Indigenous-Led Climate Change Adaptation from and within the Manipuri Indigenous Community-Based Perspective

Abstract

This chapter explores the impacts of climate change, concurrently with development and land-use change, on the Manipuri, an Indigenous people in Bangladesh. The Manipuri is one of the Indigenous groups living in the Sylhet division in the northeastern region of Bangladesh. The Manipuri speak the Manipuri language, also known as Meetei-lon. Manipuri is one of India’s national languages. Moreover, the Manipuri language or Meetei-lon is the official language of Manipur and Assam in India. The language has a script (Meetei-mayek) that is nearly 3,000 years old. The Manipuri language belongs to the Tibetan-Burman family. The Manipuri call themselves Meetei. Meetei became Manipuri in the 18th century after the adoption of Hinduism. Moreover, Kangleipak became Manipur in the same period. So, Manipuri and Manipur terms are recent according to linguistic, historical, cultural, and archaeological considerations. The Manipuri people follow the ancient Sanamahi religion, as well as Hinduism. It is not certain how many Manipuri live in Bangladesh. According to the population census of the Bangladesh government in 1991, the Manipuri population is 24,882 (Singha, 2022). However, another study reveals that Bangladesh’s Manipuri population is 7,372 (Thongam, 2008, p. 18). The average literacy rate is 25% (Thongam, 2008, pp. 15–18).