HISTORY ASSIGNMENT

NAME MT SAWMSANGA
ROLL NO GEOG 20/41
CORE GEOGRAPHY
SEMESTER 1ST

Q1.Analyze the role of Zawlbuk in the past Mizo Society?

Answer. The word Zawlbuk is a Mizo word literally means house of flat
ground Zawlbuk occupied a interval position in the organization as well as
administration of the Mizo village,Zawlbuk is a dormitory or bachelor quarter
where young men spend most of their time.It used to be located invariably at he
most central place in a Mizo village. It is situated near the chief residence.It is a
house where all the bachelor spend their night together,that is why it is also
known as Bachelor of House. The main purpose of the invention of Zawlbuk were
for the defence of the village. Zawlbuk was mostly found between Lai and
Pawi/Lusei village,it was constructed by the villagers,it was constructed in a
square shape,it had no door but a big log was laid and they used to land and roll
on the log,so called Bawhbel. A place where the young men used to place their
bed cloth was called shelves and a place where they sleep was called Bahzar or
Dawvan. A young men used to sleep in one of the chief room where the MIzos
were living in Burma.

Administration and Organisation within Zawlbuk

The chief of the village was indeed the Supreme head and the father figure of the
group which constituted the nerve centre of the village society.However,he
exercise a remote control leaving the details of functions to be worried through self
government of Zawlbuk group.There were leader in Zawlbuk called Val Upa.He
attained his status and position by recognition of their constitution,efficiency and
command.The Val upa was responsible fo looking after the welfare and exercising
all around the village over the needs of the village.He teach the young men about
hunting,wrestling,handicrafts,arts like skills as well as manner including respect
and obedience of the elders. The Zawlbuk can be conceived as having two distinct
strata,namely on the adult called Tlangval and Thingnawifawm. The Tlangval
spent and slept at Zawlbuk at night,while boys collect firewood for Zawlbuk. If
anybody cheated in performing their duty he will be punished by doubling
firewood he had to collect and women and girl were not permitted into Zawlbuk.
The transfer of a member from the boys group to the adult was based on the
acceptance as such by the Val Upa.

Significance
Zawlbuk was an Institution from which a young men learn a lot of things; It amy
be summed up as followed.

1.Zawlbuk is a dormitory: It is a place where young men used to spend their night
as well as a young married men.

2.Centre of discipline: The Val Upa teach the the young men about discipline as
sell as to respect their elders,their life was under the discipline of Zawlbuk.
3.Centre of training and Education: Zawlbuk was a centre of training of young
men.Val upa teach hunting,dancing,singing and wrestling.Zawlbuk was a centre of
training for the lower and hierarchy boys.

Decline of Zawlbuk
When the British annexed the Lushai Hills in the 19th Century the Zawlbuk began
to decline as they introduced Western education and there was a Christian revival
in the third series and also the Mizo participate in World War 1 as Labour
Corps.So when they returned their attitude toward Zawlbuk was different,Zawlbuk
disappear in 1926.But the Superintendent of the Lushai hills,NE Parry madean
order for the revival in 31st March 1926.But on 1st January 1938,the Superintendent
of Lushai Hill.AG McCall who succeed Parry in 1932 abolished Zawlbuk.And
there was the permant abolition of the instution of Zawlbuk from Mizo Society.

Q2. Briefly Describe the early migration of the Mizo tribe?

It said that the Mizo or zo tribe belong to the tibeto-Burma Group.The
neighbours of MIzo or Zo called as
Kuki,Chin,Lushai/Lusei,Pawi,Lakher,Hmar,Dzo etc. The major tribes/clan of Mizo
are Lusei,Ralte,Hmar,Mara,Lai,Paite,Kuki etc.There are many lognate tribe in
Mizoram as well as its neighbouring area,the Government of India and Constituent
Assembly of india list 47 lognate tribe. These lognate grouprs are officially known
as Mizo tribe.Sometime they used Mizo instead of Lusei.Lusei tribe are the most
dominant/largest group in Mizoram and as wellas the most popular among lognate
for various reasons

The lusei were already dominant in the present Mizoram even in the pre-colonial
period. The Lusei was promoted by British as well as duhlian and these language is
used in the administration. The print culture was inroduced to Mizoram it was
Lusei and became official.These believing system was also replace by Christianity
and Christian autonomy practice of Lusei become dominant.

Mizo lognate groups outside the Mizoram.

 In Manipur the lognate groups are officially known as Kuki
 Kuki were also identified as Thado and they are the largest
 In Mynmar they are known as Chin.
 In Assam there was no such collective name

Early Home of Mizo.

D.G.E. hall in his book A History of South-East Asia said the home of those
who speak the Tibeto Burman language are located somewhere in Gobi desert
when intruders huge portion of China-Mongolia.Also Dr Sangkima a Mizo
historian,opened that Southeren China may be considred as the original home of
tribal people including Mizo tribe.Mizos believe that their original home was in the
big cave of Chhinlung or Sinlung. The Chhinlung theory is strongly supported by
folksongs and legends the have been told from the early tradition till present
day.Some Mizo writer believes that Chhinlung as a history-cal village where
Thuthmun Zai was event originated during Thingtham.They can also composed
song of Chhinlung Settlement on the base of oral tradition.

Migration to the Plain of Burma

The movement from China to Burma is believed with three main waves of a
population movement. The first waves of movement include warrior groups like
Pyu, Arakanese, Kashin and many other smaller tribes. The second and third was
individual Shans or Tais,Karen,Mon,Khmer and other and the mizo were believed
to be invaded in the fiset waves of movement and have entered Buram along one of
the river valley. From Chindwin river vally they move to Kabaw valley which
Mizo called Khawhai. Then they departed to the area Khampat where the Mizo
spent one of the remarkable period in Mizo history till today. The mizo planted a
banyan tree at the place of the Khampat before the left and took pledge in the
presence of their neighbour Burmese friends that they would return to khampat
when the banyan tree sapling had grown into a tree and its spreadeng branches
lower the earth.

Reach and Settlement in Lushai Hills(Mizoram)

Lalremmawia assumed that the first batch of the Mizo crossed the Tiau river by
the middle of the 11th Century AD and the last batch of migration from Chin hill
across Tiau River was that the Lusei tribe of the Sailo clan when they arrived in
Mizoram they were looted by the Pawi Chief and then Sailo chief decided to lived
together and they found Selesih around 1740 AD. The Sailo Chief became the
undisputed members and successfully chased out most of their rivals from the
present Mizoram and its nearby place until the arrival of the British in Lushai hill
till the last quarter of nineteenth century AD.

Q3.Examine the hierarchy of the Traditional Mizo Society?

The mizo social hierarchy is having of social inequality and hierarical order. The
authority and the power were the holder of hierarchy. Kave and Max study in the
society and divided into two 1.Bourqeoisie,2Proletarait. The pre –colonial mizo
society was simple tribal society and it divided into two, one is lal(chief) and the
other one is Vantlang(commoners)

The chief and Authority

Large number of the chief were Sailo. The Sailo were established before the
Britsih coloniastion and also they eliminate most of other chieftain clan from their
position and status. These wwere 60 Sailo chiefs. All the village function areas
were under direct authority of chief. The chief council also collect for heaving cae
which was in a form of fines for heaving the case called Salam. The village or Ram
were in the village belong to chief. The chief collect four kind of tax-
Fathang,Sachhiar,Chichhiar,Khuaichhiah,Sechhiah. All these privillages provided
the chief with more sound and stable Economic position which was comparatively
better than those of the common people. But although the chief enjoy powered he
could not assumed absolute power in his administration . TH Lewin described the
Mizo chief mode of government as democracy temered by deposition

Vantlang/mi naran(Common People)

It had been devided into two,mitha and mirethei. The mitah were the privillage
groups such as Khawnbawl,puithiam,ramhual,lallen,thangchhuah,ratha;,thirdeng.
While the mirethei were common/ordinary people,widow,bawi and sal. The Val
Upa and Tlangau- they aere in mitha as well as michhia,they were the leader and
people respect them,they enjoy some privillage of the chief like basket of paddy
from every household.

Khawnbawl

In khawnbawl there are two – upa min/seniors and upa.Most of them the chief
relative and the his favourites. Sometime the chief appointed Thangchhuahpa,who
fulfill criteria for inhabiting pialral(paradise) after his death.Upa min was the most
senior among the elders.He was entitled to pick suitable land for cultivation and
exempted from taxes and due payable to the chief. The upa were also entitled to
those agricultures land but exempted from taxes and due payable to the chief. The
upa were also entitled to those agriculture land but exempted from fathang. The
appointment of the upa are not permanent,they can be dismissed by the chief

Ramhual and lallen.

 Ramhual issues in jhumming were recognized by the chief they choose land for
jhumming before anyone but they need to pay more balthang. The ramhual need to
have their paddy to a family without a paddy.

Lallen.

They are almost Same but they doesn’t need to apy more fathang

Puithiam and Thangchhuah

There are two kind of priest. Sadawt who conduct sacrifice related to belief
system. Bawlpu who conduct sacrifice related to health problem. Both receive
paddy as renumeration. In Thangchhuah ther are two type- IN lama Thangchhuah
and Ramlama Tahngchhuah.

Ralthat-Who killed enemy are called Ralthat.

Thirdeng- He used to madke agriculture implements for the entire household like
daggers,spears etc. He earned a baske of paddy from every household,as ell as he
was given spine or three rib of wild animals like boar,etc. killed by village.This
was called Thirdeng Sa.

Bawi and Sal- Bawi were those submitted to chief for any reason. Sal were captive.
These are kind of Bawi-

1.Inchhung Bawi. Those who were submitted o chief due to poverty or distress

Chemsen Bawi. is criminal who refuge to the chief house from the people who
want to take revenge.