THE SOCIO-GENETICS OF MARRIAGE OF THE MEITEIS OF MANIPUR, INDIA

The Meiteis of Manipur have different rules of mate choice. The rules are based on kinship structure of different categories based on lineage, clan and above all, biological degree of marriage matrimony. The use of different terminologies of such rules and the latent meaning attached to these terminologies are self-evident and self-explained. These rules viz., yek tinnaba, shairuk tinnaba, pee tinnaba, pen tinnaba, leinung pen tinnaba, mungnaba and ee-omnaba are neither haphazardly named nor disorderly structured but named meaningfully and are arrayed in a sequential structure. Despite of the influence of hindunization in which many of them are converted into vaisnavism, the people still observe the ancient rules of marriage based on these seven above mentioned rules.