Koireng Tribe

The Koirengs (Korens) are sparsely scattered in the surrounding foothills of the Imphal valley in India. The present geographical distribution of the Koirengs include:

• Longa Koireng a.k.a Thanglong Village (17 km),
• Sadu (Tungluong) Koireng (37 km),
• Awang Longa Koireng (27 km),
• Utonglok Koren (27 km) and
• Kamu Koireng (25 km)
• in Senapati District; Tarung (3 km) and Koireng Colony (3 km) in Imphal district (The distance given are from Imphal). According to 2001 census, the Koireng population in Manipur is 1053.

'Koireng' is etonymically derived from two roots 'Kol'=east and 'ren'=men which got corrupted into the present word. At present they want to be recognized as 'Korens' rather than that of the scheduled tribe name. J. Shakespear, Bose, described them as an old Kuki tribe while on the contrary, Hodson, Gangmumei Kabui classed them as a Naga tribe.

Korens have linguistic and cultural affinities with some neighbouring tribes like the Aimols, Purums, Kharams,etc.of Manipur and the Ranglongs, Rangkhols, Bietes, etc. of NC Hills in Assam and according to British administrators, belong to the Old Kuki group of families. The Koireng Cosmogony myth exists in different versions namely (i) Emerging of two heterogemeses human progenitors from non-human beings and (ii) ancestors believe to have emerged out of the cave, Khur.

According to the first version, in the hoary past when there was no evidence of human beings except the divine beings, on Yeisupn (Earth) two fungus like plants, grew up at Yaolkik and Yaolkak. On seeing these two plants, the divine beings were very much struck with fear; the objects could not be cleft thoroughly.

One was cut deeply in middle and it turned into Tulong (woman) and identified as Roltei while the other was cut in a slanting position thereby producing pointed parts and the very being became Tumong (man) who came to be Known as Rolphul. By their union seven sons were born.

They in order of their seniority were Song, Yei, Teltu, Thamthu, Uirei, Khuonglung and Meriem (or Meriem Mikan) from whom the seven clans of Koireng were born. But at present the clans of Uirei, Thamthu, and Khuonglung are extinct.

The other version revolves within the faith of emergence of their forefathers out of a cave, according to which they are known as Khurmi (Khur=cave, mi=man). But they could not recount reminiscences about the exact location of the legendary cave.

When they came out of the cave, they encountered a tiger at the mouth and ate them. Neiruong, a man of Song clan wrapping a shawl Ponthal (Pons=cloth, thals=arrows) having patterns resembling the skin of tiger was spared from being eaten up.

Since then, it's believed that members of Song clan are tabooed to eat cat, tiger and tokapa (an animal of cat family) and on the other hand, tiger does not injure them.

Though the exact site remains unknown, Kolram, the eastern land is believed to be somewhere around The Irrawady and Chinwin Basins of Burma. They moved through different regions of Burma from upper Burma across the Chindwin Basin Hill and then into the Lushai Hills and entered Manipur through Churanchandpur district.

Their historic dominance of the Thangjing Hills was an eyesore to the erstwhile kingdom of Moirang which led to constant aggressions between the two ethnic groups and the ultimate decline of the Koirengs(Source: Cheitharol Kumbaba). Thangjing Is derived from the Koren words, Thang = South,Ching=hill.

From thence the Korens underwent a diaspora to various parts of Manipur and Northeast India.

The Koirengs at present are scattered in the foothills of Imphal valley and its surroundings. The Koireng tribe is one of the least known communities living in one of the far corners of the northeast India. Culturally, they are proud to be blessed with rich heritages and dance forms that has been codified by other tribes as unique and affluent in its own style. The war dance, rituals and other forms of worships are not very popular amongst the younger generation but it is still preserved and practiced. The Koireng is a corrupt version of Kolren not Kohlreng as mentioned above.Today,the Kolren people are no longer known by Kohlreng or Kolren as mentioned by some British political agents and writers such as J. Shakespeare, T.C. Hudson and Damant of 1911-1912.

Refer:-

1. Gangmumei Kabui, The Koirengs of Manipur, Koren Historical and Research Committee, Imphal, Manipur-1987 (Unpublished). 2. Census of India, 2001. 3. "A Glimpse of the Koren Society", Ruolthar (Millennium Megazine),

    Koren (Koireng)Students' Union, Shillong, 2000. Pp. 17.