yumnak
{{Short description|Family name in the Metei community}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
Yumnak is a family name (Sagei) In the Meetei society, and they speak Meetei Language. The name Yamunak as Pronounced "yoom-naak". Ethnic yumnaks are used in the Meetei /Meitei community including the Meitei Pangal and Meitei Bamon (Manipuri Brahmin).
The Meitei community lie largely in the Northeast India, mainly in Manipur,{{Cite web|url=http://manipuronline.tripod.com/feature/population.htm|title=Population of Meiteis in Manipur|website=manipuronline.tripod.com}} Next in Assam,{{Cite web|url=http://www.e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=6..220710.jul10|title=About 8 lakh Manipuris in Assam demand their share of development|website=www.e-pao.net}} Tripura{{Cite web|url=http://sorahal.blogspot.in/2008/06/manipuris-settled-in-tripura-compromise.html|title=Manipuris settled in Tripura|website=sorahal.blogspot.in|date=23 June 2008 }} and a few in Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya. Some live in Bangladesh{{Cite news|url=https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/13513/BG|title=Manipuri, Meitei in Bangladesh|last=Project|first=Joshua|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140923170109/http://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/13513/BG|archive-date=2014-09-23|url-status=dead|language=en}} and Myanmar.{{Cite news|url=https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/13513/BM|title=Manipuri, Ponna in Myanmar (Burma)|last=Project|first=Joshua|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150401100520/http://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/13513/BM|archive-date=2015-04-01|url-status=dead|language=en}}
Historical background
In Meetei society, all the yumnak belong to only one of the Salai Taret except the Yumnak of the Meitei Bamon (Manipuri Brahmin) including Kshetrimayum. There are seven major Salais or Yek Salais or Salai Taret, namely :
- Mangang
- Luwang
- Khuman
- Angom
- Moirang
- Kha Nganba
- Sarang Leishangthem (Chenglei).[https://books.google.com/books?id=gM0xcl0j2uoC&q=The+Meitheis+-+A+Study+of+the+Tribe+of+the+Brahmaputra+Valley+by+T.+C The Meitheis - A Study of the Tribe of the Brahmaputra Valley by T. C. Hodson 2006.]
Yumnaks are the sub-clans of these seven major Salai, formed by the collection of different Yumnaks. Yumnaks inhabited specific areas and formed collectives. Later, these family members migrated to different areas, dispersing their Yumnaks.[https://books.google.com/books?id=oDQ2HMmU8_MC The Court Chronicle of the Kings of Manipur: 33-1763 CE By Saroj Nalini Parratt]
The Yumnaks which do not have Yek Salai
Unique Naming System
From ancient immemorial time,{{when|date=December 2023}} based on Meitei custom, naming system differs between males and females.
Commonly, in both the genders the person's Yumnak is used as a prefix to their name.[http://www.e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=manipur.Ethnic_Races_Manipur.Meeteis_Surname MEETEIS' SURNAME By: - Thokchom Angouyaima (Doren)] Keeping their respective names in the middle. The suffix name part is the one differing from males to females.
In females, the suffix name part is made either by the gender identification or marital status identification like "Chanu". After getting married, the females changed their suffix part to "Leima", adding the term "Ningol" just after her paternal surname and by adding "Ongbi" after her husband's surname completes her full name.
Examples :
A female Meitei having the name Leishna with Khaidem as her paternal Yumnak will have her full name, before getting married, as per the Meitei custom as,
- Khaidem Leishna Chanu
After getting married, assuming, she married Narumbam Sanathoi Angomcha, noting that Narumbam is her husband's surname, Sanathoi is her husband's name and Angom is her husband's Salai/Clan name. Then, her full name as per the Meitei custom will be changed as,
- Khaidem Ningol Narumbam Ongbi Leishna Leima
NOTE : The females don't carry their Salai/Clan name because the Salai/Clan system is a patrilineality one.{{Cite news|url=http://www.imphaltimes.com/it-articles/item/6551-marriage-it-s-rules-and-practices-in-meitei-society|title=MARRIAGE- It's Rules and Practices in Meitei Society - Imphal Times|last=Times|first=Imphal|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160824035819/http://www.imphaltimes.com/it-articles/item/6551-marriage-it-s-rules-and-practices-in-meitei-society|archive-date=2016-08-24|url-status=dead|language=en-gb}}
In males, the suffix is made either by the name of their respective Salai or gender identification like "Meitei/Meetei" for males. And sometimes by adding "cha" to their respective Salai or Clan name. "Cha" meaning "child".
Examples: A male Meitei having the name Ahenba with 'sougrakpam as Yumnak, and noting that 'sougrakpam surname belongs to Mangang clan, will have his full name as per the Meitei custom as,
- Sougrakpam Ahenba Mangang or
- Sougrankpam Ahenba Meitei or
- Sougrakpam Ahenba Meetei or
- Sougrakpam Ahenba Mangangcha
Through these Yumnaks, the genealogy of Meitei can be traced.
See also
References
Further reading
- [http://www.kanglaonline.com/index.php?template=opinion_home&oid=25 KOUBA ANGANGNGA was neither PANGAL MAR nor PANGAL.]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20060429003943/http://mastec.nic.in/religionmanipur.htm Infotechnology]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110831004552/http://thesangaiexpress.manipur.us/2007/04/03/Others/Articles.htm OBC in Manipur — III, the Sangai Express, 29 August 2009.]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110831004734/http://thesangaiexpress.manipur.us/2007/10/27/Others/Articles.htm Chieftainship among the Meiteis & Mizos - VII, the Sangai Express, 27 October 2009]
- [http://www.kanglaonline.com/index.php?template=kshow&kid=136&Idoc_Session=adf863a431da5eac4fc6190659c338ea What's in a name? By: Huidrom Kenajit]
- [http://www.kanglaonline.com/index.php?template=kshow&kid=701&Idoc_Session=17deef474e9f53ba3af10c108dba4741 Beyond the Margins, Book Preview By: Akendra Sana]
- [http://www.kanglaonline.com/index.php?template=kshow&kid=232& Use of Imported Titles Misleading Manipuri Culture? By: KO]
- [https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/070691967X Feminism in a traditional society: women of the Manipur Valley by Manjusri Chaki-Sircar, 1984.]
- [http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=1281809861&searchurl=isbn%3D9788185094823 Valley society of Manipur: a cultural frontier of Indian civilization by Ranajit Kumar Saha, 1994.]
- [https://books.google.com/books?id=XScmdGvMf7IC Encyclopaedia of North-East India: Manipur by Hamlet Bareh, 2001.]
- [http://www.e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=manipur.Ethnic_Races_Manipur.Chieftainship_among_Meiteis_Mizos.Chieftainship_among_Meiteis_Mizos_7 Chieftainship among the Meiteis & Mizos by Dr. (Mrs.) Priyadarshni M Gangte]
- [http://khuman.services.officelive.com/Yumnakstory.aspx Yumnak Story]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
- [https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/2787995.pdf Note on the Manipuri "Yek" by Lieut-Colonel J. Shakespear, CIE., D.S.O.]
- [https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/1255647.pdf The Religion of Manipur by J. Shakespear, Folklore, Vol. 24, No. 4 December 1913, pp. 409–455, Taylor & Francis, Ltd.]