Why in news?
India’s public broadcaster, Prasar Bharati, has sought inputs from its regional station in Imphal about recruiting staff to restart live radio broadcasts in the Thadou language and other dialects of Manipur. The move underscores efforts to preserve and promote the culture of the Thadou people.
Background
The Thadou are an indigenous community inhabiting the hills surrounding Manipur’s Imphal Valley. They are part of the wider Chin–Kuki–Mizo cultural family but have long asserted a distinct identity. Recognised as a Scheduled Tribe since the 1956 Presidential Order, the Thadou were recorded as the largest tribal group in Manipur in the 2011 census, with a population of over 2 lakh people. Beyond Manipur, smaller Thadou communities live in Nagaland, Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Delhi.
Society and culture
- Language: The community speaks the Thadou language (also called Thado or Chin), part of the Tibeto‑Burman branch of the Sino‑Tibetan family. Radio broadcasts in Thadou help preserve the language among younger generations.
- Settlement patterns: Villages are usually located on ridges or hill slopes, with the village chief’s house serving as the largest dwelling and a focal point for community gatherings and dispute resolution.
- Economy: Most Thadou practise subsistence agriculture. Jhum (slash‑and‑burn) cultivation, animal rearing, hunting and fishing form the basis of their livelihood.
- Religion and festivals: Traditional Thadou beliefs centred on nature spirits and a supreme god called Pathen, but nearly all Thadou today are Christians. The Hun‑Thadou festival, celebrated at the start of the agricultural year, remains a major cultural event.
Contemporary issues
In recent years the Thadou community has sought official recognition of its distinct identity, separate from the broader “Kuki” label used in colonial and post‑independence records. Community leaders emphasise that misclassification can marginalise their language and cultural practices. The plan to resume Thadou‑language broadcasts is therefore seen as a welcome step towards cultural preservation and inclusion.
Source: NDTV
