Liangmai people

The Liangmai people are a Tibeto-Burmese ethnic group that inhabit Nagaland and Manipur states of Northeast India. Their villages are mostly spread across the Peren district in Nagaland and Tamenglong, Senapati, Kangpokpi in Manipur. They are a part of the larger Naga tribes and have a similar language and culture. A majority of the Liangmais practise Christianity while a small section in Tening village of Nagaland still adheres to traditional Heraka religious practices.

The word “Liangmai” is a compound word made up of liang + mai. Here, liang is construed as kyliang, meaning a ‘sector in a village’, and mai means people. Thus "Liangmai" best translated as “a group of people from one sector”, probably referring to a group of people from one segment of Makuiluangdi village. Secondly, liang is interpreted as north, which means people from the north. The interpretations are closely connected and possibly accurate as the Liangmais settled in the Northern part of the present Hamai (Zeliangrong or Luangdimai) territory. At the same time, the Liangmai people might be a number of people from the same kyliang or sector in Makuiluangdi village who lived there as the ruler of the land.

The Liangmai community is known for its diverse cultural traditions, distinct language, and unique social practices, many of which have developed and adapted over a long historical period. Their way of life reflects influences from their ancestral heritage as well as interactions with neighbouring groups, making their cultural identity both deeply rooted and dynamic.

The Khangchiuky (for boys) and Liuchiuky (for girls) were traditional youth dormitories in Liangmai society, where unmarried members of the community lived until marriage. These institutions served as centres for socialisation, discipline, and cultural education. Within the dormitories, young people were trained in oral traditions, customary laws, music, dance, and various crafts, while boys also learned hunting and martial skills. Membership was compulsory, and children were symbolically affiliated with a dormitory from birth. Unlike in some other Naga groups, Liangmai dormitories were often housed in large private homes offered by influential families as a public contribution. The system played an important role in preparing youth for adulthood and preserving the community’s cultural and social structures.