Kege (ancient tribe)
"Kege Moirang" (Modern Meitei name) and "Keke Moilang" (Ancient Meitei name), a former group within Moirang clan of Meitei people | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Ancient Moirang of Ancient Kangleipak | |
| Languages | |
| Ancient Meitei language | |
| Religion | |
| Sanamahism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Moirangs |
The Kege (ꯀꯦꯒꯦ), also spelled Keke (ꯀꯦꯀꯦ / ꯀꯦꯦ), was an ancient tribal group in Ancient Kangleipak (early Manipur).[1] They are believed to have originated from the Kabaw Valley region and later settled in the southern areas of the Imphal Valley. Gradually, the Kege merged with the Moirang people, forming a composite identity known as Kege-Moirang.[2][3]
Origin and migration
The Kege were a mixed ethnic group primarily associated with the Moriya (ꯃꯣꯔꯤꯌꯥ) principality in the Kabaw Valley (ꯀꯕꯣ ꯇꯝꯄꯥꯛ) of present-day Upper Myanmar, according to some historical accounts.[3] Some claim that their name comes from the word "Khe" used by Tai groups such as the Pong or Mau Shan.[4] The Kege is believed to have contained elements of the Pyu, Tai, Chin, Sakya (Chakha), and other Tibeto-Burman populations. They most likely arrived in the southern Imphal Valley before the Moirangs' arrival.[2][5]
Settlement areas
The Kege initially settled in the Ethai (ꯢꯊꯥꯢ) region, which is southeast of the later Moirang territory. They gradually spread to neighbouring regions, such as Ngangkha-rawai (ꯉꯥꯡꯈꯥꯔꯋꯥꯢ)[a] which now makes up a large portion of the southern Imphal Valley. These regions developed into their main habitat and the hub from which they communicated with nearby communities.[3]
Integration with the Moirangs
As time went on, the Kege people started to blend in with the Moirangs, eventually creating a shared identity known as Kege-Moirang (ꯀꯦꯒꯦ ꯃꯣꯢꯔꯥꯡ).[3][2] Due to shared settlement and intermarriage, the two groups had mostly combined by the 13th century. In light of the later blurring of the lines between the two groups, some historical sources, such as the Cheitharol Kumbaba, refer to the Kege as belonging to the Moirang people.[6]
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Related pages
References
- ↑ A Glimpse of the State formation of Ancient Manipur (PDF). p. 2.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Hareshwar Goshwami. Hareshwar Goshwami History Of The PEOPLE OF MANIPUR. pp. 105–107.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Raj Kumar, R. Y. (2019). "DYNAMIC OF SALAIS UNION AND MEITEI FORMATION: HISTORICAL APPROACH" (PDF). International Journal of Research in Social Sciences. 9 (2): 7.
- ↑ Raj Kumar, R. Y. (2019). "The Lost Tribes of Manipur" (PDF). International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research Academy (IJMRA). 7 (2): 11.
- ↑ Singh, W. Ibohal (1986). The History of Manipur: An Early Period. Manipur Commercial Company. pp. 130–142.
- ↑ Parratt, Saroj Nalini (2005). The Court Chronicle of the Kings of Manipur: 33-1763 CE. Routledge. p. 106. ISBN 978-0-415-34430-2.
Another name for Moirang is Keke (Kege) Moirang. Very likely they were of Eastern origin, where sericulture was well established
- ↑ derived from Ngangkha Lawai (ꯉꯥꯡꯈꯥꯂꯋꯥꯢ).