Sizang people

The Siyin (Sizang) people or the Thaute people are mainly the descendants of Pu Thuantak, who is also known as Suantak in Tedim language and related clans, and their adopted sons and daughters. The Siyin Valley is located in the present day Chin State, Burma, founded by the descendants of the Pu Thuantak, when they moved away from their original home of Ciimnuai with other Zo (Chin) people such as the Sukte, Thado, Zou, and other related tribes.

Siyin chiefs in British Burma.

Zo lived collectively in the place known as Ciimnuai, for a long period of time until they experienced population explosion. Finding new settlements then became essential for their survival for cultivation, in the hope of getting sufficient food from fertile soil for each community. Consequently, they scattered throughout the mountains, dales and valleys within and surrounding the present Chin State. Due to communication difficulties and their isolation, each departed group from Ciimnuai developed a unique dialect. The Sizang language emerged the same way as Vaiphei, Teizang, Saizang, Val, Zou, Dim, Khuangsai, Hangmi/Milhiem and others, and are closely related to one another.

Meaning and definition

Si means salt water; Zang means the northern side or plain. Sizang is known as Siyin thus represents people who live at the northern part of the spring of salt water. Sizang was already the name of a place to which immigrants from Ciimuai relocated. Later generations that continued to live in the same location, have adopted Sizang as their ethnic identity.

Culture and Tradition

The siyin (sizang) had a proud warrior tradition that is somewhat similar to the Naga people with slight variations. The Siyin widely practiced head hunting and kept the head in the main hall of the village (innpi) and when a siyin die it is the duty of his/her family to dry up the body before the burial which usually take months ..

Religion

Before their conversion to Christianity, the Siyin (Sizang) were animists, worshipping nature, Doai (Devil/spirit), and Pathian (God). They worshiped unknown spirits in order to avoid being harmed. Pleasing the Devil was an essential part of their ritual performance and worship.

Important places
  • Fort White: British Field Marshal Sir George Stuart White built a fort at Thangmual mountain, called Fort White, during the Second World War, to defend against the Japanese invasion of Burma. The nearest places to Fort white are Khuasak and Taingen. Fort White was later moved to Thuklai. Fort White on map.
  • Sial Lum Fort: The native Siyin (Sizang) fought the British viciously, at Sial Lum Fort, near Voklak village. Many British soldiers lost their lives. The state government continues to preserve Sial Lum Fort today for commemoration of the heroic acts of the Siyin (Sizang), in their rebellion against imperialism.
  • Mount Kennedy: Locally known as Thuammual, it was one of the British army's headquarters during the Second World War. Many battles were fought on the mount of Kennedy between the Japanese army and the British army.

Occupation

The main occupation is shifting (slash and burn) cultivation, with the exceptional keeping of livestock such as rearing cows, gayals, goats, chickens and pigs in the countryside. There are a number of people who also work in the public sector, as civil servants, for example.

Language and Dialect

The Siyin (Sizang) have a unique dialect but it is very close to the present Tedim dialect.

A few examples of Siyin (Sizang) dialect, compared to Tedim (Kamhau) dialect:

English Siyin (Sizang) Tedim
How are you? Na dam le? / Dam maw?"Dam ni? Nang dam maw?
Where are you going? Ko'ng (koi-sung) pai tu ni? Ko'h (koi-ah) pai ding na?
What are you doing? Bang vawt ni? Bang hih na?
Have you eaten? An ne zo ni? An ne khin maw?'An ne zo maw?"

The root of the people called Sizang and Vaiphei

The descendants of Pu Zahong are to be found almost every where in the northern Chin State in Burma, in Churachandpur, Chandel and Sadar hills area of Manipur State and also in Mizoram State of India.

In Mizoram we find many of Pu Zahmuaka's descendants such as the Zadeng, Palian, Thangluah, Thangur {Chonglul, Chenkual and Sailo, Rivung, and Rokhum. Pu Zahmuaka is descended from Pu Boklua Suantak who is also known as Sisinga or Sizanga. Boklua's father, Ngengu (Nenu) was the founder of Lophei village in Siyin valley of Chin State. Ngengu is the eldest son of Pu Thuantak (Suantak), who himself is descended from Pu Vaiphei or Pu Zahong. The Siyin regarded Pu Thuantak as the direct progenitor of the Siyin, Thaute, Khiangte and Vaiphei. The Siyin are also referred to as Thaute, Khiangte, Siyin, Thuantak etc.

And according to Sizang elders, Pu Thuantak (Suantak) had four sons viz. Ngengu, Neihlut, Daitawng and Vanglok from whom are descended the clans of the Sizang and Vaiphei.

(1) Ngengu -

(i) Lamhtam- Batkai (Kiimlel and Seam Muang), Neizalh (Thatmun & Thatlang), Liimtuang (Khansiing, Mangson & Tuangthang) etc.

(ii) Boklua/Sihsing - Zahmuak ( Zadeng, Palian, Thangluah, Rivung, Rokhum, Sailo (adopted by Thangmang, son of Thangur), Chenkual and Chawnglul) and Nge Ngawn ( progenitor of the Ngawn tribe).

(iii) Phiamphu -

(iv) Tungnung- Ngenthang, Nitson, Daijang etc.

(v) Phucil/ Phuthil/ Phuthir-

(vi) Nantal/ Hangtal/ Hrangchal -Tunglut, Tungdim and Tungte (Laiasung, Darasung etc.).

(2) Neihlut -

(i) Thanglet- Changtui etc.

(ii) Leisel

(iii) Thangsoi- Khuakuan/Baite [Paute, Meihlai, Thangthem, Phungkhol, Kholsong (Chongzang), Kholngul, Kholphut (Thangkon), Thenchuang, Thangsei, Singngul, Ngulmun, Senlhung, Langtho] and Luangte

(iv) Lutngul-

(v) Hansing-

(vi) Saivung-

(vii) Puakpawl-

(viii) Thanggo - Genzo (Khupmu and Suante [ Suanman, Suanzong, Luahlang, Manghil, Doson, etc.])

(ix) Neikeng/Lamkeng/Suanzo - Muamul/Dopmul ( Mulpi, Hanthual, Hawlhang, Kunhen and Guizo)

(3) Daitawng -

(i) Nunzong- Tuakon etc.

(ii) Hinnung- Hinzong, Haunam etc.

(iii) Namzo- Hinnam etc.

(iv) Sukzo,

(vi) Zasuan - Sînte, Pânte, Kâwngte, Vâmlang, Zahlang, Khupsawn and Lamkai.

(4) Vanglok -

(i) Hangsawk - Tonsung, etc.

(ii) Thuklai - Lunmun, Suumniang, Tuanuam, Zamang, and Zangkaai.

(iii) Limkhai - Sitzom, Tunawi, Tunmang, Ngo Thua, Tun Seal, etc.

From their original homeland, Siyin valley, the Vaiphei wandered across the Tedim - Tonzang area and finally settled in Saikal area of present-day Mizoram and Churachandpur district and other districts of Manipur. At present the Vaiphei are over thirty thousand in population, outnumbering their brothers who remained in Sizang Valley. The Vaiphei and the Sizang are actually one people separated by international boundaries. They are descended from Pu Zahong (Nuai Mangpa), regarded by many historians as the Chief of the legendary Chiimnuai, the Garden of Eden of the Zo people.

Siyin

In literature one comes across the name Siyin because the British colonial officers employed Burmese people, who have social intercourse with the Sizang in the olden days, as interpreters and the word Sizang was corrupted by these interpreters into Siyin. Hence, the British adopted the name Siyin for the Sizang. However the term Siyin is official and Sizang is local terminology.

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