Kabui people
The Kabui people (also known as the Inpui people or the Rongmei people), are a Tibeto-Burman indigenous ethnic group in the Northeast Indian state of Manipur. They are politically categorised as a part of the Naga people of North-East India. They are recognised as a scheduled tribe (STs) by the Constitution of India. They use Meitei language as their second language (L2) according to the Ethnologue.
Kabui women | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 170,800 (2011 Census) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Northeast India | |
| Languages | |
| Inpui language, Rongmei language (L1) Meitei language (L2) | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity (majority), Poupei Chapriak, Tingkao Ragwang Chapriak | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Meitei people, Zeme, Liangmai, other Naga peoples |
Some historians and anthropologists have earlier recorded them as Kabui along with Rongmei. The Inpuis are the original Kabuis and not Rongmei. The origin of the term can be traced to Inpui. They are listed as a Scheduled Tribe, in accordance with The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (Amendment) Act, 1976 Indian Constitution. They celebrate festivals like Karing-ngei, Somdungnu, Tataaknu, and Muliaang.
Eventually, under the leadership of Haipou Jadonang and his successor Rani Gaidinliu, the Rongmei rebelled against British rule in the 1930s. This rebellion gave momentum to and garnered support for the vision of Naga Raj.