The Chin are a Sino-Tibetan race, descended from central China. Within Burma, they predominantly inhabit Chin State, which is located in the north-west of the country, bordering Bangladesh (to the west) and India (to the north). It is estimated that approximately 500,000 Chin live within Chin State, with an additional one million living inside Bangladesh and India1. The total area within which these 1.5 million Chin are concentrated, extending 36,000 km2 along the Indo-Burman border, is known as Chinland. The Chin are composed of many individual tribes, including the Asho tribe, Cho Tribe, Khumi Tribe, Kuki Tribe, Laimi Tribe, Lushai Tribe and Zomi Tribe. It is the only state in Burma where the majority of the inhabitants are Christian.
The Chin language is descended from Tibetan-Burman languages. Within the Chin peoples, each different tribal group has its own dialect, although today Burmese is also spoken in Chin state.
There is a common assumption within Burma that as the modern pronunciation of 'Chin' is similar to that of the Burmese word for basket, that the Chin people are so called due to the baskets that they carry2.
However, whilst there is still some debate as to the origin of the word 'Chin', one main theory is that 'Chin' is derived from the Burmese designation of the Asho Chin - the Chin group with which it is thought that the ethnic Bumans first came into contact. In Asho Chin, a person was known as a 'hklaung'. When the Burmans met the Asho Chin, they used the latter part of the Asho Chin name to identify them. Over time, hklaung developed into the word 'Chin'. The development of this word can be followed by undertaking a comparison of written and spoken Burmese, and their linguistic developments over time 3.
The main religion practiced by the Chin is Christianity, with approximately 70% of Chins adhering to this religion. The dominance of Christianity stems from the arrival of American Baptist missionaries in the late 1800's and early 1900s to the area. Christianity gradually became accepted by a large majority of the Chin population who had practiced traditional Animism for centuries. Amongst the remaining 30%, beliefs such as Buddhism and Animalism, amongst others, continue to be followed.
Chin culture is rich in folk tales, dance and music. Until the introduction of a writing system by the Christian missionaries in the early 1900s, Chin traditions were preserved and kept alive by using storytelling as a means to pass history on from one generation to the next. However, the transition to Christianity led to the abandonment of previously important cultural traditions. In particular, the traditional feasts and ritual sacrifices that were such an important part of Animalism were abandoned by the newly converted Chin Christians. In addition, new converts had to stage a "cleansing of the house," 4 to remove all altars and "skulls of animals that they had sacrificed as Animalists to appease evil spirits" 5.
Traditional Chin dress includes the longyi, htamein or jacket worn by Chin males, and the 'Chin' tie worn around the neck. Older Chin males may have their ear-lobes pierced or perforated to wear earrings. However, this tradition is dyeing out amongst the younger Chin males. Today, Chin state it is one of the states in Burma where western, as opposed to Burmese dress, is most widely worn.
End Notes
Source: Chin Human Rights Organisation
Source: In Search of the origin of the names: Kuki-Chin, Kenneth VanBik, Department of Linguistics, University of California
Ibid
Lian H. Sakhong, Religion and Politics among the Chin People in Burma. Uppsala University: 2000
Ibid
Sources:
Chin Human Rights Organisation www.chro.org
In Search of the origin of the names: Kuki-Chin, Kenneth VanBik, Department of Linguistics, University of California
The Role of Christianity in Chin Society, Salai Za Uk Ling, Lakehead University
The Chin Identity Crisis, Richard Zatu, sourced from Chin Human Rights Organisation
