The Zoumis were a group of tribes who lived mostly in and around southern Manipur, Chin Hills of Burma, North Eastern Tracks of Mizoram and some portion of North Cachar Hills in Assam. In the Chin Hills, they are thickly settled in the north, bordering South Manipur Hills, Mizoram as well as the Chittagong Hills Tracks, where their kits and kin of the Indian side mainly settled, and there in the Chin Hills, they were generally known as the Tedim-Chin, though they also called themselves as Zoumis.
In the past, these Zoumi tribal groups firstly settled themselves somewhere in China, where they stayed there for a long period of time, and which some historians believed it as their original home or the place where they made their first appearance. From there, they later on migrated to Burma and some other places. The time may be calculated as around 246-219 BC., when Shi Huang-Ti ruled China. However, historians differed in their views. It is said that these people first lived in a cave or hole, known by them as Khul, where they are believed to have hidden themselves from the Chinese king, who tried to conscript them as a labor force for building the Great Wall of China. And if it is true, it is but certain that they did not naturally come out from a khul or cave as a human form, and they did not make their existence from it, but that khul or cave was only their hiding place from the Chinese presence, or the place where they temporary settled. Now, it is argued by some scholars that, khul was not actually a hole or cave on the earth’s bowels, but it was rather a small oval-typed plain, surrounded by hills.
It must also be kept in mind that those tribal groups once settled in the Chittagong Hill tracts of present Bangladesh not long before, and there, they were known by their neighbors, including the Bengalis and the British as Kukis. To this present day, their remnants still stayed there but somehow lost contact with their other kin tribal groups. And that place is still believed to be the place where the name ‘Kuki’ originated, meaning hill people. It is because they mostly lived on the mountain tops for security concern.
These tribal groups have their own traditional lifestyles which they maintained throughout the ages, without losing to any other larger group around them. These traditional values are rich in form and diverse in character. The various shapes and designs of various ornaments and dresses are highly appreciative and are richly adorn with many types of colors. Not only this, they are rich in traditional dances and the various types of these dances have their own uniqueness. These dances are in general; perform by both men and women with elegancy and affinity.
These tribal groups have their own songs and music, both classical and modern, which are generally melancholic in tune, and sentimental in character. And in fact, they were not lagging behind but were rich enough in songs and folk-lures, which are both melodious and charming. Usually, most of the songs were sung with the accompaniment of drums and music, which were performed rhythmically and harmoniously. The tribal music consists of lutes, harps, cymbals, flutes, drums, etc.
These tribal groups are also rich in oral traditions and folktales as well as various cultural and customary practices which are still maintained to these days. Some of them were not only envied upon, but were even imitated by their near neighbors, and are looked upon by them in high esteem. The uniqueness and attractiveness of their cultural heritage like their traditional dances and dresses and other usages were further attributed by modifying and adjusting them whenever they need, to cope with the changing situation or demand, and this combination of the old and the new (modified), without losing their originality, have the satisfaction with the onlookers. In this way, the tribal culture has their own qualities and attributions which are immense.
These tribal folklores and tales, as well as other customary practices were passed down from one generation to another, narrated by their elders to the young, and are the interest of both the ages. These tribal groups are also interested in hunting, gathering, fishing and other sort of games like snaring, etc.
They are well acquainted with seasons and weathers as much of their activities are connected with them, and were accustomed to feasting, which shows that they have many seasonal festivals and other harvest or some other type of celebrations. These tribal people were also fond of games and sports as they were in other fields, and various kinds of amusements were known to them. However one or two chances can be noticeable in this present tribal way of lives, i.e. with the changing generation and fast changing society, these tribal groups in due course, fail to maintain their past traditions and tribal values. The reason may be the impact of western culture, education and influence of Christianity on the one hand, and their higher familiarity with the technological innovation of the modern day on the other.
Due to these, the younger generation today fails to understand the necessity to safeguard and promote their own culture and traditional values. This in turn makes them ignorant about their own culture and way of lives, which may be detrimental in shaping their own course of history for years to come, for how much progress one has made may rather actually be judged in the field of literatures, music, customs, traditions, cultures and historical heritage. Therefore, one should value and uphold his own customs, traditions, history and past glory, and for this, the Zoumis were no exception.
To conclude, the Zoumis were in fact, as a whole, a cultured and civilized group today and have made a remarkable progress, almost in all fields, including literature.
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