh….
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May 2nd, 2011 at 12:38 pm
BOOO to this post and such posts
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May 2nd, 2011 at 12:52 pm
He post chu ACT FAST chi ni leh niang a…….
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May 2nd, 2011 at 1:04 pm
Hetiang POST reng reng hian MIZO min hua….MIZO nih in duh tak tak lo….MIZO ah in hmin tak tak dawn lo…..
US ho kan mantir ang che u…Bin Laden-a a thi ta bawk a.
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May 2nd, 2011 at 1:06 pm
Patling takin maw le……comment peih loh chuan comment lo mai ula, post puah a harsat nen hian !
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May 2nd, 2011 at 1:25 pm
#13: ‘Zomi’ ka hmu chang hian a thin a rim thtut thin.. a PAITE mah mah
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May 2nd, 2011 at 1:51 pm
Sawi tur reng ka nei love,misual mai ka ni…..
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May 2nd, 2011 at 1:59 pm
Ethnic issue hi in ning thei ngang lo ani maw?
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May 2nd, 2011 at 2:07 pm
ni e ninawm tlat toh mizo nih duh zawng in mizo inti ila i ngawi hle hle toh teh ang u kan nihna ah hian
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May 2nd, 2011 at 2:45 pm
Hetiang lam hi ka hne deuh ta e kei pawh..a posttu te lah engmah discuss pui tak tak theih bawk si loh..
An pianna khua tal an ziah tel loh chuan ka comment dawn tawh lo reng reng..
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May 2nd, 2011 at 3:07 pm
#20
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May 2nd, 2011 at 3:29 pm
sammy_walker, Kuki/Chin/Lushai/Mizo… it’s our identity in different areas (simple English). No matter what/how we’re called WE are the same.
Ka pianna: Civil hospital, Aizawl, Mizoram
Murna: here and there
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May 2nd, 2011 at 3:36 pm
An hnam duh duh hi “MIZO” tih ah hian an rin lut zung zung a, an duh dan dan hian an hrilhfiaha. Document eng eng emawa telh theih tur ting hian thu hi an ziak an ziak a, nakinah midangin Article dengkhawng deuh an ziahin an in “cite” sak zel bawk a…
Vai ai chuan heng ho chim ral hi ka hlau ta mah e aaaa … [rilru ah chuan engemaw te te ngaihtuah pahin thingpui in daih teh ang
]
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May 2nd, 2011 at 3:39 pm
Hetiang post hi ka chhiarchhuak lo tlangpui!
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May 2nd, 2011 at 4:07 pm
Manipurah lamah hei nangni kuki, hmar etc ho kha, Mizo in ni kan va ti pawh ni si lo, Burma lamah nangni ho, Zomi inti te kha Mizo inni vek kan ti pawh ni bawk si lo, MIZORAM a MIZO te hnehah ‘chuti kha ti,inni zawk, inni lo zawk’ ti chhentu te hi ‘khaihlum teh ang u’.
‘, an rilru put hmang hi a chhe chi, a tenawm chi, chhiatna thlen chi ani..
Mizoram chhunga kan integrity hi an rawn ti chhe mai mai! external influence hi ‘
Kan ang chiam a…postupa thil ziah vang erawh ani kher lo!
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May 2nd, 2011 at 5:00 pm
#25: Lrpa ang rilru chhe lutuk/tenawm tak puh mizoram chhunga an awm ani chuan khaihlum zawk tur anni, Lrpa ang mihring hi lawm mizo tur ah ka duhlo chu. khawi hmunah pawh awm se mizo chu mizo ani mai
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May 2nd, 2011 at 5:14 pm
Solution ni ta ber a ka hriat chu, mahni ngaih dan dan hian awm ila, tumah in correct sak tum lem lo bawk ila tha ber in ka hria, tumah kan inhmin tak tak chuang love. Politics thilah erawh poitical boundary hian min then phawk mai se.
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May 2nd, 2011 at 5:53 pm
25 lrpa
Keichu 23 a ka sawi ang deuh khi ani e. Literature lamah eng eng emaw anlo dah iimm eeem tawh bawk sia, a thenin lehkhabu-ah te an lo ziak bawk a, tuman kan in prove sak tawh si loa. Mi hriat vak loh lai hian tan chhan tur an insiam char char a, nakinah chaun Mizoram pawh hi min luah sak daih te hian ka ring asinnn.. A hrang hian state te hi nei ve ta se chuan ….. In unauna chu … khawiahnge ????? ani ringawt !!!!!!!
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May 2nd, 2011 at 6:45 pm
An insightful article, but the name Zomi/Mizo is yet a controversial, which I have in mind to write on it to make it clear before this was posted. And this seems to boost me on the knowledge of the topic I had thought to write.
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May 2nd, 2011 at 7:44 pm
Tam tak te rilru hi chu a zau mah mah a, ZORO kan tih ho ideology hi an pu deuh in ka hria. Hei hi ka care lem lo a, thil tul ah pawh ka ngai lo a, a theih pawh ka ring lo. Mizoram chhung bak hi ka vei(?) hran lo a, vei pawh ka tum lem lo.
Mizoram hi kan ram ani a, a chhung a chengten lungrual tak a Mizo tawng kan hman a, Mizo kan nihna a kan lungawi tlan hi ka duhthusam ani mai.
Kan origin ka care lo a, tun dinhmun ah hian kan lo ‘evolved’ tawh a, he mi status hi kan kal zel dan turah ka ngai tawp mai.
Native people te humhim dante, dan tha zawk (state leh state inkara migration rule tha zawk leh him zawk te) leh sawrkar level a foreigner immigration rule kengkawh thuah te, Community (locality) atang a ram lei lung mite humhim dan tha zawk te hi ka tuipui tawk viau mai.
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May 3rd, 2011 at 8:50 pm
Kan vai in ZOMI vek kan ni Zohnahthlakho zawng zawng hi.
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April 24th, 2013 at 2:40 am
Paihte tawng i hman loh chuan i ZOMI chuang lo. Lusei tawng i hman loh chuan i MIZO chuang lo. Ka hne MIZO ZOMI ti reng mai. KUKI vek kan ni ti dawn i la THAHDO tawng in thiam a ngai bawk si. A eng chunge MIZO, a eng chu nge ZOMI chu??????????????????????? ninawm lutuk. Mahni tawng vek hmang i la a tawk.
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