The Zanniattribe are people of western Myanmar who are a sub-group of the Chin peoples. The Zanniat tribe has fifty-seven sub-groupings and clans. The group's existence was recorded in Burma's 1931 census after being absent in the Chin Hills gazette of 1896. In 1943, the Zanniat tribal groups of eastern Falam Township were recorded by Henry Stevenson. The Zanniat may also be known by similar sounding names such as Zahnyiet, Zanniet, Zanngiat and Zannaing.
Geography
The capital city or myo of the Zanniat is Webulah. The Zanniat tribal lands stretch from the hilly regions around the eastern part of the Manipur river to the plains of the Sagaing region and fall within Falam Township. The Manipuri river, flowing in a south-easterly direction within the Falam township, makes a clear natural boundary of Zanniat lands. The Zanniat tribal land abuts Ngawn tribal land and the Tedim township in the north The land has thick vegetation with fauna. Forests within the area include the Khuanghlum, Lianthar, and Ngalsip forests. The lands encompass thirty-four villages and towns.
Zanniat are the descendants of Phurh Hlum/ Phulon/ Phraya Lung/ Phur Lung/ Phu Lung, the son of Chin Lung/ Chin Dung, a Shan Sawbwa of Kalemyo, whose father was Kale Kyitaungnyu, the ruler of Ava kingdom of Burma. Phurh Hlum has two sons Zanniat and Nuhnu. Zanniat has four sons Sumthang, Syuhlo, Hluansang and Laizo who became the ruling clans of the Zanniat, Laizo, Lai, Hawthai, Tlosai, Zophei, Senthang, Mi-E, Hlaipao, and Lautu tribes. Among the sons of Zanniat, Laizo descendants live around Lumbang, while Sumthang descendants live around Webulah, Syuhlo descendants mostly live around Tisih and Chapi villages as well as Siaha, Hluansang descendants being Chiefly clans settle in every Central Chin and Maraic tribal villages and in India and Bangladesh. Nuhnu descendants mostly live in Hawthai villages as well as Mizo, Zanniat, Lai, and other Maraic villages. Mostly concentrated in Hawthai villages of Chhaolo and No-ao-tlah village where they formed majority of being almost 90% in population. Zanniat people trace their ancestry to the Chin, of Tibeto-Burman descent from origins in Mongolia. The early Chin people settled in the western plains of Sagaing when it was known as "Kauka" or "Vingpui", and later as "Kale". The word "Vingpui" refers to a type of brick fort. The Zanniat were pushed into the hilly areas by incursions by Manipur tribes..
The British ruled Burma from 1824 to 1948. Traditionally, Zanniat culture emphasized the importance of the rule of the head of a group of any size, from household to nation. The Zanniat did not adapt to British rule and operated a Pau Chin Hau governance avoiding centralised rule or local puppet chiefs.
Religion
Traditionally, Zanniat people believed in the existence of a supernatural being called "Pathian". The people also believed in other spiritual beings known as "Khuazing", to whom they offered sacrifices in return for favours and blessings. People also believed in the existence of bad spiritual beings and demons such as "Khawsia". The first Protestant Christian missionaries reached the Chin Hills on 15 March 1899. They were American Baptistworkers, Laura and Arthur Carson. In 1906, Thang Tsin became the first Christian among Zanniat people. Roman Catholic missionaries arrived later.
