Indigenous tribes of Manipur unite in Delhi to mark World Indigenous Peoples Day 2025

The Indigenous tribes and communities of Manipur residing in the Delhi-NCR region gathered at the India Habitat Centre on Saturday to celebrate World Indigenous Peoples Day 2025. The event, organized by the Working Group of the World Indigenous Day Celebration, Delhi, became a vibrant showcase of heritage, traditions, and shared historical legacies.

The celebration featured traditional attire exhibitions, music and dance performances, and storytelling sessions highlighting ancestral roots and cultural practices. While the festivities brought color and joy, the gathering carried a deeper resonance—emphasizing unity, mutual respect, and solidarity among the Indigenous tribes of Manipur, especially in the backdrop of the ongoing Manipur crisis and the struggles faced by smaller communities.

Notable tribal leaders, including Dr. Puni Losii (President, Mao Union, Imphal), Chongom Lalpu (Advisor, Aimol Tribe Union), and Mr. Serto Ahao (President, Kom Union, Manipur), underscored the historical bonds between Indigenous tribes and Meitei rulers, as well as sacrifices documented in historical records.

Khuraijam Athouba, Convenor of COCOMI, called for greater representation of Indigenous groups in the Manipur legislature to safeguard the interests of smaller tribes on the brink of extinction. A highlight of the event was the traditional attire showcase, with men and women dressed in elaborate cultural outfits expressing pride in their identity.

Despite an estimated one lakh Indigenous people living in NCR, the community lacks a unified representative platform. This marks the second consecutive year of celebrating World Indigenous Day in Delhi.

Nongdrenkhomba Singh of the Meitei Heritage Society advocated for the creation of a common platform for all Indigenous people from Manipur residing in the capital. Ruchida Sharma, Advisor to the Ningols United Progressive Initiative, cautioned that Indigenous communities of Manipur are becoming minorities in their own homeland and urged collective action to address the issue.

The event saw participation from a wide range of organizations, including the Aimol Tribe Union, Delhi Manipuri Society (DeMaS), Kom Union, Mao Union, Manipur Innovative Youth Organisation (MAIYOND), Manipur Students’ Association Delhi (MSAD), Meitei Heritage Society, Ningols United Progressive Initiative (NUPI), Team Meitei Personalities (TMP), United Kakching Students (UNIKAS), Zeliangrong Students Union Delhi (ZSUD), and members of various tribes such as Aimol, Anal, Inpui, Kom, Liangmei, Mao, Meitei, Rongmei, and Zeme.