The World of Kuki People

Existing archival records of ‘the Kuki Rising, 1917-1919’ contain reports of the British political agents and are of particular value for scholastic works. Largely drawn from the oral tradition, P.S. Haokip, President of Kuki National Organization, wrote ‘The World of Kuki People’ to provide a clear perspective of the war activities against the colonialists. Following the war, Kuki country was divided between British India and British Burma by Government of India Act 1935.

The author, having read colonial records of the war extensively, saw the one-sidedness history writing of the victors and undertook a huge exercise of interviewing Kuki war veterans and surviving family members of Kuki martyrs. Such primary research contributes to balance history for posterity and paves the way for integration of records and experiences of the war held between both sides.

The book describes right from the history of Kuki people throughout the world and their contribution in historical wars and society. It also specifies their constitutional status. The book also provides annexures containing warrants, news and reports, memorandum and Zale’n-gam letters. The book will prove to be a magnum opus for all those who are interested to know about the Kuki people.

P. S. Haokip (b. 1957) is President of Kuki National Organisation, the umbrella body of several Kuki revolutionary organisations and ‘supreme commander’ of the Kuki National Army.

Inspired by the forefather’s zeal to preserve Kuki ancestral territory, the Kuki National Organization was formed in 1987. Seventeen armed groups comprise the organization, which from June 2016 has been engaged in dialogue with Government of India and Government of Manipur for an amicable political settlement for the Kuki people.