Shillong: Kur Syiemlieh and Kur Syiemlich are blocking plans to rename U Tirot Sing Syiem. They want him called U Tirot Sing Syiemlich. The clans delivered a formal objection to the Director of Arts and Culture this past Monday. They demand a deep dive into genealogical records before any changes take hold.
Clan vice president Iohbor Sing Syiemlich and general secretary Kynsaibor R Syiem lead the pushback. They insist the state must rely on hard data. “Any such claim may kindly be examined on the basis of authentic historical records, traditional genealogies, oral histories, clan records and other reliable evidence concerning the origin and lineage of U Tirot Sing Syiem,” the group stated.
The dispute stems from a September 20 report in The Shillong Times. Certain members of the Syiemlich clan want to modify the historical name of the 10th Syiem of Hima Nongkhlaw, who ruled from 1814 to 1834. The objectors argue that the Syiemship follows an unbroken line from U Shahjer, the first ruler serving from 1524 to 1554, through to the current leader, U Phrestar Manik. They note the Hima was founded by Lyngdohs from eight villages: Mawtangsiar, Mawsenna, Nongum, Nongkseh, Marong, Mawskum, Nongkhlaw, and Lawriat. U Shahjer originally hailed from Sutnga in the Jaintia Hills with his sister, Ka Shaphlong.
The opposing clans pointed out that Syiemlich families live in Hima Langrin and Hima Maharam. They claim this geographic spread proves nothing about the Nongkhlaw lineage. The leaders demand consistency. They ask why officials would target only U Tirot Sing while ignoring the rest of the succession. A selective name change could wreck the historical record, they warned.
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