Chiru

Chiru (ISO-639-3 code: cdf)

The Chiru language belongs to the Kuki-Chin sub-groups of Tibeto-Burman language family and has close affinities with other Kuki-Chin languages like Ranglong, Aimol, Kom, Chorei, Darlong, Hrangkhol, Sakachep, etc. Chiru is one of the thirty-three recognized tribal languages of Manipur. According to the 2011 census of India report, the total population of Chiru speakers is 8599.

According to Ethnologue, the language status of Darlong is 5, i.e. developing. The Roman script is used to write the Chiru language. Recognizing the urgency to preserve their linguistic heritage, the Chiru community, alongside linguistic scholars and cultural organizations, has taken proactive measures to safeguard the Chiru language. Efforts have been made to describe and document the language and to produce an English-Chiru dictionary along with documentation of the ethnolinguistic profile.

The Chiru language represents the linguistic and cultural wealth of the Chiru community. It serves as a vehicle for the preservation of their unique traditions, knowledge, and identity. Efforts to revitalize and protect the Chiru language are vital to ensuring the community's cultural resilience, fostering intergenerational communication, and maintaining the linguistic diversity of the northeastern region of India.