Chin, Anu-Khongso in Myanmar (Burma)

Introduction / History

According to the Myanmar government, the Chin comprises more than 50 different ethnic groups. Anu Chin is one of several ethnic groups of Chin as grouped into eight major national ethnic races in Myanmar. Khongso is mutually intelligible with Anu, which is an unclassified Tibeto-Burman language. Likewise,the Mru language of Bangladesh and the Khongso of Myanmar appear to be similar in many ways. One similarity is that of legend. It is important to note that the relationships between these groups (Khongso & Anu) are very complex.

Where Are they Located?

Anu and Khongso are Sino–Tibetan languages spoken between Kaladan, Paletchaung and Michaung rivers in Paletwa Township. Paletwa Township is a township of Matupi District in the Chin State of Myanmar.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Most Khongso Chin live in villages or small towns. Because they live in an area that is low, villages tend to be established on slopes near streams, ideally in places that can be defended in raids. Houses have traditionally been built from wood on pilings with thatched roofs or bamboo leaf thatch. Poor houses have split bamboo walls. You can get there by climbing a wooden ladder.

The Khongso Chin have traditionally practiced slash and burn agriculture, clearing a parcel land and using it for one to five years before letting it return to the jungles. They cultivate rice, sesame seeds, chili, ginger, mangoes and oranges. They also grow vegetables, beans, peas, melons and pumpkins.

The Khongso can only earn cash by selling animals and crops from their farms. In order to buy and sell things, the Khongso people have to go to Kyauktaw in Rakhine state, or Sami and Paletwa.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Before Christianity came into Khongso Land, the Khongso were animists. The majority of Khongso are traditional Christian. Chin state has the largest concentration of Christians in the whole Myanmar in terms of percentage. Some non-Christian Khongso Chin practice animism and Buddhism. Animism is the belief that spirits reside in both living and non-living things.

There are a wide variety of Church denominations among them, such as Evangelical Free Church of Myanmar (EFCM), Anglican Church, Roman Catholic, Church of Christ, Lutheran Church, Presbyterian, Methodist and Baptist churches from Myanmar Baptist Convention.

What Are Their Needs?

The Khongso Chin have varying levels of education. The provision of education and health care is very limited and what exists is under-resourced. The Khongso Chin need nearly everything from education, health services to economic development and prosperity with peace. Paletwa Township is not only the poorest town in the Chin state, it also has the lowest pass rate for the matriculation exam.

Text Source:   Yo Lane