Meitei people
2023 MAY 4
Preliminary >
Geography > Human geography > Human geography
Why in news?
- Violent clashes broke out at various places in Manipur during the course of a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ called by the All Tribal Students’ Union of Manipur. It was called to oppose the longstanding demand that the Meitei community be included in the list of the state’s Scheduled Tribes (ST), which received a boost from an order of the Manipur High Court last month.
About Meitei people:
- The Meitei people, also known as the Manipuri people, are the predominant ethnic group of Manipur State. (Manipur’s other two major tribal communities – are Naga and Kuki, and they live in the hill districts)
- They speak the Meitei language (officially called Manipuri), one of the 22 official languages of India and the sole official language of Manipur State.
Distribution:
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Yaoshang Festival:
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It is celebrated by the Meitei people at the same time as Holi. The highlight of the festival is the ThabalChongba, a traditional Manipuri folk dance where boys and girls hold hands and sing and dance in a circle. The festival marks the rejuvenation of the spirit of life and commemorates the birthday of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
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- The Meiteis primarily settled in the Imphal Valley region in modern-day Manipur, though a sizable population has settled in the other Indian states of Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Mizoram.
- There is also a notable presence of Meitei in the neighbouring countries of Myanmar and Bangladesh.
- The Meitei ethnic group represents about 53% of Manipur's population.
- They are divided into clans, the members of which do not intermarry.
PRACTICE QUESTION
Meitei community, often mentioned in news, is primarily associated with:
(a) Odisha
(b) Manipur
(c) Himachal Pradesh
(d) West Bengal
Answer
