Yimkhiung

Yimkhiung ISO 639-3 code: yim

Yimkhiung is one of the Naga tribes of Nagaland, located in the northeastern part of India. The nomenclature 'Yimchungrü' or 'Yimchunger' is considered a misspelled version of the tribe's original name, Yimkhiungrü (Yim, 2012, p.4). The name Yimkhiung derives from two words: ‘yim’ meaning 'search' or 'look for,' and ‘khiungrü’ meaning 'those who reached or found' (Yim, 2010).

The Yimkhiung Naga Tribe predominantly inhabits the Tuensang and Kiphire districts in eastern Nagaland. The Yimkhiung tribe comprises six major clans: Khiungrü, Küsenkhiungrü, Jangrü, Jankhiungrü, and Khipurü. According to the Census of India (2011), the population of the Yimkhiung (Yimchungrü) tribe is 83,259. However, a population count conducted by the Yimkhiung Tribal Council (YTC) in 2005 recorded the population at 1,15,000 (Yimchunger, 2020).

Language and Varieties

Yimkhiung belongs to the Tibeto-Burman language family and is spoken exclusively in Nagaland. The ISO code for Yimkhiung is 639-3: yim, and the Glottolog reference is 1240. The Yimkhiung tribe has six linguistic varieties: Langa, Chirr, Tikhir, Longphur, Mükok, and Phunung (Yim, 2012, p.1). However, it is important to note that the Tikhir group was officially recognized as a separate tribe by the Government of Nagaland in 2022 (Yimchunger, 2020).

Despite this recognition, the remaining five varieties—Langa, Chirr, Longphur, Mükok, and Phunung—form an endogamous group. The rule of clan exogamy is strictly followed within the tribe, and the Yimkhiung community generally adheres to the nuclear family structure. Among these varieties, the Langa variety serves as the standard dialect. It is predominantly spoken in the upper region of Tuensang district, while the other varieties—Chirr, Longphur, Mükok, and Phunung—are spoken in the lower region under the Pungro subdivision of Kiphire district. The existence of these varieties dates back to prehistoric times.

On February 18, 1950, after numerous discussions and meetings, the six groups of the Yimkhiung tribe formally confirmed their unity under the name "Yimkhiung." During this gathering, the Langa variety was adopted as the common medium of communication, officially recognized as the Yimkhiung language (Yimchunger, 2020).