Chieftainship: Its status, authority and perquisites enjoyed by a Kuki and Naga Chiefs of Manipur

Chieftainship in Manipur of both the Kukis and Nagas would certainly differ from other like forms in other parts of India, as Manipur only merged into the Indian union on 21st September 1949. There are both commonalities and differences in Kuki and Naga Chieftainship because although in the remote past both tribes probably originated from somewhere in China, they held different world views especially on the institution of ‘chief tainship’. Chieftainship was an integral part of their political life. Originally, the right to rule was bestowed to those who had the power and ability to command a large number of people and to rescind attack by rival Chiefs. Thus, Chieftainship is believed to have originated in the intellectual and physical power of a person or in other words one who had the capacity to organise a force could become a chief. Such a person was accepted the guardian and defender by his people. It thus, appears that the institution of Chieftainship emerged out of the needs of collective life which characterised Tribal ethos and living. But no definite information can be obtained as to when and how this institution took a concrete shape in the past. It can be reasonably asserted that this happened at quite an early stage of evolution in their group life. This paper intends to present the status, authority and perquisites enjoyed by a Kuki and Naga Chiefs of Manipur.