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Clans in Rongmei

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The major clans are Gonmei, Kamei, Gangmei and Rwangmei or Longmei. Every clan has a totem which is a symbol or emblem of a clan or family and it is a food taboos either an animal or bird, or tree or plants. The totems of these clans are Roingao bird of Gonmei, Ahuina (green pigeon) of Kamei, Tiger of Gangmei and white pumpkin/dog of Rwangmei. Each major clan is subdivided into a number of lineages. The lineage is a socially binding and an intermediary unit in between family and clan. (ref)
Image: from Binnakandi



Gonmei/Golmei clan is subdivided into lineages like:
1. Gonthangmei
2. Gondaimei
3. Remmei/Riamei,
4. Maringmei,
5. Dangmei,
6. Panmei/Palmei and
7. Thaimei

Kamei clan has:
1. Pamei Phaomei,
2. Siangongmei, Ngaomei,
3. Khandangmei Malangmei,
4. Kamson and
5. Daimei.

Gangmei clan also has lineages such as:
1. Kamang Gangmei,
2. Pheiga Gangmei,
3. Sidou Gangmei,
4. Jukhao Gangmei,
5. Goijaichang Gangmei,
6. Taokhondai Gangmei and
7. Pongring Gangmei.

But in the case of the Rwangmei clan there is no lineage. Gonmei/Newmei and Kamei/Pamei clan is believe to be the older clan in Rongmei, just as Newmai and Pamai is in Liangmai, Newme/Hau and Pame/Heu is in Zeme. Marriages within the same clan or sub clan of Zeliangrong is often discouraged.

"Rongmei kin terminology fits in with what was considered by Lévi-Strauss (1949) as a typical feature of all Naga kinship systems: a peculiar blend of generalized exchange and restricted exchange patterns.31 Several equations in the terminology clearly point to cross-cousin marriage of the matrilateral type, whereas others suggest a symmetric pattern of the sister-exchange type, none of them proving conclusive however. The pattern of asymmetrical exchange by marrying the real or classificatory MBD has been reported by most authors, whereas symmetrical exchange has yet to be confirmed empirically and even seems to be prohibited by customary law according to some informants."(ref)

Comments

  1. UnknownJune 12, 2021 at 7:24 PM

    ngaomei is not from kamei clan.. i myself from ngaomei clan i have never heard anything of my clan coming from kamei clan. no offence. i have never heard anything of this sort from my past forefather. correct me if i am wrong.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousJuly 8, 2024 at 10:34 PM

      Yeah not only ngaomei, daimei also

      Delete

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