Wednesday, 3 May 2017

Meitei Yek Salai System and Genetic Science

The Meitei Yek Salai System & Genetic Science

The Meitei Yek Salai System

How an ancient seven-clan framework maps onto modern Y-chromosome inheritance—and why it still shapes marriage rules today.

Help Expand Our Database

We’re compiling the most comprehensive public list of Meitei Yumnaks and their parent Salai. If your surname isn’t in our tool yet, please consider contributing.

Take the 2-minute survey →

1 · Origins of the Seven Salai

The earliest royal chronicles (Cheitharol Kumbaba) trace the consolidation of disparate valley chiefdoms under King Nongda Lairen Pakhangba (33 CE). Over centuries of warfare, alliance, and marriage, smaller polities merged into the familiar septet [1][2]:

  1. Mangang (Ningthouja)
  2. Angom
  3. Luwang
  4. Khuman
  5. Khaba-Nganba
  6. Moirang
  7. Chenglei (Sarang Leishangthem)

Each Salai contains hundreds of yumnak (surnames) that can—all things equal—trace their male line back to a single legendary ancestor [3][4].

2 · The Seven Swords of the Salai

Each of the seven clans is represented by a unique sword, or thang, symbolizing its history and character. Click on a sword to learn about its Salai.

Select a sword to explore its Salai.

3 · The Genetic Rationale: Y Chromosome

The Salai system's strict marriage rules have a direct parallel in modern genetics, specifically in the inheritance of the Y-chromosome. This chromosome, which determines male sex, is passed directly from father to son with very little change, creating a clear patrilineal signature for each clan.

3.1 Patrilineal DNA

Because the Y-chromosome is passed down almost exclusively from father to son, all males within a single Salai will share a nearly identical Y-chromosome haplotype, tracing back to a common ancestor. The exogamy rules, which forbid marrying within the same Salai, ensure genetic diversity by preventing these identical Y-chromosomes from being paired with closely related mitochondrial DNA from the mother's side.

4 · Brother- & Sister-Yek: The Rules of Intermarriage

The system becomes more complex when considering "brother" clans (shairuk tinnaba) or when a clan fissions into new lines. Marriage between these related lines is forbidden for a set number of generations. The diagrams below illustrate how "blood is changed" over generations of daughters marrying into other clans, eventually making a new union permissible.

Basic Meitei marriage lineage diagram
Figure 2: A simplified marriage lineage diagram. Click to enlarge.
Complex Meitei marriage lineage diagram
Figure 3: A complex multi-lineage diagram. Click to enlarge.

5 · Key Takeaways

  • The seven-Salai matrix, symbolized by distinct clan swords, remains a living social regulator guiding marriage eligibility.
  • Its patrilineal logic directly mirrors the biology of Y-chromosome inheritance, making it one of humankind’s earliest and most enduring population-genetic frameworks.
  • Interactive tools and modern DNA studies can validate—or refine—clan origin myths and help catalogue endangered lineages for future generations.

6 · References & Further Reading

  1. Singh, O.R. (2019). “Traditional Rules and Regulations with the Old Age Custom of the Meitei Marriage.” Review of Research, 8(5).
  2. Kabui, G. (1991). History of Manipur: Pre-Colonial Period. New Delhi.
  3. Hodson, T.C. (1908 / 1989 repr.). The Meitheis. Delhi.
  4. Nature Communications (2024). “Patrilineal segmentary systems provide a peaceful explanation for the post-Neolithic Y-chromosome bottleneck.”
  5. Smith, W.R. (1903). Marriage & Kinship in Early Arabia.
  6. L. Anupama Singh (2018). “The Social Structure of the Meiteis of Manipur.” Golden Research Thoughts.
  7. Wikipedia contributors. “Y Chromosome.” Last modified 2025-06-15.
  8. Karmin et al. (2015). “Genomic Y bottleneck.” Science.

© 2025 Bani A.T. • Enhanced digital edition with interactive tools.

Content revised for clarity, interactivity & references.

Enlarged view

73 comments:

  1. Very helpful in enlightening about the yek/clan system of meitei community
    much appreciated
    God Bless

    ReplyDelete
  2. Waikhom se NINGTHOUJA ni hai. Ado luwang su oibro?Luwang yek oiba nupi ga luhongba kaidabro? Khngdaba gi hangjabani waroubinu.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Um chumme.. Luwangdagi chongthorkpne Waikhom je.. Ado luwang ga lwna leinbdi krisu kaide

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mangang gadi yabro waikhom se ningthouja oirasu plz reply khwrangna ngyjari🙏🏻

      Delete
    2. Yade waikhom se mangang ne

      Delete
    3. Yek salai ani leina sagei leirije kamdounano

      Delete
    4. Keinomta hngjage eikhoi sagei se Seleibam ni ado masigi yek salai se kei da chndoino

      Delete
  4. It is quite interesting... please do update us more on this area. Thank you!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. U r warmly welcm... Nd Thanks for feedback..

      Delete
  5. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  6. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Khwairakpam(moirang) ga phijam(khabangamba) anise mangang yek tadu yaowe ado lwba leinaba yagaddro amta haibiyuba......

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yamna nungaaijei khangdaba kaya ama adom gi blog asi pabadagi khara makheidi khangba ngamjarae ado Hemam ga Mayanglambam anisae mangang yek ta yaoba thengnajie yumnak anisi lwna leinaba yabra?

    Reply

    ReplyDelete
  9. Elam sagei gi yek amukta haibirak o

    ReplyDelete
  10. Kayenpaibam sagei se se ningthoujani hai mashida khngjaninglibadi kayenpaibam sageiga mayengbam sagei natraga ningthuojam sagei hairiba sagei ani siga kayenpaibam sageiga Lyons leinba yabra yek thokpra haibduro.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Soram ga waikhom ga lwnaba yadabro animk nithouja mangang ne

    ReplyDelete
  12. Tribal community gisu yek Leibaro amta haibirakuba, leiradi manaba lounabada akaiba adumak leibra

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Eina ym khng heibdi natchade.. nongma chothe eche amana masu angom Ni hyrmi madu ei hanghoudre...makhoisu yek Leib Malli

      Delete
  13. Enter your comment... Longjam ga Hidam ga louna leinaba yabro amta paokhum pobirak o

    ReplyDelete
  14. Longjam ga usham gasu hybirk o yek thoknabro 😭

    ReplyDelete
  15. Ningthoukhongjam Nupi lwba yabro Moirangthem Nupa na Animk moirang yek ne

    ReplyDelete
  16. Oinam ga sapam ga louna leinba yabro.. adomgi paokhum ngyjari

    ReplyDelete
  17. Yek tinnariba chafu kainaba kainadaba haiba ama leibase.. chafu kainadradi lwnabada keisu kaidabra

    ReplyDelete
  18. Moirangthem ga Ngangom ga ani asi luhong- khongdongbada akaib kayam leigdge amukt takpiyo

    ReplyDelete
  19. Yumnam ga keism ga louna leinaba yabro? Khngdana hngjabani waroubinu.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Thoudam ga waikhom ga louna leinaba yabra.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Eigi gf ga yek manare masibu treatment touraga hayeng konna angangdo asoi angam yaohandaba yagadro eche

    ReplyDelete
  22. Moirangthem ga leishangthem ga launa leinabada ekaiba leibro amta khangjaningnge. Plz reply

    ReplyDelete
  23. Wangkhem yumnak na angom yumnak ki nupi lwba se kayamuk ymna kyba leibage amukta takpiyu khngdabagi hngjabani

    ReplyDelete
  24. Ngathem gi asengba yek salai se kari oidoino khra amadi hongbasu youwe

    ReplyDelete
  25. Khabaga Nganbaga Faibokni,Khabana Ahanni Nganbana Manaoni...

    ReplyDelete
  26. Rk se karm2 ba yek ka lounaba yai haibirkO khrana mangang ne hai khrana magidi yek leite louningba nupi or nupa ga lounaba yai hai ashi j khitaa haibirkO

    ReplyDelete
  27. Yumnamga mutumga yek salai emarida Akanba oibra eikhoida yai ntraga yade khangjaningda hangjabani paokhum ngaijari

    ReplyDelete
  28. Kangabam ga naorem ga yek thoknabro

    ReplyDelete
  29. Pebam ga Chanambam gase mangang yekti loina oire ado lwna leinabada keisu kairoidra

    ReplyDelete
  30. Less than 34 commens as on 2021 may 1... This page deserve more than lakh view.. Its very important indeed... I guese all our brother and sister are not interested... Lairik Pari ngei da lai su tam na draba male.. Anam ba na d... Sorry in advance if i made u angry any bro and sis tq

    ReplyDelete
  31. Opps i forgot to thank the author... I am very thankful to you... I gain a lot more knowledge... You are hidden gem 9f manipur.. May you succeed soon 1 day.. Tough i am a stranger to you... I wish you all the best

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for your kind words Bro.!

      Delete
  32. CHONGTHAM khabanganba oiba ga KHAIDEM ga lounaba yabro

    ReplyDelete
  33. CHONGTHAM gi asengba yek salai se Kari oigadage....KHABA NGANBA ga lounaba yadabro

    ReplyDelete
  34. Thokchom ga laishram ga lwnaba kym kaige

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thokchom na moirang yek ni laishram na khuman yekni yabra khanli

      Delete
  35. Who knows.....i hate the system... As it caused me many many break up.....anyway thx for this article...
    Can i narrate u a story,,,
    There was a boy called A in Khumn salai. And he was going to marry a girl B of another yek salai...(yek thokte).
    But by the history of the girl B, she was adopted and her real yek salai was khumn. But the Boy's family don't know it..
    They married��
    Then wht would happen... Plz tell me the rest of the story.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Salam ga Chongtham ga lounaba yabro

    ReplyDelete
  37. Mapa mama yek punba ,machadi keisu toude, ado machadugi machadudi problem leigadra? Haibadi disabilitygumba downsyndromgumba? ?

    ReplyDelete
  38. Yengkhom ga Ngariyanbam ga lounaba da akaiba kym leirkadage amta haibirko.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Yengkhom ga Ngariyanbam ga louna leinaba da akaiba kym leige madu khngjage amta hybio

    ReplyDelete
  40. Can angom and khuman can marry

    ReplyDelete
  41. Aheibam ga Amom ga lwna ydabro amta hybiyuba🥺

    ReplyDelete
  42. Aheibam ga hodam gasse lwnba yabro?

    ReplyDelete
  43. Moirangthem ga Elangbam ga lounaba yabro

    ReplyDelete
  44. How does you add poirei to the mangang

    ReplyDelete
  45. Maibamga wahengbamga lounaba yadabro

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. maibam ga thounaojam ga lwnaba yabro

      Delete
  46. Khwairakpam da (moirang) tapise kei maram oibeino?

    ReplyDelete
  47. Chanam ga Ingudam ga se yek lo? Ingudam se khuman dasu ywe sarang leishangthem dasu ywba ywee c lwnaba yadabara?

    ReplyDelete
  48. Takhellambam ga Thoudam gadi lounaba yabro Mado ei thamoi seng na nungshi rure aduga yek thok narmme mana mamannabiga khng narona eingonda nungtigi pressure piye amta replied hanbi rk o pleased
    Fb, Lokeson Thoudam
    IG loky_thou

    ReplyDelete
  49. Dear Sir/Madam,

    Ngathem se Sarang Leishangthem ni hai. Ado Mangang su oibro? Ngathem ningol ga RK nupa ga luhongba yabro kaidabro? Khngdaba gi hangjabani waroubinuko. It will be so wonderful if you reply back at the earliest please.

    Thanks & Best regards,

    ReplyDelete
  50. Eina Mangang ni. Eigi nungcinaba na RK nii.Ado moigi yek lei hai ningthouja ni hai.. mangang ga ningthouja ga se manei hai. Akhoi ani se lounaba kaiidro?

    ReplyDelete
  51. Mangang ningol ga RK nupa ga lounaba yaa ga dro??. Mangang ga ningthouja ga se ama ta ni haii

    ReplyDelete
  52. Eigi sagei Mayanglambam ne Mangang dagi khuman da onthagiba khuman yek oidoine eiga khangnba nupa na laishram khuman yek ni yaba yadaba amuktang haibiyu. Magi mapu su yek lwwi, mapa su yek lwwi eikhoina 3rd suba generation oidoini. Please reply

    ReplyDelete
  53. Yamna thijalladi amata lounaba yararoi , mari Matai thoknadraga adum yaredra

    ReplyDelete
  54. Luwang ga Kh nganba gadi lawnaba yabro

    ReplyDelete
  55. Palungbam gi yek salai si kari oidoino,amukta khangjaning ee

    ReplyDelete
  56. Thoudam se kei yek oidoino
    Yekse ani oibasu yabro

    ReplyDelete
  57. Moirangthem ga Ningthoukhongjam louna leinaba yadabaro

    ReplyDelete
  58. Rongmei tribe gonmei yumnak ka ngangom yumnak oibaga luhongba yabro? Amukta takpiyo maym.

    ReplyDelete
  59. Mangang ga kha nganba gase yek thoknabro

    ReplyDelete
  60. Takhelmayum ga atom gase lwna leinaba yadro

    ReplyDelete

The Lions of Manipur

The Lions of Manipur: A Tribute to Bir Tikendrajit & Thangal General ...