Vangte"Vangte (Approved)" , United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency or Vangteh is a large village in southern Tedim Township, Falam District, Chin State, in Myanmar. Vangteh is also the name of the village tract where Vangte lies."Tiddim Township, Chin State" map, Myanmar Information Management Unit (MIMU), 6 August 2009, last accessed 29 November 2010
Name
It is sometimes spelled as Wunkathe, probably a mispronunciation by Burmese guides when the British came to the land for the first time,Bertram S. Carey and Henry N. Tuck, The Chin Hills: a History of the People, British Dealings with Them, Their Customs and Manners, and a Gazetteer of their Country (Rangoon, Burma: Government Printing, 1896), 28, 98. And also, refer to a bracketed "Vangteh" to correct "Wunkathe" in Vum K. Hau, Profile of a Burma Frontier Man (Bandung, Indonesia: Kilatmadju Press, 1963), 171. and also recorded as Vangte by contemporary writers as can be seen in the information provided by such as the Satellite Views,List of The Satellite Views the Falling Rain Genomics, Inc.,List of The Falling Rain Genomics, Inc. the Travel Post, and such.List of The Travel Post
In the local area, Vangteh is still known as a "khua-pi", in the language of the natives, "khua" generally means any human abode, big or small, and "pi" is a suffix meaning "large" in extent or "great" in character or "big" in size.Cf., "khua" and "pi" in The Paite-English: Zomi Online Encyclopedia And Dictionary. Hence maybe a reference to former greatness despite its very discouraging geographical situation in the mountainous Chin Hills, where elevations vary from 1500 and 2700 meters.See "Chin state" at The Asterism Travels & Tours – Myanmar
In common poetic expression, Vangteh is also addressed as "Khumhnuai", meaning "under the shade of Khumh", in respect of the peak of Khumh Mt. (Khumh Vum in local dialect), under its shade this ancient city is laid for centuries. For instance, in a poetic song composed by Mr. Ngul L. Zam, a villager of Vangteh, for an event commemorating the founding of Vangteh, Vangteh is directly attributed as Khumhnuai as seen in following: Tuan aa pupa' siahtaang kaihna, Khumhnuai ka Vang khua hi ee; Zingvai hawmpih hanzai sakpih pawl le gual ih kim nam aw [N. L. Zam, Spring 1994]. (Translation) The Khumhnuai is my native town of Vang (short form for Vangteh), where forefathers collected their respective taxes and tributes; Are we all here, friends and comrades, who usually join hands together in pains and in comforts?
History and legend
Oral traditions gives at least glimpses of the proud history of Vangteh as being one of the once political centers of the ruling Guite or Nwite (Vuite, Nguite [local pronunciation in Vangteh], Gwete, GwiteSee, Siamsinpawlpi ) family in the region,See, list of villages and towns established by Guite family in Piangzathang Guite, A Story of the Guite Chiefs: History and Chronology of the Guite Chieftains of north-eastern India (Lamka, Churachandpure, India: Luanzaching, 1982) [the author, Piangzathang is a former President of Manipur Chiefs' Union]; and also see Vumson, Zo History: With an Introduction to Zo Culture, Economy, Religion (Aizawl, Mizoram, India, 1986). that its sovereignty in the region lasted for more than half a millennium (c. AD 1300–1900).For more on Guite's dynastic tradition, cf., Chinzalian Guite, Politico-Economic Development of the Tribals of Manipur: A Study of the Zomis (New Delhi, India: Anmol Publications Pvt. Ltd., 1999), 35–62.
While other tribes and clans were also retaining their chieftainship in their local areas, but none of those could claim the same sovereignty that of the Guite family until the mid 19th century when the allied force of the southern Pois (Pawi) spilled over northward. Accordingly, S. K. Khai made a remark on the once unparalleled sovereignty of the Guite family by differentiating them as "Mang" even to contrast with the later emerging power of the Sukte family that was marked only as "To" in the book. In the native language, "Mang" implies the natural state of sovereignty by means of conscience and "To" implies a struggle for sovereignty by military conquest or force.See the two articles under the subheadings of the "Guite" and "Sukte" in Sing Khaw Khai, Zo People and Their Culture: A Historical, Cultural Study and Critical Analysis of Zo and Its Ethnic Tribes (Churachandpur, Manipur, India: Khampu Hatzaw, 1995), 21–22, 24–26.
This old Vangteh might undoubtedly be one of the most appropriate archeological sites for experts who might want to trace back the story of at least the so-called northerners of the present Chin State (Zogam), who identified themselves more as Zomi as a whole.James C. Scott, The Art of Not Being Governed: An Anarchist History of Upland Southeast Asia (Yale Agrarian Studies; New Haven & London: Yale University Press, 2009), 14–16. ; Hjorleifur Jonsson, Mien Relations: Mountain Peoples, Ethnography, and State Control (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2005), 1-25; and F. K. L. Chit Hlaing (F. K. Lehman), "Some Remarks upon Ethnicity Theory and Southeast Asia, with Special Reference to the Kayah and Kachin", in Exploring Ethnic Diversity in Burma, ed. Mikael Gravers (Copenhagen: NIAS Press, 2007), 107–22, esp. 109–10, as quoted in Zomia.
Oral tradition
As the surviving remnants of old-time tribal religion keep their ancient rituals in the midst of the over-flooding Christianity in the land, oral traditions (oral tradition) such as sacred incantation, traditional war song, nursery rhyme, and other folk song are still in use by almost 100 households in Vangteh until this present time. According to the list that this author had taken during his last trip to Vangteh in 2000, there are still about one hundred households who are still practicing the ancient religion that they call "Pu-sa", meaning worship of "ancestral spirits" (similar to ancestor worship). In 2002, official permission to print some limited copies of their sacred incantations was granted by the Myanmar government in keeping their culture for those who still practice this old-time religion in Vangteh.Cf., N. L. Zam, U, compiler, Tedim Myone Vangteh Kyeyua Yoya Nat Sayamya Ih Puzaw Patah Chin Saingya Gahtamya (Sacred Incantations for Religious Rites Performed by Priests of Traditional Religion of Vangteh, Tedim Township). Pinlone, Kalay Myo, Myanmar: U N. L. Zam, Guite Myonwe Su-win (2005), i+8+1 [this small handbook, though very limited in content, can still give some basic necessary information about the past story of the Vangteh in particular and also of the present northern Chin state at a glance in general].
The birth of Vangteh According to oral traditions, the establishment of Vangteh was related to the pre-encampment of the Vahuis (Vahui), Ngaihtes (Ngaihte), and Neihgups (Neih Khup or Neih Gup) at the place called Tawizawi, which is in the precinct of present-day Vangteh, in finding a new settlement from Ciimnuai (Chinwe), the place of their first settlement in the region.Surajit Sinha, Tribal Polities and State Systems in Pre-Colonial Eastern and North Eastern India (Culcutta, India: Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, K .P. Bagchi & Co., 1987), 312 [Sinha also refers to Ciimnuai (Chiimnuai/Chiimnwe/Chinwe) as the first Guite/Vuite village]. As this new place seemed comfortable for them, they came back to Ciimnuai to get permission for their new settlement. According to the tradition, in order to receive spiritual and political protection in any new settlement, ritual permission of the ruling house is needed.
This tradition was no doubt invented for two purposes—to receive spiritual (religious) protection and claim political legitimacy (or even military alliance) under the cover of the then ruling house—as this archaic society is so much bound to religious superstitious practices. Even until the late nineteenth century, it is evident that this tradition was unbrokenly practiced in the region through the religious aspect that was slightly lost by that time. For instance, in the history of the establishment of the village of Kaptel by the later emerging Sukte family, the authority was derived from the Tlaisun family of present Falam to claim the political legitimacy and military alliance.Cf., article under "Kaptel Khua Satna," in Laibu Bawl Komitee, Sukte Beh Leh Tedim Gam Tangthu. Tedim, Chin State (1993).
In reply to their request, Mang Suum the Great, Prince of Ciimnuai, promised to send one of his younger brothers, Kul Gen, by the following year when the proper residence was ready for him. According to one of the existing folk songs, this also is another story. As reflected in the song, three princes, sons of the late Gui Mang the GreatNB: there is another Guite prince with the same name, Gui Mang, who founded present Tedim were making a discussion about how to make administrative regions as the Tawizawi peoples (Vahui, Ngaihte, Neihgup) on the one hand and the Guava peoples (Gangte, Baite, Valte) on another were asking for leadership and new settlement at the same time.See also, in S. K. Khai, 21. While discussing the matter and making religious rites for divination, a strange bird was seen hovering over them and sang a poetic song repeatedly, that says:
Tuilu aa pai, ni le kha siam; tuitaw aa pai simzawng vontawi dawnto peeng mawh (Translation): To go up to the upper river is to be blessed by the sun and the moon; to go down to the lower river is to be poor but would have wine.
However, the youngest prince, Naksau [Kullia], being the ecstatic interpreter, confused the upper and the lower when he came to his senses. Thus, the final decision was accordingly made as the youngest prince, Naksau, humbly chose to be less advantaged by going up to Guava, the upper region, but to be blessed, in fact; then, Kul Gen, the second prince, to the Tawizawi, the lower region, but just to be not more than enough; and, Mang Sum, the eldest, to remain in Ciimnuai, their ancestral home.Laibu Bawl Committee, Sialsawm Pawi leh Khumhnuai Vangteh Khua Tangthu. Pinlone, Kalay Myo, Myanmar (1994), 1–3 [this book is a local publication in commemoration of the annual Sialsawm festival held in 1993]. On his arrival by the next summer, Kul Gen named his residence "the house of Vangteh," meaning "budding or sprouting of glory," from which the name Vangteh came to be popular in following decades.
This earlier encampment at Tawizawi is also evident in one of the sacred rites, in which the priest or family-head should recite names of several places and regions in a claim of peace and prosperity to those places against any harm that seen or unseen foes might bring. This rite is called "khuasuum sim." In the recitation, Tawizawi comes first right after Vangteh. In fact, this seniority, on another hand, indicates the prevalent existence of the Tawizawi at the beginning of the history of Vangteh.Cf., Zam, com., Tedim Myone Vangteh Kyeyua, 4.
To stress little more on the rite, "khua-suum sim" implies how far the power [suum] of the khua [an indirect reference to Vangteh] had reached as names of those places and regions are annually recited. In fact, on the one hand, it is clear how much the religio-political role of Vangteh for those places was crucial in those days when the rite was first invented almost half a millennium ago.
Independent city-state Further, this new settlement in the Tawizawi is meant more than finding a new place to the citizens. It was actually making a new history under the leadership of their crowned prince, Kul Gen. This concept is clearly evidenced in the shorter genealogical list of the Vangteh Guite family, in which several names of previous ancestors, except seemed very significant, were totally omitted and stress was visibly given on Kul Gen and Gen Dong, the son of Prince Kul Gen born in this new settlement. For instance, the shorter list of Vangteh Guite tradition can be read as follows: