whoarezomi

The term 'Zomi' meaning, 'Zo People' is derived from the generic name 'Zo', the progenitor of the
Zomi. In the past they were little known by this racial nomenclature. They were known by the non-
tribal plain peoples of Burma, Bangladesh and India as Chin, Kuki, or Lushai. Subsequently the
British employed these terms to christen those 'wild hill tribes' living in the 'un-administered area',
and was subsequently legalised to be the names for the newly adopted subjects by Queen Victoria
of England. However, they called themselves Zomi since time immemorial. They are Zomi not
because they live in the highlands or hills, but are Zomi and called themselves Zomi because they
are the descendants of their great great ancestor, 'Zo'.

In this regards, F.K. Lehman, Professor of Anthropology and Linguistics, University of Illinois (USA),
who had done extensive study on the Chin of Burma, said:

'No single Chin word has explicit reference to all the peoples we customarily call Chin, but all - or
nearly all of the peoples have a special word for themselves and those of their congeners with whom
they are in regular contact. This word is almost always a variant form of a single root, which appears
as Zo, Yo, Ysou, Shou and the like.'

Relating to this generic name, Fan-Cho a diplomat of the Tang dynasty of China, mentioned in 862
AD a Kingdom in the Chindwin Valley 'whose Princes and Chiefs were called Shou (Zo)' . In 1783,
Father Vincentius Sangermano in his book, 'A Description of the Burmese Empire' described them
as, "a petty nation called JO (JAW)" Sir Henry Yule, as early as 1508 mentioned about the YO
country the location of which was "west of the mouth of the Kyen-dwen (Chindwin) the interior of
Doab, between the Irrawaddy and the Chindwin, from Mout-Shabo upwards and the whole of the hill
country east and north-east of the capital, towards the Ruby-mines, the upper course of Hyitnge,
and the Chinese frontier" . Rev. Howard Malcolm also testified thus, "The YAW (ZO) is on the lower
waters of the Khyendiwen (Chindwin) not far from Ava. The district is sometimes called YO or JO".

Another early use of the name ZO with reference to the Zomi (Kuki-Chin-Lushai), the first on the
Lushai Hills side which till then was a terra incognito, was by Col. T.H. Lewin, the first white man to
know the inhabitants of Lushai Hills (Mizoram). He wrote that he came to know, during the Lushai
Expedition of 1871-72 that, 'the generic name of the whole nation is Dzo' Dr. Francis Buchanan also
wrote of Zomi and Zomi language , while Captain Pemberton mentioned Zo or Jo in his 'Reports on
the Eastern Frontiers of British India, 1835'. The fact that the Zomi were known as ZOU or YO or
YAW, before their society evolved into clan based organisation and lineage segmentation, was
pointed out by Dr. G.A. Grierson in his survey, thus,

'The name (Kuki and Chin) is not used by the tribes themselves, who use titles such as ZOU or YO
or CHO'.

Rev Sukte T. Hau Go, a former lecturer of Mandalay University (Burma) also shared the same view,

"Zomi is the correct original historical name of our people, from the Naga hill to the Bay of Bengal.
To the north of Tedim, the Thadous and other tribes call themselves Yo; in Falam, Laizo. The Tedim
people call themselves Zo; the Lushais, Mizo; in Haka, Zotung, Zophei, Zokhua. In Gangaw area Zo
is pronounced as YAW, in Mindat Jo or CHO; and in Paletwa Khomi. In Prome, Thayetmyo,
Sandoway and Bassein areas they call themselves A-Sho. So, inspite of slight variations Zomi is our
original historical national name ".

Regarding the truth of Zomi as the racial designation of the so-called Kuki-Chin people, U Thein Re
Myint, a well known Burmese Writer, who knew Chin history, perhaps better than the Chin
themselves remarks:

'Even though these tribes of people, who are called Chin, do not necessarily protest their name,
their original name is, in fact, Zomi '.

Two British administrators, Bertram S. Carey and H.N. Tuck who place Zo people under modern
system of administration record as thus:

'Those of the Kuki tribes which we designate as "Chins" do not recognise that name……they call
themselves YO (ZO)…and YO (ZO) is the general name by which the Chins call their race'

Another European writer, Sir J. George Scott also claimed that, the Zomi never called themselves by
such names as Kuki or Chin or Lushai. He wrote:

'The names like Kuki and Chin are not national, and have been given to them by their neighbours.
Like others, the people do not accept the name given by the Burmese and ourselves; they do not
call themselves Chins, and they equally flout the name of Kuki which their Assamese neighbours
use. They call themselves Zhou or Shu and in other parts Yo or Lai.

It is, therefore, no wonder that Zomi use the term Zo, Zou, Zhou, Chou, Shou, Yo, Jo, Yaw, Shu, etc
in their speech and poetic language as Zo-Vontawi, Zo-lei, Zogam or Zoram, Zo-tui, Zo-fa, etc; in
naming geographical names such as Zotlang, Zopui, Zobawks; and in some of the clan names like
Zophei, Zotung, Zokhua, Laizo, Bawmzo, Zote, etc. All these have a common derivation from the
generic name, "ZO". It is also because of this fact that scholars like Dr. Vum Kho Hau, Prof. Laldena,
Dr. Vum Son, Dr. Tualchin Neihsial, Dr. H. Kamkhenthang, Dr. Mangkhosat Kipgen, Cap. Sing Khaw
Khai, Dr. J. M. Paupu, Pu K. Zawla, Pu R. Vanlawma, B. Langthanliana, Dr. V. Lunghnema, Dr.
Hawlngam Haokip, Pu L. S. Gangte, Pu T. Gougin, Pu Thang Khan Gin Ngaihte, Rev. S. Prim
Vaiphei, Rev. Khup Za Go, Pu L. Keivom, Rev. S. T. Hau Go, Dr. Khen Za Sian, Prof. Thang Za
Tuan, Rev. Sing Ling etc. concluded that ZO is the ancestor of the Zo people (Zomi).