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LUNGHAR PHANGRE--Lungharvillage (talk) 16:30, 11 September 2012 (UTC) ORAL TRADITIONS AND HISTORICAL  FACTS  CONCERNING  THE  STATUS  OF  SIHAI  VILLAGE  AND  THE  ERRONEOUS  USE  OF  THE  TERM,  “SIHAI  PHĀNGREI”.

Many Tangkhuls have erroneously believed that Phāngrei mountain range of Lunghar village belongs to Sihai village. It is due to the erroneous term used by Hungphun (Ukhrul) village as  “Sihāi Phāngrei” ever since Hungphun dialect became the lingua franca  of the Tangkhul Naga tribe of present Manipur State. Therefore, in this write-up an attempt is being made to state the historical facts as well as stories related to this erroneous usage and the actual status of Sihāi Khullen village from historical perspective. 1.  Possible source of the origin of the erroneous usage, “Sihāi Phāngrei”.

1.1.	While today it may not be easy to conclusively establish how and when the term “Sihāi Phāngrei” was erroneously started to be used for Lunghar Phāngrei, it stands to reason to assert that it must have originated from Hungphun village (Ukhrul) because it is the dialect of Hungphun village and not that of any other village. The neighbouring villages of “Sihāi” called this village in their respective village dialects as follows: Lunghar village calls Sihai as “Songfāi”,    Khamasom as  “Shuhi”, Longpi as “Sonfei”, and Sihai village itself as “Shihi”. Therefore, it stands to reason that when Hungphun dialect became the lingua franca of all the Tangkhuls we naturally used the language used by Hungphun because no Tangkhul, except the immediate neighbouring villages of Sihai village, knew the name used by the neighbouring villages for “Sihāi” village.

1.2.	One undeniable fact is that the neighbouring villages with which Lunghar village had in ancient time good and cordial relationship as well as share common boundary like Ngapum (Mapum), Khamasom, Longpi Hirei (Nungbi Khullen) and Longpi Kajui (Nungbi Khunou) know this mountain as “Lunghar Phāngrei”. In ancient time, even other Raphei villages as far north as Chingjui (Chingjaroi) knew it as “Lunghar Phāngrei”. According to the oral tradition, it is said that during the head-hunting days, in an encounter between Ngapum and Chingjui chiefs, the former was killed by the latter and he took the head of Ngapum chief to Chingjui village. The son of Ngapum chief was determined to take vengeance against the chief of Chingjui village for killing his father. Therefore, he cleverly requested that he would like to go with Chingjui chief to the latter’s village to be his servant. During the young man’s stay in Chingjui village chief’s house, he developed love affairs with the chief’s daughter. One day in the pretext of massaging the chief’s body, the boy killed the chief with a sharp spade. The boy wanted to take the head back to his village, Ngapum, but he did not know how to go back home. His lover, the chief’s daughter, gave him the direction of how to reach home through a song by pointing to all the high mountains beginning from Matha of Chingjui, to Mongreithā of Chingai range, to Longpi hill range, to Lunghar Phāngrei, to Shirui Kashong, and finally to his village, Ngapum, which is to the east of this mountain. Even now the old people of Ngapum village know this song.

The historical fact that Phāngrei mountain belongs to Lunghar village from time immemorial is endorsed by the following legal authorities:

4.1.  Neighbouring villages of Lunghar village

The following neighbouring villages with which Lunghar had common boundary from known historical times endorsed that they bordered with Lunghar village and that Phāngrei belonged to Lunghar village: Khamasom,  Ngapum (Mapum),  Longpi Hirei (Nungbi Khullen),  and  Longpi Gajui   (vide Khamasom and Phungrei Public Meeting dated 12-05-1974;   A.S.Shaingam, Headman of Nungbi Khullen, dated 08-09-1983;  R. Maringmi, Headman of Longpi Gajui, dated  11-09-1983;  A.S.Wungreingai, Headman of Mapum Village, dated 07-04-1993). Besides, while there is no specific mention about Lunghar Phāngrei in the boundary dispute agreement between Shirui (Shiroi) and Lunghar dated 17-05-1992, the boundary demarcation agreement implies Phāngrei to be the land of Lunghar village.

4.2.   The Government of Manipur

In the Notification No.60/4/82-For. dated 7th August, 1984 of the Secretariat, Forest Department, Government of Manipur, the boundary of Shiroi National Park included the words “…towards north crossing Rizik Kong thence to Shihai Phangrei thence to Jessami Road”. Lunghar Village Authority, therefore, protested against the use of the words, “Sihai Phangrei” in the above-mentioned Notification to the Government of India. Accordingly, the Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife, Government of Manipur, processed the matter through the Deputy Commissioner, Ukhrul. The latter in his letter No.10/225/SNP-DC-Ukl. Dt. 22nd August, 2000 intimidated acceptance of the change of the name SIHAI PHANGREI  to  LUNGHAR  PHANGREI and requested that the name may be corrected accordingly. On the strength of this recommendation, Government of Manipur declared in MANIPUR GAZETTE  EXTRAORDINARY, No.405  Imphal, Tuesday, September 26, 2000 thus:

Government of Manipur Secretariat: Forest & Environment Department CORRIGENDUM Imphal, the 25th September, 2000

“ No. 55/19/99-For. -  Please read as  “Starting from Chinlai (or Saphai) following Mapum road up to Lamsheikathi towards south and crossing Yonkong stream and thence meeting point on Khayikong and Yangoikong and thence to Lena thence following the footpath up to the ridge of Khorim range up to Khareiwang thence down along the ridge up to Mapum road thence Maretkongrei thence along the road to Sheichui-leingaphau and Ragabun thence along the ridge of Lungohai Khuirung thence to Paovilashak towards north crossing Rizik Kong thence to LUNGHAR PHANGREI thence to Jessami Road and thence coming to Chinglai”  in place of  “Starting from Chinlai (or Saphai) following Mapum road up to Lamsheikathi towards south and crossing Yonkong stream and thence meeting point on Khayikong and Yangoikong and thence to Lena thence following the footpath up to the ridge of Khorim range up to Khareiwang thence down along the ridge up to Mapum road thence Maretkongrei thence along the road to Sheichui-leingaphau and Ragabun thence along the ridge of Lungohai Khuirung thence Paovilashak towards north crossing Rizik Kong.

The most prominent clan, Khāngrānao, among the clans of Sihai village lived at Hungphun Awontāng village sector (tāng) where the Roman Catholic and the Seventh Day Adventist church buildings are located now. Even today, there are names associated with the earlier habitation of this area by Khāngrānao clan :  (1) The location where the above two church buildings are located today was known as “Khāngrānao Shimphung”, meaning, “the land of the Khāngrā clan habitation”. (2) The entrance to the main gate of this Sector (tāng) was known as “Khāngrā Veikhur”, meaning, “the gateway to Khāngrā clan sector”. (3) The spring water pond (rakhong) located at the lowland below the area called “Sirārakui” is known by the name “Khāngrā  Rakhong”, meaning, “the spring water pond of Khāngrānao clan”. After years of living at Khāngrā Shimphung in Hungphun land (we do not  know exactly how long the Khāngrā clan members lived here), they were sent away by  Hungphun  chief  because, according to oral tradition, Khāngrānao women and children were habitually stealing things (pāng kasāng) and so Hungphun chief decided to send them away from Hungphun land. From Hungphun village the Khāngrā clan members went to Shirui village and stayed at the place called “Yāngui” under Pharetnao headman. Here again, we do not know for how long they lived at Yangui. However, there is a story which indicates the circumstances under which the Khāngrā clan members were forced to leave Shirui village again. It is said that one Khāngrā family kept an orphan boy. He was naughty and most of the time he wasted his time playing and loitering. One day before the mother of the family went to the paddy field she left a strict instruction to the orphan boy to fetch water from the well, pound the paddy, and make fire in the hearth. But when the woman returned after the day’s hard work, she found that the orphan boy had not done any of all the things he was told to do. Therefore, the woman was very angry and she scolded the boy badly. He was then told to bring fire from the neighbour’s house (there were no match sticks those days). The boy was also angry for the scolding he got. The boy went to the neighbour’s house and brought a torch of pinewood. While coming back, the boy stumbled on a sleeping dog as he came back running in a hurry. The dog got startled and tried to bite the boy. He got scared and so he climbed on the roof of the house, and in the process that house and many other houses were gutted. This incident led to another exodus of the Khāngrā clan members. From Shirui village they moved and settled at a Khamasom village land called “Kapāithing kaphorpam”, presently occupied by Sihai Phungdhar (Sihai Khunau) village with the permission of Khamasom village headman. For this settlement in Khamasom village, Sihai Phungdhar inhabitants paid tax (shāi) of two days’ free labour (cultivation) and free supply of firewood every year to Khamasom village chief. According to oral tradition, four clans, namely, Hakhunao, Shimrei, Khāngrā and Shimrā, were living at this place. After some time, a serious dispute broke out among them. This led to the leaving of Khāngrānao and “Shimreinao” clans from that location and they settled at Khamasom village gate (veikhur), the low-land where at present the Government Dispensary and the High School are located. After settling at this place for some time, Khamasom village headman brought them to Khokhulet to guard Khamasom village chief against the enemies.

The village where the present Sihai Khullen is located was earlier known as Seikāophung,where Seikāonao and Lungkānao clans kept their cows and buffaloes. The place where the two clans were living before they fled away from that location was known as Kharar Shimphung, where they lived with the permission of Lunghar village chief. However, because Kharar Shimphung villagers often killed the cows and buffaloes of Lunghar village when the cattle are let loose in winter after the harvest was over as the custom was then, Lunghar villagers invaded Seikāonao and Lungkānao and killed many people. Therefore, the surviving members fled from that village to Khayāng village which is located at present at Manipur and Myanmar border. Many years after this event, Sihai Khāngrānao clan members, who were living as guards of Khamasom village chief, wanted to leave their place and so they requested Lunghar village chief to allow them to settle at the place where Seikāonao and Lungkānao clans were living before. Lunghar village chief’s reply was that since they were living at Khamasom village chief’s gate as his guards in his land, they should first obtain his permission to leave that village and that if he agreed to their request, Lunghar village chief would give them settlement in which Khamasom, Longpi Gajui and Longpi Hirei should be involved as witnesses. At first Khamosom village chief refused to let them go away from his village gate land. However, after a long negotiation, a deal was struck between Khamasom village chief and Khāngrānao clan in which the former agreed to let the Khāngrā clan leave his land on condition that their leader, Angānga, would  part with the sex fetish (ngalā-ri) which Angānga was believed to possess. Angānga was persuaded by his clan members to agree to the demand of Khamasom village chief. He then agreed to do so with the understanding that he be made the chief of Sihai village after they settle at the new village. Now that the chief of Khamasom village had agreed to let the Khāngrānao and “Shimrānao” clans to leave his village gate on his condition, the chief of Lunghar village called together the Village Authorities of Khamasom, Longpi Hirei (Nungbi Khullen), Longpi Gajui (Nungbi Khunau) villages, in the presence of which Lunghar village chief agreed to give settlement to Khāngranao and “Shimrānao” clans at the present Sihai Khullen village location with the understanding that the four villages would be responsible for the protection of Sihai village from attack by enemies. However, because Sihai village was not visible from Lunghar village as it was blocked by Thanglui hill of Lunghar village, and since Sihai Khullen was easily visible from Khamasom village (the two villages are separated only by Ngahup river and Sihai Khullen is easily visible from Khamasom village), it was considered that Khamasom village would be more practicable to effectively protect Sihai village from enemies rather than by Lunghar village. Therefore, it was agreed that Khamasom village be entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing Sihai village from attacks by the enemies for which the latter would give a yearly tribute of free labour and firewood to Khamasom village chief. However, cases of dispute was agreed upon to be jointly adjudicated by the four villages of Lunghar, Khamasom, and Longpi Hirei (Nungbi Khullen) and Longpi Gajui (Nungbi Khunau). During the British rule, Sihai Khullen chief appealed in the Court of S.D.O., Ukhrul that such payment of tribute (shāi) be cancelled, but the then S.D.O., S.J.Duncan, ruled that it should be continued (Vide Civil Case No.187 of 1933-34, dated 14-8-1933). A year later, another case was filed by Sihai Khullen and Sihai Khunau against Khamasom village headman refusing to give the tribute (shāi) before C. Gimson, Political Agent, Manipur when he visited Khamasom village (under Misc.Case No.144 of 1934-35). Mr. Gimson passed the order at Camp: Khamasom dated 3-11-1934 saying that Sihai Khunau and Sihai Khullen should  pay one pig and one jar of zu (zam sham) each as punishment for bringing false charges against Khamasom village chief claiming that land on which Sihai Khunou was located belonged to Khamasom village. However, after India became independent the practice of giving tribute to the chief of Khamasom village was stopped in 1952/53. Therefore, the Village Authorities of Khamasom, Lunghar, Longpi Hirei (Nungbi Khullen) and Longpi Gajui (Nungbi Khunau)  villages met and decided to petition to the then Hill Bench, Manipur.

The migration from Khamasom village to the present location of Sihai Khullen village was led by a man named Angānga. The other well known persons who led the migration from Khamasom to Lunghar land were Harkhona, Sāmao, and Shangkhui. In 1918 Angānga got his name registered as the chief of Sihai village in the Dāoji of Manipur government, and because the Meiteis could not pronounce his name properly, they changed his name to “Angānghei” in the Dāoji. Therefore, Sihai village settlement at the present Sihai Khullen is hardly a century old. After Angānga (“Angānghei”) was officially recognized chief of Sihai village by Government of Manipur, Sihai village became known as Sihai Khullen and Sihai Phungdhar as “Sihai Khunau” in the official record although the latter was the place where Sihai people first migrated from Hungphun and then from Shirui villages as far as the known historical sequence of migration is concerned.

3.   Sihai Khullen village did  not have a hereditory chieftainship in the past.

While Angānga became the first headman of Sihai Khullen after he got the village    registered in the Daoji of Government of Manipur, Sihai Khullen does not have a genuine hereditary chieftainship. After Angānga died, Machihān succeeded as the chief of Sihai Khullen, but he was not an heir of Angānga though he was also from Khāngrānao clan. Machihan was succeeded by Vareichung, who was from Shimrānao clan, and yet his name was registered in the Dāoji. After Vareichung,  Khāngrānao Homkhayāng became the chief, but his name was not registered in the Dāoji. Homkhayāng was succeeded by his son, Shimreisā, but since Shimreisā was too young when his father died, his uncle Shimreishāng acted temporarily as the Chief-in-charge of Sihai Khullen. When Shimreisā was old enough to shoulder village administration, he became the headman of Sihai Khullen, but his name was also not registered in the Dāoji. After his death, his son Luingam, the present headman succeeded as the village chief, but his name was also not registered in the Dāoji.

4.  Endorsement of Phāngrei as the land of Lunghar village

The historical fact that Phāngrei mountain belongs to Lunghar village from time immemorial is endorsed by the following legal authorities: