The dispersal across international borders resulted from a
British colonial policy that drew borders on political, rather than ethnic, grounds.[3]
Names
Beginning in the 1990s, the generic names Chin have been rejected by some for "Zomi", a name used by a group speaking
Northern kukis languages.[4] The speakers of the Northern Kuki languages are sometimes lumped together as the Zomi's.Some
Zomi nationalists have stated that the use of the label Chin would mean subtle domination by Burmese groups.[5][6]
In 2023, during the
Manipur violence the Kuki tribes of Manipur were referred to Kuki-Zo, Before it was specifically only Kuki in context of Manipur, Assam , Nagaland and Tripura.
^History of Zomi T. Gougin - 1984 "In Burma the people like to renounce the term Chin in favour of Zomi. Zomi is becoming more and more popular in Churachandpur district of Manipur adjoining the Chin State of Burma as group identity in repudiating Chin. The term ..."
^B. Datta-Ray Tribal identity and tension in north-east India Page 34 1989 "Now to accept the term Chin would mean subtle Paite domination in the matter, which the other groups like the Hmars, Zous, Anals and Koms may not coopt. A Zomi leader categorically stated that 'Chin' is a Burmese word which literally ..."
^Keat Gin Ooi - Southeast Asia: A Historical Encyclopedia, from Angkor Wat to East ... - Volume 1 - Page 353 2004 "Until recently, there appeared to be a consensus that the term Chin was not an identity that any of these peoples would choose to describe themselves, ... Some promote the terms Zomi and Zo, stating that they are derived from the name of the mythic common ancestor of all ..."