Zogam
Encyclopedia
Zogam is the name for a territory, approximately 60000 square miles (155,399.3 km²) in size, in Burma, India
and Bangladesh
. It is the traditional home of the Zomi
, who lived in this area before the colonial period under British
rulership.
It does not include Asho
settlements in Lower Burma and Masho settlements in the Arakan (Burma). The area extends from latitude 25º 30’ North in the Somra tracts facing Mt. Saramati, and in Nagaland
across the Namtakik River and the North Cachar Hills, to about 20º 30’ North Latitude. The longitudinal extension is between 92º 10’ East and 94º 20’ east. The North-South length of the Zogam is roughly 350 miles (560 km) and East-West is generally about 120 miles (190 km) wide.
One Zomi folksong delineates the area of Zogam as follows:
This old folk song tells of the area of the Zomi ancestral homeland, for Penlehpi is a Burmese word for the Bay of Bengal
and Kangtui is identified with Tuikang (Chindwin River).
tribes.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. It is the traditional home of the Zomi
Zomi
Zomi is the name of a major tribe found in various parts of South and South East Asia. The term Zomi meaning, 'Zo People' is derived from the generic name 'Zo', the progenitor of the Zomi. They are found in northwestern Myanmar, northeastern India and Bangladesh. Anthropologists classify them as...
, who lived in this area before the colonial period under British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
rulership.
It does not include Asho
Asho
Asho people, one of the eleven tribes of the Mizo people, are native to Arakan plains, plains of Irrawady and Minbu. They are much influenced by the Burmese in their daily life. They are well educated and having high profile jobs in the Myanmar government....
settlements in Lower Burma and Masho settlements in the Arakan (Burma). The area extends from latitude 25º 30’ North in the Somra tracts facing Mt. Saramati, and in Nagaland
Nagaland
Nagaland is a state in the far north-eastern part of India. It borders the state of Assam to the west, Arunachal Pradesh and part of Assam to the north, Burma to the east and Manipur to the south. The state capital is Kohima, and the largest city is Dimapur...
across the Namtakik River and the North Cachar Hills, to about 20º 30’ North Latitude. The longitudinal extension is between 92º 10’ East and 94º 20’ east. The North-South length of the Zogam is roughly 350 miles (560 km) and East-West is generally about 120 miles (190 km) wide.
One Zomi folksong delineates the area of Zogam as follows:
- “Penlehpi leh Kangtui minthang,
- A tua tong Zouta kual sung chi ua;
- Khang Vaimang leh tuan a pupa
- Tongchiamna Kangtui minthang aw”
This old folk song tells of the area of the Zomi ancestral homeland, for Penlehpi is a Burmese word for the Bay of Bengal
Bay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal , the largest bay in the world, forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. It resembles a triangle in shape, and is bordered mostly by the Eastern Coast of India, southern coast of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to the west and Burma and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the...
and Kangtui is identified with Tuikang (Chindwin River).
Zogam (Zoram)
Zogam is within the land inhabited by the Zomi or Chinmi State in Myanmar and further the land inhabited by the Zomi in India and Bangladesh. Chinland is the founding name for the whole Zomi inhabited areas of land spread across three political and separate country/international boundaries. Lairam is another name used by the townships the Southern Chin Sate in Myanmar. Zogam (Mizogam or Mizoram), or Lairam (Lai-land), and other tributary tribes who too called their land according to their own dialects. And all of them put together makes up a Greater Chinmi or Zomi. Zogam covers 1. the Whole Chin State, 3. Plain chins (lower lands), 3, Some part of Bangladesh until it reaches to the Bay of Zogam (Bay of Bengal), 4, Mizoram and 5, India Manipur, Churachanpurs. Therefore, Zogam is an indigenous identity of the Chin peoples together with the Kukis(Thado), Lushai(Lusei or Mizo), Pawi, Khalkha, Phalam and all Chinmi. Chinland (Zogam) thus equals to all the lands inhabited by these hill tribes collectively known as Chin people(Zomi), and they comprise of the Laimi, Tedimmi, Mara, Khumi, Zophei, Senthang, Lautu, Zotung, Manipur, Thado, the Zou, Simte, Paihte, Milhiem and other tributaryTributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
tribes.
See also
- Separatist movements of IndiaSeparatist movements of IndiaThere are various sepatratist movements in India, mainly in the north-east of the country. There are 3 main secessionist movements namely Khalistan, Assam and Kashmir....
- Separatist movements of Sri Lanka
- Separatist movements of PakistanSeparatist movements of PakistanThere are various separatist movements of Pakistan. Several parties based on ethnic lines exist though only two, the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz and Balochistan Liberation Front are of much significance....
- Burma (Myanmar)
- ManipurManipurManipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of...
- MizoramMizoramMizoram is one of the Seven Sister States in North Eastern India, sharing borders with the states of Tripura, Assam, Manipur and with the neighbouring countries of Bangladesh and Burma. Mizoram became the 23rd state of India on 20 February 1987. Its capital is Aizawl. Mizoram is located in the...
- ZomiZomiZomi is the name of a major tribe found in various parts of South and South East Asia. The term Zomi meaning, 'Zo People' is derived from the generic name 'Zo', the progenitor of the Zomi. They are found in northwestern Myanmar, northeastern India and Bangladesh. Anthropologists classify them as...
- ChinChin peopleThe Chin , known as the Kuki in Assam, are one of the ethnic groups in Burma. The Chins are found mainly in western part of Burma and numbered circa 1.5 million. They also live in nearby Indian states of Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur and Assam. Owing to Mizo influence and Baptist missionaries'...
- BamarBamarThe Bamar are the dominant ethnic group of Burma , constituting approximately two-thirds of the population. The Bamar live primarily in the Irrawaddy basin, and speak the Burmese language, which is also the official language of Burma. Bamar customs and identity are closely intertwined with general...
External links
- Zogam.com
- English-Tedim Dictionary
- Zolai-English Dictionary
- Zomi International Network
- History of the ZOMI ethnic group, re-unification movement, organization, land and people
- News Portal from Lamka, one of the most important Zo-inhabited town in Manipur, India
- Zogam Nuam
- Zomi Siamsin Universities, Myanmar
- The Zomi Social Network
- VAPHUAL.net Exclusive Zomi/Zogam News Portal