Book Review: Role of Paite Elites in the Construction of Paite and Zomi Identities
Prof. Jyotirmoy Prodhani's scholarly review in The NEHU Journal analyzing S. Thangboi Ngaihte's monograph on Paite elites, material culture, language development, and identity construction post-1910 in Manipur.
Review: Role of Paite Elites in the Construction of Paite and Zomi Identities in Manipur
Reviewer: Prof. Jyotirmoy Prodhani (Department of English, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong)
Author Reviewed: S. Thangboi Ngaihte
Publication: The NEHU Journal, Vol. XII, No. 1, January–June 2014, PP. 110–113
ISSN: 0972-8406
Document Link: Download Full Review PDF Document
Critical Analysis & Key Insights
Prof. Prodhani reviews S. Thangboi Ngaihte's monograph examining the emergence of modern elites within the Paite community of Churachandpur district, Manipur.
Key Themes Addressed:
- Historical Trajectory (Post-1910): Tracing Christian missionary entry into southern Manipur in May 1910 and the subsequent rise of Western education.
- Material Culture & Economic Mobility: Detailed documentation of household material status, bureaucracy, intelligentsia, and traditional leadership.
- Identity Construction: How Paite literature, language (Laimal), cultural organizations (e.g., Young Paite Association), and social interventions consolidated a distinct ethno-cultural identity within the broader Zo denomination.
Citation & Attribution
Prodhani, Jyotirmoy. Review of Role of Paite Elites in the Construction of Paite and Zomi Identities in Manipur, by S. Thangboi Ngaihte. The NEHU Journal, vol. 12, no. 1, 2014, pp. 110-113. nehu.ac.in.
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