Last modified: 2009-06-06 by ian macdonald
Keywords: india | maraland | mara thyulia py | evangelical church of maraland |
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Maraland is a homeland of Mara people divided by the border between India
(Mizoram) and Myanmar (Chin and Rakhine States). There are @ 100 000
Maras:
55 000 in Mizoram (India)
33 000 in Chin State (Myanmar)
9
000 in Rakhine State (Myanmar)
3 000 elsewhere
Their language is Mara,
a Chin-Kuki-Mizo language classified as Kuki-Chin-Naga sub-group under the
great Tibeto-Burman language family. (Wikipedia)
They always called
themselves "Mara", but the British, and then Indians, insisted on calling
them "Lakhers" until 1988 when the proper name returned.
East
Maraland, in Myanmar, doesn't have any self-government. The Indian-held part
- West Maraland - forms the Mara Autonomous District Council (with capital in
Saiha) within State of Mizoram. Maras are 100 %
Christian and overwhelming majority belongs to the Evangelical Church of
Maraland. There are few Presbyterians and Baptists also.
The active
political party there is MDF - Maraland Democratic Front (flag unknown, if
any).
Chrystian Kretowicz, 19 April 2009
image
by Chrystian Kretowicz, 19 April 2009
The largest NGO of Maraland is Mara Thyulia Py = Mara Young Organization (or
Association) headquartered in Saiha. This outfit has a flag: a horizontal
bicolor with the eagle (or falcon) in flight, centered. My rendition of this
flag is based on the image drawn by Jaume Ollé for Flag Report and the
photograph of the actual flag. It is a possibility it is a "national" flag of
Maraland, although it would be hard to prove.
Chrystian Kretowicz, 19 April 2009
image
by Chrystian Kretowicz, 19 April 2009
Another flag which might be the base for
Maraland "national" flag is the flag of the Evangelical Church of Maraland of
which almost all devout and enthusiastic Maras are the members. That
flag is a horizontal triband of light blue, white and green with the church's
logo centered on the white band.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evangelical_Church_of_Maraland
and flag at
http://saihaherald.wordpress.com/2009/02/26/emc-assembly-ei-86-pathao-haw/
Chrystian Kretowicz, 19 April 2009