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DOI: https://doi.org/10.63345/ijhs.net.v14.i1.1
Jelot Duhlian
Assistant Professor
Political Science Department, Bethany Christian College
Family Lane, Churachandpur, Manipur
Dr. Manglien Gangte
Assistant Professor
Department of Political Science, Moreh College
Moreh Autonomous
Abstract— The Vaiphei, an indigenous people belonging to the Zo-Chin-Kuki group of tribal community in India’s Northeast have a unique and homegrown government system which has taken its roots from their traditional values, cultural norms and spiritual practices. The majority of their legal systems were bashed on custom and tradition and not written laws. These bodies of law control wide-ranging aspects of their polity including conduct, relations with others, marriage, inheritance and property practices, crime and punishment, slavery, resolution of disputes between people and communities. Their customs and usages are distinct; such as marriage customs including widow re-marriage/divorce, inheritance etc governed by traditional norms and consensus of the community. Crimes are dealt with through community-based justice processes, with a focus on restorative rather than retributive punishment. Slavery, once existed but the community’s social structures have changed it, on local level dispute resolution is achieved with traditional methods and leaders of such communities often are put in their place by the older of them so peace reigns.
Ritual justice is essential for the establishment of moral, and those who infringe social rules are punished by supernatural sanctions. This is a system that binds the spiritual belief to legal practice wherein responsibility of both community and individuals in maintaining social values is emphasized. Their death – related ceremony is a complex ritual and adds glory to the system of Vaiphei governance, a clear evidence of their value for the ancestral tradition. The Vaiphei perception of justice provides a glimpse into indigenous juridical edifice and is reflective of the strong underpinnings about cultural preservation and communal harmony. It suggests that tradition is proving to be a civilizing force and solutions in ensuring social stability.
Keywords— Vaiphei, Indigenous Governance, Customary Law, Sialpi-Salam, Ritual Justice, Widow Remarriage, Slavery, Village Council, Ritual Oaths, Funerary Practices
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