# Hmar people

Hmar people are a scheduled tribe ethnic group from the states of Manipur, Mizoram, Assam, and Meghalaya in Northeast India. They use the Hmar language as their primary language. In 2023, the Hmar Inpui, an apex body of the tribe 'reaffirmed' the identity of the Hmar people as Mizo.

## Population

According to the 2011 Indian Census, there were 98,988 Hmar speakers (as first language). The Hmar population itself (including, Hmar people who speak Mizo language as their first language) roughly stands at 200,000-300,000. Several critics and scholars point out that a significant population of the Hmar people are fully 'Mizonised' in Mizoram, hence do not reflect as "Hmar tribe" population, rather as "Any Mizo tribes" in Census reports.

## Language

Hmar people use the Hmar language, which closely resembles the Mizo language and uses the Roman script. The script was introduced by British missionaries, including 'Pu Buanga' (James Herbert Lorrain), during the colonial era in India and is locally known as the 'A Aw B.' Hmar language is within the Tibeto-Burman stock of languages.

## Religion

The majority of the Hmar people practice Christianity. They were Christianized by Welsh missionaries in the 1910s (specifically at Senvawn village).

## Place of origin

The Hmar people believe Sinlung to be their ancestral origin.

## Notable people

Politicians :
| Name | Notes |
| HT Sangliana | Indian Cop and former Lok Sabha MP. A South Indian movie, Sangliyana, was made in honor of him. |
| Robert Romawia Royte | MLA from Mizoram and owner of Aizawl FC. |
| Ngurdinglien Sanate | Former Minister from Manipur. |
| Lalnghinglova Hmar | Current Minister of State (Sports) and MLA from Mizoram. |
| Ngursanglur Sanate | Current MLA from Manipur. |
| Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl | Politician from Tripura. |
| Pachhunga | First President of the Mizo Union. |
| Chaltonlien Amo | Former Minister from Manipur. |
| Lalmuanpuia Punte | Current Political Advisor to Lalduhoma and MLA, Mizoram. |
| K. Sapdanga | Current Deputy Chief minister, Mizoram. |
| M Keivom | an Ambassador of India. |
Sportspersons :
| Name | Contribution(s) |
| Lalremsiami | India women's national field hockey team player |
| Marina Lalramnghaki Hmar | India women's national field hockey team player |
| David Lalhlansanga | India national football team member |
| Alfred Lalroutsang | youngest ever player to play in the Indian Super League at the age of 16 years. |
| Lalrinliana Hnamte | Indian professional footballer. |
| Lalvarmoi Hmar | Indian professional footballer. |
| Lalram Luaha | Indian professional footballer |
| Hmar Zothanchhunga | Indian professional cricketer. |
Academics & Authors :
| Name | Notes |
| Rochunga Pudaite | Included the Hmar people, Anāl people, and many others as one of the Schedule Tribes of India, 1956, and the founder of Bibles for the World. |
| Lal Dena | Manipur historian. |
| Lalthlamuong Keivom | Former Indian diplomat and writer of Zoram Khawvel series. |
| Zirsangzela Hnamte | Author. |
| Lallukhum Fimate | Former Director, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences and Zoram Medical College. |
Singers, Composers & Musicians :
| Name | Notes |
| Mami Varte | Singer |
| Esther Hnamte | Singer |
| Lalruotmawi | Singer |
| Buonglienkung | Composer |
| Thangngur | Composer |
| Lienrum | Composer |

## Clans (Pahnam)

Darngawn :
| Ruolngul | Faiheng | Tlau | Fatlei |
| Banzang | Sinate | Famhawite (Famhoite) | Chonghmunte |
| Lamchangte | Sanate | | |
Faihriem :
| Saivate | Khawral | Khawkheng | Tuollai |
| Tuimuol | Bapui | Tusing | Khawlum |
| Sekong | Seling | Thlangnung | Salhmar |
| Dulien | Aimuol | Khawhrang | Sote |
| Thanghnieng | | | |
Ngurte$^{descendantsofSantleichal}$ :
| Sanate | Saingur | Zallien | Bungran |
| Chiluon | Singa | Tuolthla | Para Thla |
| Pusingathla | Saidangthla | | |
Hrangkhol :
| Ponatu | Phuoitong | Dumker | Cholkha |
Khuolhring (Khawlhring) :
| Lungen | Thlaute | Midang | Leidir |
| Suokling | Chunthang | Lozun | Pieltel |
| Milai | Rawlsim | Khintung | Zahrin |
Khawbung$^{descendantsofTingkul}$ :
| Fenate (Fente) | Pangamte | Pazamte | Riengsete |
| Laising | Muolphei | Phunte (Punte) | Bunglung |
| Sierthlang | Siersak | | |
Lawitlang :
| Hrangchal | Laiasung | Sielasung | Darasung |
| Tungte | Sungte | Suomte | Tlawmte |
| Chawnsim | | | |
Rawite :
| Pieltu | Sawrte | Buite | Arro |
| Zate | Aite | Hnungte | Seldo |
Zote (Joute)$^{descendantsofVanso}$ :
| Pusiete | Chuonkhup | Singphun | Hriler |
| Chawnghau | Chawngvawr | Buonsuong | Chawngtuol |
| Barkhawlai | Tlangte | Parate | Saihmang (Saiate, Sailung, Saite) |
| Ngaiate | Chawnhnieng | Darte | Darkhawlai |
| Vaithang | Thangsuok | Maubuk | Hrangngam |
| Hrangdo | Hrangate | Chawngsieksim | Ngaite (Hauler, Tlurha, Saichawnkhup, Sailientuol) |
| Hmangte | Chante (Chamte) | Hrangsote | Parate (Bualthang, Khawtial, Rualngai, Zani) |
Leiri :
| Neingaite | Puruolte | Pudaite | Pulamte |
| Puhnuongte | Thlandar | | |
Changsan :
| Zilchung | Zilhmang | Ngulthuom | Ngaithuom |
| Hrawte | Hranhnieng | Chaileng | Thangngen |
| Kellu | Armei | | |
Ṭhiek :
| Athu | Amaw (Amo) | Tuolor | Thilsong |
| Buhril | Hekte | Ralsun | Chawnghekte |
| Thluchung (TC) | Kungate | Selate | Tuolte |
| Ṭaite | Hnamte | Kangbur | Khawzawl |
| Lalum | Laldau | Saibung | Vankal |
| Pangote | Pangulte | Khawbuol | Pakhumate |
| Khumthur | Khumsen | Thlihran | Tamte |
| Hmante | Chawnnel | Zate | |
Lungṭau :
| Mihriemate | Songate | Infimate (Fimate) | Nungate |
| Intoate | Lungchuong | Inbuon | Pasulate |
| Keivawm (Keivom) | Tamhrang | Sielhnam | Theisiekate |
| Thlawngate | Khumsen | Khumthur | Sunate |

## Ethnic Cultural Items

Traditional Shawls :
| Name | Picture | Original Designer |
| Hmarpuon | Hmarpuon (Hmar ethnic shawl) | Fimneizo |
| Thangsuopuon | | |
| Ngoteker | | |
| Puonlaisen | | |
| Hmaram | | |

## Literature

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* Bapui, VLT & Buruah, PN Dutta. 1996. Hmar Grammar. Mysore: Central Institute of Indian Languages. CIIL Press, Mysore.
* Bapui, Vanlal Tluonga. 2012. Hmar Ṭawng Inchukna (A Lexical Study of the Hmar Language & Usages). Guwahati, Assam: The Assam Institute of Research for Tribals and Scheduled Castes. Hi-Tech Printing & Binding Industries, Guwahati
* Cassar, T. 2013. Only 36,000.
* Cassar, T. 2017. Oh God - Now it's 75K (and it's only getting worse)!.
* Dena, Lal. 1995. Hmar Folk Tales. New Delhi: Scholar Publishing House. Bengal Printing Press, New Delhi.
* Dena, Lal; In search of identity: Hmars of North-East India; New Delhi 2008.
* Fimate, L. Thina Râpthlak.
* Hmar, RH Hminglien. 1997. Hmangaitu Hmel.
* Hminga, FT. 1991. Hmar Pipu Thilhming Lo Phuokhai. Churachandpur, Manipur: Dr. FT Hminga.
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* Hrangate, HC. 1996. Pathien Kut.
* Lalhmuoklien, 2009. Gospel Through Darkness. Churachandpur, Manipur: Rev. Dr. Lalmuoklien. SMART tech Offset Printers, Churachandpur
* Ngurte, SN. 1991. Damlai Thlaler.
* Ngurte, SN. 1994. Rengchawnghawi.
* Ngurte, SN. 1995. Kanaan Phaizawl. HL Lawma & Sons Publication.
* Pakhuongte, Ruolneikhum. 1983. The Power of the Gospel Among the Hmar Tribe. Shillong, Meghalaya: EFCI. Ri Khasi Press, Shillong.
* Pudaite, Jonathan. 2011. The Legacy of Watkin R. Roberts.
* Pudaite, Mawii. 1982. Beyond The Next Mountain: The Story of Rochunga Pudaite. Tyndale House Publishers.
* Pudaite, Rochunga. 1963. The Education of the Hmar People. Sielmat, Churachandpur. Indo-Burma Pioneer Mission, 1963.
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* Pudaite, Rochunga. 2008. English-Hmar Dictionary. Partnership Publishing House.
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* Ruolngul, Darsanglien. 2009. The Advance of the Gospel (Part One). Churachandpur, Manipur: Rev. Darsanglien Ruolngul. SMART * tech Offset Printers, Churachandpur.
* Ruolngul. Darsanglien. 2013. Kohran. Churachandpur, Manipur: ICI. Diamond Offset, Churachandpur.
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* Sinate, Lalthankhum. 2001. Kohran Hring.
* Songate, H. 1956. Hmar History-Hmar Chanchin. Imphal: Mao Press.
* Songate, H. 1967. Hmar Chanchin (Hmar History).Churachandpur: L & R Press.
* Thangsiem, JC. Zilsi Varzan. Rengkai, Churachandpur.
* Ṭhiek, Hrilrokhum. 2013. History of the Hmars in North East India, Guwahati, Assam: Rev. Hrilrokhum Ṭhiek, Bhabani Offset Private Ltd., Guwahati.
* Ṭhiek, Hrilrokhum. 1996. Maichâma Mei Chu Sukchawk Zing Ding A Nih.
* Thuomte, H. 2001. Joute Pahnam Inthladan (Joute Genealogy). Churachandpur, Manipur
* Various. 2008. Lal Remruot - Saidan Chanchin. Delhi. Hmanglien & Sons. Rai's Ad-venture, Delhi.
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* Sungte, Robert L. 2007. Impact of Religious Journals on the Hmar tribe in Manipur, Karnataka. Mangalore University, Mangalore.
* Varte, Immanuel Zarzosang. 2016. Revisiting Sikpui Ruoi of the Hmar Tribe. Anthropology Today. Vol. 1, No. 2. ISSN 2454-2709. Pp. 60–72.
* Varte, Immanuel Zarzosang. 2017. In Search of the "Holy" Confluence: A Journey to the Barak River. In: Queenbala Marak (Ed) "Doing Autoethnography". Serials Publications: New Delhi.
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* Varte, Immanuel Zarzosang. 2014. Hmar at the Crossroads. IndigeNE: Imphal.
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* Varte, Immanuel Zarzosang. 2019. Ruolevaisuo a Hohlimna Thusim Thlirletna. 2019. In: Nunhlui-II (Hmar MIL Textbook for TDC Third Semester), Assam University, Silchar, Hmar Literature Society, Assam.
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* Varte, Immanuel Zarzosang. 2011. Indigenous Knowledge System, Identity, Freedom and Tipaimukh Dam: An Anthropological Perspective. In: Lal Dena (Ed) "Dialogue on Tipaimukh Dam". Akansha Publishing House: New Delhi.
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* Varte, Immanuel Zarzosang. 2005. Pre-historical Heritage of Ruong Le Vaisuo. "Hmar Arasi". Souvenir on the occasion of Cultural Festival-cum-Sikpui Ruoi, 2 – 5 December & 50th General Assembly-cum-Literary Meet, 15 – 16 December. Hmar Students' Association General Headquarters: Churachandpur.