A Critical-6

1.1.The Meaning of Mara

The Maras were formerly known as the Lakhers by the Lusheis, the shandus by Khumis and the Miram by the Hakhas. But either true name or the name, which they call themselves, is ‘Mara’.

The term Lakher means ‘cotton spinning’ (La = cotton, kher =spinning) which was great famous for the Maras of those days and popular the cotton spinning works, and so as they made their clothes and dress themselves. This was the name given by their north western neighbour, the Lushais.

The term shandus means the people who always fight and make others restless, this too was the name given by their southern neighbour, the Kumis and Arakanses.

The term Miram [mi = people, ram = Land, means “people of the land” which was the name given by their northern neighbor, the Hakhas.

The word “Mara” is the most prominent term is designate among them since the time immemorial. The term is, however, an archaic word and is found in oral literature like folk-songs, folk-stories, traditions, etc. it is believed that the origin of the word “Mara”, however, lies elsewhere. From various references, some derivations have been suggested for the word ‘Mara’. Some says that the word “Mara” is a compound of “Ma” = bride’s price, and “Rah” = bitter demand which means “bitter demand of the bride’s price”. Matheih says that the term “Mara” is purely conventional one, and is coined by their neighbouring tribes to designate the Maras on account of their complicated marriage system through which vehemently made bitter demand of the bride’s price. [1] It is also held that the term “Mara” is a transliteration of the word “Mawra” meaning “bamboo land” (Maw/ramaw = bamboo; Rah = land).[2]

Local elders and scholars believe that the term “Mawra” is derived from the Hakha word “Mauram” meaning “bamboo land”.[3] The term was thus applied to the Maras as they settled in the tropical jungle covered with the bamboo forest. Rev. Lai-u Fachhai, agreeing this explanation, interprets it as “the dwellers of the alien fertile land of the south”.[4]

Thus the meaning of the term “Mara” might be well defined as “Southerner”, that must had born after their vary nature of migrating from the north to the south in search of green pasture and fertile land for the better life. 

The Maras were formerly under various names. The different names or terms coined by other people have clear and precise relationship with the Maras. The word “Mara” is the correct name, and the term is widely used to designate the Maras who inhabit the present Mara Autonomous District of south Mizoram, India and the hill areas of the erstwhile south Hakha Sub-Division of the Chin Hills and the northern Arakan Hill Tracts of Myanmar.

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[1] M. Vachei Chozah: “Mara” in the Mara Deiva MSA Bulletin, 6^th Issue (1986-1987), 1987, p.17..

[2] Ibid, p. 19.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Rev. Lai-u Fachhai: Maraland from Warlike land to Missionary Church Unpublished Manuscript, p. 6.