Kharam people

The history of their origin is shrouded in mysteries and so is the term "Kharam". They don't have any written documents to support their history of origin other than to rely on their folk songs, folktales and story which is passed on to generation after generation. The word Kharam is believed to have derived from the words khwa ram which is translated as "That land". According to another definition, the word Kharam is a compound word of kha (south) and ram (land or place) which literally means ‘Southland’. The speakers of Kharam are mainly found in Kangpokpi district of Manipur and their language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman family of the language. The Kharam dialect is mainly spoken in Tuisenphai, Laikot Kharam, Laikot Phaijol, Tampak Kharam, New Keithel Manbi and Kharam Khullen villages in the Kangpokpi district of Manipur. Kharam has close affinities with other languages such as Kom, Purum, Aimol etc. The Kharams today are inhabited in the seven villages of Manipur of which the Kharam Pallen village is the oldest and largest village of Kharam tribe. Kangpokpi District.[4] [5]

The Kharam society is very complex, it is headed by a chief who is elected democratically and it is not hereditary, he will be supervised by the village councils who are collectively known as Kataar (Old people). The chief has to make sure that he adhere to various rules and regulation sets by the whole people, and he must be very strict in his food habit as well, or else it easily resulted in his termination of the term. There is no definite period for his term but in the later period especially after the conversion of most of its people to Christians they agree to set it 5 years of terms, and during the transition at one point of time the non Christian when they were in majority become the chief and one person among the Christian (Protestant) is to be the Village Secretary, but with passes of time the number of non Christian decline and today both of the post (chairman and secretary is elected) and So today it is simply called as Chairman. The whole village was divided into two major groups Lomtang Shakteng and Lomtang Thangteng, and it is they who maintain the village gate clean, safe and secure. but during emergency they took the help of other group like kalen nai etc. The Kharam have dormitory system and it is mainly based on Clan wise where eligible/marriageable male would go sleep in the house of the family from another clan who have marriageable age group, but is not mandatory that they must necessarily marry from the house where they go sleep, but if the girl where they sleep got married off, then they automatically have to change to other house. But today these system is no longer practised.

Lapu group and Lapi Group (male and female song's leader) who are in charge of preserving the songs, dance and other cultural practices within the whole society plays an important role, and it is they maintain discipline within the upcoming younger generation, but today some member regrets that the discipline which was once very strict is no longer to be observed because there is no strict law enforcer.

Today, most of the Kharams are already converted into Christians except 2-3 household still practising the old customary practices.

It has various clans namely: 1.Shaichal 2. Rangla ( Khouchung and khounoi) 3.Mariem. 4. Saiphu 5. Seilon 6. Makan 7. Rakhou. 8. Keilaam. 9. Jaiche. 10. Inthiet.11. Neisaam. 12 Thanjol. But as of today keilam, inthiet, Neisaam, Makan, have extinct. among the causes for the decline in their population various reasons is cited but among them 1. Plague and malaria 2. Kuki Rebellion 3. conflict with Chothe Tribe are the main contributors. The notion of clan is a contested and contrasted views among the Kharams as for example the case of Rangla: it is divided into two lineage system Rangla Khouchung and Rangla Khounoi, but both the sub clans making a different claims and are the two sub clans even related is also a matter of disputes.

• The Ethno-history of the Kharam Tribe of Manipur. Gina Shangkham, Centre for Manipur Studies, Manipur University, 1 January 2006 - Tribes - 381 pages