1. Dhak'mekai. The highest clan of all, it can marry Paukekai, Gaingmekai, Pamekai, Khandakmekai and Marrangmekai. I cannot marry 4: Gonmekai, Panmekai, Marringmekai or Thaimekai.
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Gonmekai is said to be descended from Dhak'mekai, hence the prohibition. Atomba equated Dhak'mekai with the Manipuri Khuman, but this was vehemently denied by one or two of the elders. The point was never satisfactorily thrashed out.
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The K' in Dhak'mekai, and where similarly marked elsewhere, has practically the value of the glottal stop.
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2. Paumekai.
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Kapmekai was frequently quoted as an alternative name, although one or two argued it was a separate clan; they were very much in the minority, however. Paumekai can marry Dhak'mekai, Gaingmekai, Gonmekai, Marringmekai, and Thaimekai. It cannot marry Panmekai, Khandakmekai or Marrangmekai. Pronounciation is Pow- or Paomekai; by local spellings, Poumekai.
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3. Gaingmekai is a "free" clan. It can marry any clan, and any clan can marry it.
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Gai(r)nmekai is a fairly accurate rendering of the pronounciation.
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4. Gonmekai.
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This clan is said to be descended from Dhak'mekai, but how or why I could not discover. This was the only hint of clan origin I could get.
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It may marry Gaingmekai, Paumekai, Pamekai and Marrangmekai. It may not marry Dhak'mekai, Panmekai, Luongmekai, Marringmekai, Liepmekai and Thaimekai.
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5. Panmekai can marry Paumekai, Gaingmekai, Khandak'mekai and Marrangmekai. It may not marry Dhak'mekai, Gonmekai, Marringmekai, Liepmekai or Thaimekai.
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6. Pamekai can marry Dhak'mekai, Gaingmekai, Gonmekai, Panmekai, Luongmekai, Marringmekai, Liepmekai, Thaimekai. It may not marry Paumekai, Khandak'mekai or Marrangmekai.
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7. Luongmekai can marry Paumekai, Gonmekai, Gaingmekai, Pamekai, Khandak'mekai and Marrangmekai.
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8. Marringmekai can marry Paumekai, Gaingmekai, Pamekai, Khandak'mekai and Marrangmekai. It may not marry Dhak'mekai, Gonmekai, Luongmekai, Liepmekai or Thaimekai.
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9. Liepmekai may marry Paumekai, Gaingmekai, Pamekai, Khangak'mekai, and Marrangmekai. It may not marry Dhak'mekai, Gonmekai, Panmekai, Luongmekai, Marringmekai, or Thaimekai.
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10. Thaimekai may marry Paumekai, Gaingmekai, Pamekai, Khandak'mekai and Marrangmekai. It may not marry Dhak'mekai, Gonmekai, Panmekai, Luongmekai, Marringmekai, Liepmekai.
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11. Khandak'mekai may marry Dhak'mekai, Gaingmekai, Gonmekai, Pamekai, Luongmekai, Marringmekai. It may not marry Paumekai, Panmekai or Marrangmekai.
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Pronounciation: the "Kh" is a heavily aspirated sound with no "K" audible; but it is somewhere between the "ch" of 'loch", "trachle" and a heavy "h".
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12. Marrangmekai may marry Dhak'mekai, Gaingmekai, Gonmekai, Panmekai, Marringmekai, Liepmekai and Thaimekai. It may not marry Paumekai, Pamekai or Khandak'mekai.
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Miscellaneous notes.
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In conversation Atomba of Kakadan claimed Chamthai of Kambiron (4 days away) as his fellow clansman. (Dhak'mekai). He came out with it as an exclamation the moment Chamthai's name was mentioned, quite casually, in the talk.
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"Mekai" means clan, and the clans are generally referred to as "Dhak'", "Kap", "Marring", "Khandak"' etc.
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No one either could or would give me reasons for the marriage prohibitions except that of Gonmekai, cited above, nor any stories of their origin. It took some time to complete the clan list, and the village elders could not remember them all and had to go to the cookhouse to consult my Kabui servant; but once started, they seldom hesitated.
