Preserving Paite Heritage Through Education and Support

Our History

The Paite people are an indigenous ethnic group in Northeast India from Manipur and Mizoram in the late 19th century.

Our Paite Origin

The Paites are one of the constituting tribes of the ZOMI/ZOs who inhabit India, Burma and Bangladesh. The word paite means " a group of people marching " (pai-march ;te - "plural maker"). The Paites are a recognised scheduled tribe in Manipur as well as in Mizoram. The Paites are concentrated in Manipur, a northeastern state of India. They are dominant in Lamka Town of Churachandpur of Manipur state with a population of 60 thousands (as per the population consensus 2001).

Our Language Origin

Spoken by some 50,000 people is listed by UNESCO as vulnerable to extinction. Rev. Hangzo Nengzachin came out with 24 (twenty four) alphabets in 1945 - that can be read and written by the Paite speaking people according to their respective dialects. Thus born Paite Primer “Sintung Bu” published in 1946 by Pu Tonsing Thangkhai, Chief of Pearsonmun.

Source: https://zogam.com/articles/articles-ii/literature/4292-a-brief-history-of-a-aw-b-ch.html

Our Culture & Traditions

The Paite community has a family council called the Inndongta, which is made up of blood relatives and trusted friends. The council takes charge of the family during times of happiness and grief.

The Paite chief has the power to decide who can stay in the village and cultivate land, but they must consult with the village elders.

silhouette of brick cathedral with cross finial under blue sky

Our Beliefs

The majority of Paite people practice Evangelical Protestantism, a branch of Protestant Christianity that emphasizes salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Before the arrival of British missionaries, the Paite were nature worshippers. Before Christianity, the Paites were animists in their religious practice, and they believed in spirits and deities.Almost all ethnic Paites follows Christianity, mostly Protestant denominations like Baptists, Lutherans, Penticostal, Church of Christ though there are a good percentage of Roman Catholics as well. They adopted Christianity in the 19th century with the intervention of British missionaries.

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