Prior to the formation of the Zeme Council (NEI) in 1978, we never look buck but progressing in our activities year by year up till today. We are proud people created by god, having our own beautiful dialect with sufficient land to live in. the legendary and magnificent places of the Zeme’s , Dzukou Valley, Mt. Pauna and Ntangki Forest etc are some of the important places which God made us master to look on.
We (Zeme) are living in compact area until 16-point agreement reached between Govt. of India and the Naga People Convention (NPC). Nagaland and Manipur state was created from Assam state during 1960s. After which, now we are politically divided into three states Assam, Manipur and Nagaland (AMN). But traditionally still we are one. Every Naga knows that 16-point agreement is a treachery one and outrightly condemned by all the Nagas, because the state of Nagaland was created with the purpose of undermining the Naga National Movement and distracting the Naga from the real demand in the name of peace. But, the time will come that the truth will conquer one day.
According to the Zeme Naga legendary, our ancestral home is Mikhel in Mao Naga territory, from where migrated to Makuilongdi (the home of the Zeliangrong), after which, we came to Ze-mnui or Mnui-Kikie (the original home of Zeme). From here Zeme’s split and spread to Assam, Manipur and Nagaland.
Tousem and Tamei Sub-Division and Makuilongdi area of Manipur, the whole Peren district except some small portion occupied by Liangmais in Tening sub-division, Nagaland NC Hills and Haflong area of Assam are the homes of Zemes.
Presently, there are 244 recognized villages across in 3-states with 11 constituencies. (1) Peren= 24 villages (2) Jalukie Valley = 19 villages (3) Pauna = 21 villages (4) Michidui = 18 villages (5) Kebai = 20 village (6) Kisa = 19 villages (7) Tousem = 20 villages (8) Ninanglo = 17 villages (9) Hekaloa = 29 villages (10) Asalu = 28 villages (11) Haflong = 27 villages etc with 2.5 lacks (approx) in population. Our doors are always open to discuss or to solve problems of any nature, be it social, economic and political.
Irang H Johny, Gen. Secy Zeme Council (NEI)
