Zeliangrong who are the inhabitants of the tri-junction of Manipur, Nagaland and Assam have cultured society and as a result, they have several distinctive culture.
Key Traditions:
- Religion: Today most of the Zeliangrong people are Christianity dominated people but still some traditional belief systems and practices do exist. They have Tingkao Ragwang of the supreme deity and different spirits in nature.
Festivals:
- Hega: A large celebration to ask the gods for wealth, good health, and abundance in food production.
- Chega Gadi: Praises the Almighty for the gift of a good harvest and good health.
Social Customs:
- Morung: A youth dormitory where immature young men receive the training in skills, visions, and norms of the Nyunga people.
- Khel: A clansman or member of village community which is plays an important part of social and cultural criterion.
Rituals:
- Birth, Marriage, and Death: It is significant to state that these vitally important life cycle events have their associated rites and ceremonies.
- Ancestor Worship: They have a high regard to their ancestors.
These traditions to this date have been part and parcel of the Zeliangrong people and help in associating them with their own culture and tradition.
The Zeliangrong ethnic group formerly living in the present Manipur, Nagaland and Assam states of India has a rich and colorful cultural background This cultural background is reflected through the dress worn by the Zeliangrong people. To them their apparels include not just as a garment but as a representation of culture, lineage and class.
Traditional Dress for Women
The(Binary) with regards to the fourth variant of the cultural entity under consideration, it is worth to note that Zeliangrong women used to wear a long, unstitched cloth which was worn around the body in a particular manner. This cloth, commonly woven and designed in exclusive designs and brilliant dyes, is made from cotton or silk. The patterns and colors employed purposely depict some events or social classes. For instance, girls favor larger styles and brighter colors throughout festivals and special occasions.
Belt and bag are some of the accessories which have an importance role in enhancing the Zeliang traditional dress. We find men and women fixing different parts of the body with ornaments which include necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and anklets. These ornaments come in form of beads, silver or brass most often enclosed in an artistic design. Further, women are often known to wear headgear parts like the turban or hair accessory which also differ with prefecture and occasion.
Traditional Dress for Men
Zeliangrong men have always been placing a heavy emphasis on clothing, despite the fact that their garments are quite plain. The males wear a simple apron with a special attachment at the lower part of the abdomen area, with beautiful patterns drawn on it. Generally woven from cotton or silk these garments are worn around the lower abdominal region using a belt. A man may also include a shawl or a jacket mostly in cold seasons, over the loincloth.
Similar to women, men as well use diverse ornaments, which are considered proper accessories. Jewellery, which includes necklaces, bracelets and earrings is worn by men, especially during festivals and other ceremonies. The traditional headgear include turbans and caps for men while the traditional outfit still comprise of skirts for men but very elongated. The exact kind of headdress that i worn maybe different from one area or occasion to another one.
Meaning behind Wearing Traditional Clothing
Zeliang traditional dress which people bear invaluable cultural value. It also implies that most of them are very much in touch with their culture and history. The embroidering as well as the complex kinds of pulka shirts displayed by both sexes denote certain principles, ceremonies, and hierarchies. Besides, it also has the cultural value of an identification mark or ethnic marker of the Zeliangrong community.
Modern clothings have thus arrived and they have favored but the Zeliang traditional dress has not been forgotten but always valued. This is normally used during celebrations such as festvals, cultural activities and other ceremonies as these marked the cultural pull of this particular community. This way, the Zeliangrong people make sure that they keep their culture as alive as the new world of fashion.
