Code Language

Maring

State: Manipur
Region Spoken In : Senapati, Tamenglong, Churachandpur, Ukhrul, Thoubal, Imphal East and Imphal West

INTRODUCTION

Maring community is one of the oldest communities who are settled in the south-eastern part of Manipur bordering Myanmar. Marings are mostly inhabited in the district of Chandel in the state of Manipur and found in pockets of the districts of Senapati, Tamenglong, Churachandpur, Ukhrul, Thoubal, Imphal East and Imphal West. The Marings are also found in Bangladesh and are known as Morung in that country and they are also found in Myanmar and are known as Murring in that country.

The term Maring is derived from the word Meiring or Meiringba, Mei stands for ‘fire’ and ring stands for being ‘alive’ meaning ‘the people who kept the fire alive’. The oral history of the people says that Marings obtained fire through a traditional practice of lighting a fire called Meihongtang, using dry wood of a particular tree called Khongmai-heeng, with bamboo slivers and dry bushes or grasses. The bamboo slivers are pulled against dry grasses and Khongmai-heeng until fire is produced on account of friction. This fire is considered ‘sacred’ and it is set up at sacred places like the village altar, village Gate and youth dormitories. The sacred fire is kept alive by feeding firewood and this practice of keeping the fire alive continued till the advent of Christianity in the Maring Land.