Zo Chronicles

India's North-east is home to numerous tribal groups, many of whom have their cognate groups spread across the international borders of Bangladesh, Bhutan, China and Myanmar. Official colonial writings are befuddled by the seemingly diverse diversities of these tribal groups. Enumeration of tribes under various colonial projects tends to give various misleading nomenclatures to otherwise one tribe/people making them appear as if they were different peoples. The case of Zo people, commonly known in British colonial historiography as Kuki-Chin-Lushai, is one among them. Considered to be one of the largest tribal groups in South and South-east Asis, the Zo people are now making concerted efforts to transcend these colonial categories to preserve, protect and uphold their unique identity and culture. Unification movement of this kind has immense potential to question and redefine international borders across Bangladesh, India and Myanmar where they are spread. In Zo Chronicles, the author gainfully uses his experience and scholarship to glean rare documents available from exclusive sources including the Bodleian Library, Oxford, UK. A pioneering collection of its kind, it provides invaluable information and guide to understand the socio-cultural and political history of the Zo people. It reorients our understanding to the whole matrix of trans-border identity, culture and politics and begs us to explore the larger issue of protection of minority rights engendered by a 'nation without a state.' The book will be of interest to students, scholars, researchers and practitioners of history and politics, anthropology and sociology having avowed interest in issues especially of identity, culture autonomy, and minority rights.

Khup Za Go (b. 1944-2005) was born in Murlen, Champhai District (Mizoram). He earned his Master's degree in Political Science from Guwahati University in 1971. Since then he committed himself to a full time church ministry despite his promising career. Rev. Go served the Chin Baptist Association as Executive Secretary (1971-1977) and in various capacities. In between he worked as the Assistant Director and thereafter as the Director of Christian Literature Centre of CBCNEI (Council of Baptist Churches in North East India) in Guwahati (1981-87). He was elected Vice-President of CBCNEI in 1991-92. Rev.Go completed theological studies from Serampore College (1980-81); Oxford, and Union Theological College, Bangalore (1993-95). As a Baptist church leader, he participated in various international Christian seminars/fairs in Bali, Boston, Frankfurt, and in Myanmar and Thailand. Rev. Go published more than 15 books; the latest being an autobiography, Leivui Panin (Out of the Dust (2005) in Tedim Chin language). A Critical Historical Study of Bible Translations among the Zo People in North-East India (1996) is, inter alia, his monumental contribution to the study of society, religion and politics in north-east India. An ecumenical preacher, he ardently championed the cause of Zo unity and solidarity through diverse channels including vernacular journals; Zogam Tangko, Rangoon (as Assistant Editor in the 1960s) and Zo Aw, Guwahati-as founder Editor in the 1980s. He died while he was an incumbent pastor at Zomi Christian Fellowship, Delhi on 9 April 2005 in a tragic road accident. Rev Khup Za Go is survived by his wife (Niang khan Man) and two sons (carey Pum Khan Tuang and John Khual Lian Mung).