Koireng Tribe

The Koireng are mostly found to be settled in the border foothills surrounding the Imphal valley and is a small scheduled tribe of Manipur. The present geographical distribution of the Koirengs include Longa Koireng (17 Km), Sadu Koireng (37 km), Awang Koireng Longa Koireng (27 Km), Utonglog (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 1981 census, the Koireng population in Manipur is 603.

The ethnonym 'Koireng' is derived from two roots 'Kol'=east and 'ren'=men which got corrupted into the present word. At present they want to be recognized as 'Korem' 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.

From the linguistic point of view, they belong to the Kuki chin group of Tibeto Burmese Language. Their physical characteristics are that males are commonly 5' to 5'-6 tall whereas female statute is 4'-6" to 5'-3".

They have dark brown skin; slim looking but sturdily built body. Their hair is usually black and straight. An oval shaped face; non prominent cheek bones, small eyes with absence of epicanthic folds; mesorine nose with its root high, piercing of ear lobes and slight prognathous of Chin are also distinctive features.

The Koireng Cosmogony myth exists in different versions namely (i) Emerging of two heterogemeses human progenitors from non-human beings and (ii) ancestors 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 Yaolkip 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, Thamte, Ulrei, Khonglung and Meriem (or Merilm Mikan) from whom the seven clans of Koireng were born. But at present the latter five clans 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. Neirong, 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 that is believed by the Koirengs to be the Karen State of eastern Burma is claimed as their original homeland. They moved through different regions of Burma from upper Burma across the Chindwin Basin Hill and then into the Lushai Hills and finally into Manipur.

Text from Koireng

The Koirengs (Korens) are sparsely scattered in the surrounding foothills of the Imphal valley. The present geographical distribution of the Koirengs include Longa Koireng a.k.a Thanglong Village (17 Km), Sadu Koireng (37 km), Awang Koireng 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 Kuki- chin group of Tibeto- Burmese Language.

The Koireng Cosmogony myth exists in different versions namely (i) Emerging of two heterogemeses human progenitors from non-human beings and (ii) ancestors 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, Thamte, Ulrei, Khonglung and Meriem (or Merilm Mikan) from whom the seven clans of Koireng were born. But at present the latter five clans 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. Neirong, 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 somewherwe 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 were an eyesore to the erstwhile kingdom of Moirang which led to constant agression between the two ethnic groups and the ultimate decline of the Koirengs(Source: Cheitharol KUmbaba). Thangjing Is derived from the Koren words, South =East,Ching=hill.

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