Behind the tattooing faces

The extraordinary custom of chin women tattooing dates back to the Burmese monarchy periods of the eleventh century.Interestingly,to the beautiful young maiden Chin girls, the tradition of tattooing done by our ancestors is to avoid being captured their beloved beautiful daughters by the Burmese kings or neighbors princes.

No practice of tattooing found in north and central Chin state may be because of their powerful empires and systemic administration or having a good relationship with neighboring countries.

For the small group settled in the continent region of Mt. Victoria namely Mindat, Kanpetlet , Asho, Dai, Uppu(Tuiship),Munn, Makang and Laytoo chins along the Laymyo river in Arakan state,consequently the tradition of tattooing became inevitable choice of our ancestors was to protect their beautiful daughters from slavery or captured by the ruling princes or Burmese kings.

No iota of doubt in the tradition of tattooing exposes the patriotic spirit of our ancestors,their honorable sacrifices, the way they maintained family, and their anxiety of broken family, loyalty, faithfulness and perseverance of their identity and the love of chin land are here to take note of worthy. To be continued>>

Appreciation And Critical View On ZU ( Chin Khaung)

According to Nepolen's appreciation, " When I win I drink champagne to celebrate, and when I lose I drink it to console myself".

Champagne and sparkling wines for the westerners are special occasion beverages as well as meet their immense preference. For chin peoples, drinking a cup of "ZU or YU" (in Burmrse, Khaung) just after the hard work of hill side cultivation, all of the exhaustion is absolutely flying away is our admiration of Zu( khaung) commonly known as Indigenous Beer is a kind of alcoholic beverage, is our traditionally drink. NO different names,the term Zu or Yu using together among different tribes of chin people is interestingly unique. In addition to most of chin peoples love and fund of drinking Zu, (except some due to religious reason or health problem), is one of the prominent channels of our commonness among variety of chin tribes.

In chin community, Zu has its significant role in the social contexts such as marriage,celebrations, annual festivals, funeral and entertaining guests, etc. Zu used to be one of the elements used in animal sacrifices in the particular times of remaining in animism of our ancestors.Chin classical folk songs from our oldest people usually do not emotionally come out without Zu.

The best quality achievement of Zu entirely depends upon its preparers are traditionally women. The desirable test: sweet, strong, bitter or a bit sour is available through the process of making.According to the geographical condition, the available materials for making Zu are different. Red millet seed is usually used in Mandat township, and in some parts of kampalett and most areas of chin hills commonly use corn or rice.In the process, first millet seed or rice is cooked until it becomes thick, but not to be over done, then it is allowed to cool down, after that yeast is added to it and blends properly, ultimately it is put into a clay pot and sealed it air tight. The fermentation takes place within a month but the longer fermentation time. the better quality of Zu.

In the ancient times, one of the elements used to consider a chin woman in the quality of being a good house wife was her skill in preparation of Zu( khaung).

After a certain period, the pot is opened, and water added into the pot. Banana leaves or bamboo leaves are put above the content and a straw is inserted into the pot.Drinking directly through the straw is our tradition but,siphoning through the straw into the cup is to serve guests from other place. First cup is the best and usually served to the guest of honor. When water contents in the pot lowers, more water is added, again and again, until there is no more taste.

Critically, Zu is one of the social evils still remains in some parts of chin land. Excessive drinking in some remote areas of Mindat, Kampalett and hilly regions of chin land often left little time for work. Once there is a celebration,the continuation of drinking might take minimum for 3 days, depending on the mood of drinking, sometimes it even takes for one week also. In that particular time of drinking, food is usually forgotten, full enjoyment of Zu, without any bother of time and family issues may be because ZU has influential power to chin peoples. Even though no enough rice to manage family, at the corners of some where coming out of rice for the preparation of Zu is a very strange phenomenon. Endless to say about the bad results of it, Zu is addictive and excessive drinking can damage property, good relationship,family management and so many reasons.Though ZU is/ was traditional drink for social purposes, may be sometimes to reduce tension, these are doubtlessly the first step to excessive consumption levels and alcohol related consequences and may even get you easily to be in the stage of using drugs..................

Unity In Diversity Through Naming Salai And Mai

The old sense of narrow loyalty to one's own clan,tribe,religion, etc are barriers to the harmony of humanity. However, here to notice is that a people's basic culture and need for cultural identity are part of the dignity of the human person. A desire for common humanity does not mean denying one's particular identity based on tradition.

Skipping the task of tracing etymological word of Chin, the chin ethnic groups have descended form Tibeto Burman family. Chin peoples live not only in Myanmar but also in Bangladesh and India- Mizoram, Nagaland, Assam and Manipure.The chin peoples belong to six main tribes and 63 distinct sub- tribes differentiated by dialect and cultural variation but connected by a common history, traditional practices and ethnic identity. Though there are some extent of similarities on the basis of physical characteristics, linguistic affiliation,cultural contact and traditional occupation, there has been inconsistencies in listing into the chin ethnic group.In this context,chin state Myanmar is the only where chin peoples make up an absolute majority.

According to a list of the different ethnic groups of Myanmar, 53 different sub-tribes are listed into the chin ethnic group.The term chin as a common ethnic name is unitedly recognized by not only the peoples within chin state but also sub-tribes of the chin ethnic groups commonly known as Plain chins settle in different parts of Myanmar-Rakhine state and valleys of Ayeyarway and son on.Due to this different geographical conditions and state boundaries, though chin peoples own common history, ethnic identity, on wonder different dialects,cultures, customs and traditions are characterized by diversity. To foster the unity or oneness in the diversity is the vital responsibility of all chin peoples. Here a question can be rose is that is there any possibility of unity in diversity.

Diversity is the point where things differ(the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, fourth Edition ,2000). Unity is defined as the state of being one or singleness(the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, fourth Edition ,20000). Unity is agreement or harmony while diversity refers to variety.Unity has something to do with similarity in one way or another way.

For instance, at the institutional level of public schools, school uniforms are the channel of unity or oneness in diversity of students from different strata of society,cultural and religious backgrounds. As these students meet together in the same uniforms, these diversities are unknown, in the sense that unity in diversity comes into the picture when the diverse characteristics of students and even teachers are unified and utilized in the achievement of learning.

In our context, by keeping in mind,Unity has something to do with similarity in one way or another way, the attempt is relevant to the decision of Chin Literature and Culture Committee(CLCC)in 1973 to strengthen the unity among different tribes of chin peoples as to integrate chin into chin national society by using the honorifics "Salai" and "Mai" in front of every chin man and woman names. The term Salai and Mai derived form Asho chin.Very few are aware that the meaning of Sala as a man of courage and Mai as a noble woman respectively and also indicate gender of a person, Mr or Miss.

Of course, different tribes of chin practice different ways in naming. Taang/Mr and Lia/Miss for Zo tribes of Tedim.Like Leng as Miss and Val as Mr are used for Laimi of ethnic chin while Mang for Matu man and Tuem for Matu woman and other tribes of chin also do according to their traditional ways of naming.However interestingly, putting Salai and Mai in fornt of our name go with every tribe of and traditional names.It is very pleasant to ear when people call us, I still remember regarding with this event when I was at university before I did not put Salai before my name, but when my classmates came to know that I am a chin, by leaving out my full name,they called me Salai in short form, I feel it is very sweet being called as Salai, but they would not know what it means but their acceptance of our identity is very obvious here. Mostly, we all chins are believed as man of courage, loyalty,and frank has been recorded even in the history,so having Salai and Mai in front of our name is honorable and also that is one of the models to approach unity in the diversity.

The concept of Salai and Main is just for Asho chin, plain chin is a kind of narrow minded, on the other hand,having these two prefixes before every name of chin man and woman do not mean being racist or racism but it is just to foster unity or commoness within our ethnic groups in diversity.Though our elders in the society unitedly use Salai and Mai in their respective names, we see, today a few are using its as their prefix names.Here, we should take note of that is the idea of using these Salai and Mai is as a step to a deeper sense of oneness among us as well as that is a channel of unity in diversity.

To achieve the goal of unity or oneness, we should keep agreement with the decision of Chin Literature and Culture Committee(CLCC)by having the honorifics Salai and Mai in front of every name chin man and woman just as the students in diversity are wearing the same uniforms with the same goals and objectives of the school.Let us remember once again,"Unity has something to do with similarity in one way or another way"