The Baites of Manipur-3 (December 10)
By L.D Mate

Baite Tribe organization: An apex-socio-political organization of the Baite tribe of Manipur is the Baite National Covenant Council (BNCC), which was founded by Late Tunkhonpam Baite in 1956. This is the supreme court of all Baites. It has an executive
Council, which consists of a President and 20 Cabinet Members. BNCC has five regional blocks /branches, namely 1. BNCC Headquarters Branch, 2. BNCC-Dongyang Block, 3. BNCC-Moreh Block, 4. BNCC-Aiyapural Block, 5. BNC-Thoubal Block. The Presidents of the Baite National Covenant Council (BNCC) since 1956 till date are as below:

1. Tunkhipum - 1956 -1966
2. Onsei - 1967 - 1975
3. Jamkhosei -1975 -1977
4. Haokhothang -1977 - till date.

Baite customary laws: The Baite is governed by their traditional customary laws. They have different customary laws to deal with cases. The Baite law of persons, the Baite law of property, the Baite law of inheritances and law of marriage, etc.

Christianity in Baite areas: The Baits embraced Christianity, the new religion very late, only in 1944. The first Baite who became Christian was Jumsho of Aiyapurel. The Baites associated themselves with the Thadou-Kukis. They are in the North East Kuki Baptist Association -Manipur (NEKBAM). And, the Baites in Manipur South District (now Churchandpur) are in the Convention Church, Neig Church and revival Church.

Some Baites also embraced Roman Catholic Church and one Fr. Ginsei Baite the first Father of Roman Catholic Baites. The Baites now formed their own Christian
Association called the Eastern Manipur Baptist Association (EMBA) in 1973,later, changed into Evangelical Churches of Manipur (ECM) Now, almost all the Baites are converted into Christianity.

Baites in the past: In the past, they settled at Sihyang village, having controlled the adjoining land and over lord of Mang tribes and clans. They maintained their own distinctive culture, customs, language and their material culture. But, inter-tribal conflicts weakened them, and were driven out of their country by enemy, which forced the Baites to flee from their motherland and scattered to all the four-corners of the Earth. The Baites, then, entered Hill Areas of Lushai Hills, where they were driven out by the Thadous, some section of Baites settled down in North Cachar hills of Assam. Majority of the Baites settled down in Hill tracts of Manipur since time immemorial (Haokhothang Baite; 2000).

The Baites are asserting a distinct identity in Manipur, since 1956. Linguistically they are grouped with the Kuki Chin People (Dev & Lahiri: 1983). Dr. R.K. Ranjit Singh, wrote in his article - Emergent Ethnic process in Manipur - in B. Pakem's Nationality, Ethnicity and cultural identity in North East India, "on the other hand, many tribes, such as the Tarao, Baite and the Mate which strive for enlistment in the Government's Schedule still remain unhinted to" P. 249. Several memorandum and representation for separate and distinct recognition as Scheduled tribe of Manipur to both the Central and State Government by the Baite National Covenant Council (BNCC) remain unattended.

Baite today: The Baites are one of the important tribal communities of Manipur. Baite was recommended for recognition as a separate tribe and its inclusion in the list of Manipur's Schedule tribes by the then Chairman, Committee on Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Manipur Legislative Assembly on August 18, 1986. Baite was placed at serial number of the said recommendation (CSC & SC, AS, Imphal, 1986). 

The Government of India, through the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment vide letter dated 23-09-1999 sought the opinion of the Government of Manipur in the matter relating to recognition of certain tribes as Scheduled Tribes of Manipur. The name of Baite was placed in serial No. 5 of the said proposal. Geneologically, Baite and Vaiphei are not separable, being descendants of the same ancestors/progenitor: Zahong. They settled down at Sihjang valley (Sihyang civilization). The Pawi fought against them and were forced to move towards the Temei (Meitei) Land (P. Vaiphei; 1975). Some non Baite-Vaiphei says, Baites have merged into Vaipei tribe. This is totally wrong in the word of Lamsei Baite, IFS. He says, Baite Suantak, Khaute etc. are blood tied clans of Vaiphei tribe. It is a fact that, after the destruction of Sihyang civilization, Baites fled from their country and settled in and around the Thadou-Kuki villages, with the passage of time, they get mixed up with them through the institutions of inter-marriages and acculturated towards the Thadou-Kuki. The Baites practically area a major clan of Vaiphei tribes. (L. Baite: 2001).

Haokhothang Baite, who belongs to the senior lineage group of the Baite gives a different story. He claims that, Baite National Covenant Council is still active and functioning as the apex socio-political organization of the Baites of Manipur and he is the existing President. He is also the Chairman of Any Kuki Recognition Demand Committee, Manipur and petitioner No. 1 of the civil suit No. 1555 dated 25-6-2000- Any Kuki Tribe Recognition Demand Committee V/s Union of India, in the Hon'ble Gauhati High court, Imphal Bench.

In the eyes of the outsiders, the identity of Baite community is oscillating between two poles the Vaiphei tribe and Any Kuki tribe. This and other phenomenon has attracted the scholarship of social scientists to make an effort to study the identity crisis of smaller and unrecognized tribal groups of Manipur.

Baite Future: The future of Baite society depends entirely on the educated and intellectual Baites. Baite elders and particularly, Tunkhopam's dream and vision for an Independent Baite society have been forgotten by the young Baites. Baites have now become more economic conscious. Baites, who were one time famous for their tribal conscious society, now lost their tribal consciousness. Is Baite a lost tribe of Manipur?

(Courtesy: The Sangai Express)

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