A meeting on a community understanding programme between the Thadou Inpi Manipur and COCOMI, AMUCO, FOCS, Ima groups, student leaders and Arambai Tenggol.
Clarifying Identity: Thadou Is Not Kuki
A major source of confusion between the Thadou tribe and those identifying as Kuki tribes arises from the similarities in attire and cultural expressions. However, it is crucial to understand that Thadou tribe is a distinct indigenous identity, while the Kuki nomenclature, as used today, has become a politicised and ideological label. The nomenclature Kuki is not a genuine ethnic identity.
Historically and culturally, there is no community known as "Kuki" indigenous to Manipur.
The term Kuki has foreign origins, and those who adopt it today often do so to push a separatist and extremist ideology. Many who currently identify as Kuki are suspected illegal immigrants, having settled in Manipur in recent decades.
Over time, church politics and religious affiliations have also played a significant role in misclassifying many members of the Thadou tribe as Kuki, creating further confusion and undermining the true identity of the Thadou people.
This has become a threat not only to the Thadou tribe, but also to the Meiteis, Meitei-Pangal, other tribal communities and Manipur's unity as a whole.
We must not mistake external appearances for identity. Wearing similar attire does not equate to being the same people. The appropriation of Thadou culture by Kuki-identifying groups is misleading and harmful.
The point to remember is that Kuki is not an ethnic identity; it is a political ideology.
Members of the Thadou tribe who knowingly or in a majority of cases, unknowingly promote this flawed Kuki ideology are amplifying the harmful effects to the Thadou tribe, their own tribe. So, this issue must be addressed thoughtfully, lawfully, and patiently for the greater good of Manipur.
This is a defining moment in our shared history. Let us stand united in truth. The path to lasting peace in Manipur begins with clarity of identity, rejection of extremism, and a renewed commitment to coexistence.
In truth, we stand. In unity, we endure. In peace, we rebuild.
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