Social, Cultural, Economic & Religious Life of a Transformed Community: A Study of the Paite Tribe

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The subject of this work is the Paite, one of the Scheduled Tribes of India, who live in Manipur and some states of North-east India. It relates to the socio-religious, cultural and economic life of the Paite people in their pre-Christian culture and shows how Christianity transformed the community into a meaningful life which has enabled them to build an indigenous church in their new belief. It also. reveals how communicating and receptive it was to present the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ in the context of thier culture in the early days of advent of Christianity as it spread among them.

Mr. T. Liankhohau (b. 1935) graduated from Gauhati University in 1971. Joined as teacher in Grace Bible College, Manipur in 1982 where he continues to teach till date.

His other works are (1) Belamchingpa Hoih, (2) Bible Leitunggam, (3) Christian Cults & Isms, (4) Hindan Hoih Bu 1-4 (5) Itna Luanglet, (6) Laibul (co-author); (7) Laibul II (co-author), (8) Naupang Arithmetic, Parts I-III, (9) Naupang Algebra, (10) The New English Primer (co-author), (11) Paite Grammar, (12) Paite La Gousiah (13) Paite Kalchar, (14) Paite Pau Upa, (15) Paite Readers Reader I & II.

BY LOOKING AT a map of a country one finds some rivers flowing in certain directions. Those rivers have sources and destinations. It is always interesting to know sources as much as destinations. Whenever we meet a stranger we enquire, "Where do you come from?" In the same way, we ask as to where the Paite come from culturally.

As Christianity comes to a community, it affects the socio-religious, cultural and economic life of the people. In this volume, the writer is trying to present the traditions of Paite life before the coming of Christianity and to show the changes that took place among them as a result of the gospel of salvation. Long before the coming of the Gospel to the Paite people, in the southwest part of Manipur their forefathers were animists. Even after coming over to Manipur from Burma they continued to live for a long time in constant fear of demons, evil spirits and ghosts which were supposed to live in mountains, trees, spings, streams and holes or caves. To appease them various sacrifices were offered by priests at the cost of the lives of some domesticated animals such as pigs, fowls, dogs, and goats.

Though illiterate, the Paite were endowed with good memories. Any agreement reached between two persons or parties was kept well, highly honoured, and fulfilled. Like many cultures poetry is the repository of the Paite culture. The poetry is set for singing. Elderly people and lovers. expressed their feelings in poetry. Great achievements were narrated in poems. The Paite loved singing. They could sing those songs for days and nights.

**Contents and Sample Pages**