Tlangpi

Tlangpi (Burmese: တလန်ပီးရွာ) also known as Klangpi is a mountainous village of Chin people in Thantlang Township, Chin State, Myanmar.^[1] It is located in the west of Chin State, 13 km away from the south of Camp Victoria, Headquarters of Chin National Front at India-Myanmar border.^[2] In the 2014 Myanmar Census, the population in Tlangpi was 1,648 (females: 823 and males: 825). There were 346 'conventional households' in Tlangpi in 2014.^[3]

Tlangpi
Village
An Aerial Photography of Tlangpi 2023
Seal
Motto(s):  'Khuaṭan Lungkhat, Aanruangte In.'
Anthem: 'Semnak Khuazung Tlangpi Khuadawh'
Coordinates: 22°58′39″N 93°19′36″E
Country	Myanmar
State	Chin State
District	Hakha
Township	Thantlang
Highest elevation	1,530 m (5,020 ft)
Population
• Total	1,648
	2014 Myanmar Census
Time zone	GMT+6:30

History

In The Chin Hills Book Vol I and II 1896, Carey, British Political Officer in the Chin Hills and Tuck, British Assistant Political Officer in the Chin Hills, mentioned Tlangpi as ‘Klangpi’ that had 70 houses.^[4] In contrast, in the Chin-Lushai Land Book 1893, British Surgeon Lieutenant Colonel Reid correctly spelt the village name as 'Tlangpi' that had 100 houses when he visited Tlangpi village in February 1890.^[5] In 1896, the houses in Tlangpi were built with bamboo in the manner of Lushai (Mizo) style.^[6] Approximately in 1850, the Lai people of Vanzang village established Tlangpi village which now constitutes one of the six villages in Vanzang Hill Tract.^[7] In the Chin Hills Vol II, Carey and Tuck noted that they visited Tlangpi village in 1892 when the village Chief was Kil Hmung who led a group of Lai people to establishing Tlangpi village.^[4]

Until 1895, Chinland (also known as Chin State or the Chin Hills) including Tlangpi was a sovereign territory with its own ruling system of chieftainship.^[8] In 1872, 1888, 1889-1890 and 1895, the British invaded Chinland for colonisation. After the 1895 invasion, the British declared that Chinland was a British Colony separately.^[8] The British legislated the Chin Hills Regulation (1896) to rule the Chin people in the Chin Hills and Lushai Hills.^[9] The British did not abolish the Chin ruling system of chieftainship. Under the Chin Hills Regulation (1896), they applied the indirect rule to Chin people through the existing Chin Chiefs.^[9]

In 1947, Mang Ling had served as Tlangpi Chief under the Hakha sub-division of the British Colony. Tlangpi Chief was one of the 19 Chin Hills Chiefs representing the Chin people's wish to the Frontier Areas Committee of Enquiry.^[8] The committee was formed to unify the Frontier Areas and 'Ministerial Burma' with the Frontier Areas people's 'free consent' before the British conferred independence upon Burma in 1948.^[10]

The bedrock mortar in Tlangpi, 2014 and 2018.

Tlangpi has a bedrock mortar site at its northern outskirt. It is locally known as 'lungsum', literally meaning 'rock mortar'.^[11] Prehistoric peoples used this type of bedrock mortars to grind foods.^[12] Their use of bedrock mortars was world-wide from Americas to Asia.^[12]

The bedrock gayal in Tlangpi, 2015.

Just a stone's throw from the site of the bedrock mortar at the northern outskirt of Tlangpi, there exists a bedrock gayal (also known as mithun) which Tlangpi villagers call 'Lungsia', literally meaning 'rock gayal'. It is unknown whether the bedrock gayal is nature-made or historically man-made.^[13][14]

Geography

Tlangpi is a mountainous village bordering Tahtlang Village in the east, Zaangtlang Village in the west, Farrawn Village in the south and Lungding Village in the southwest.^[15] Tlangpi is located between Tio River in the north, Lahva River in the east and Thingva Creek in the west.^[15] Its steep places are the characteristic features of Tlangpi. Tlangpi is in the elevation at 1,530 metres (5,020 feet) above the sea level.^[16]

Education

Tlangpi has two Primary Schools and one Middle School operated by Myanmar Government. It also has a nursery school called 'M. Za To Lian Nursery School' run by its residents.^[17]

Notable People

• David Van Bik (1926 – 2000), the Lai [Hakha Chin] Bible translator, the author of Chin-English and English-Chin dictionaries, an ordained Christian minister, and a recipient of Doctor of Divinity from Berkeley School of Theology, USA.