Chin Peoples - The Name "Chin"

The Name "Chin"

The name "Chin" is disputed. During the British era, the British used the compound term 'Chin-Kuki-Mizo' to group the Kukish language speaking people, and the Government of India inherited this. Missionaries chose to employ the term Chin to christen those on the Burmese side and the term Kuki on the Indian side of the border.Chin nationalist leaders in Burma's Chin State popularized the term “Chin” following Burma's independence from Britain. More recently Chin has been rejected by some for Zomi, though the Zomi are also one small Northern Kukish language group. Some Zomi nationalists now consider that Chin would mean subtle Paite domination Chini-Kuki-Zomi identity, which other groups like Hmars, Zou (Zomi), Anals and Koms may not coopt. The term Mizo also can cause confusion, particularly following the emergence of the Zomi National Congress.