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The Mizo people (Mizo: ''Mizo hnam'') are an ethnic group native to north-eastern India, western Burma (Myanmar) and eastern Bangladesh; this term covers several ethnic peoples who speak various Mizo languages. The clan of Lusei people were the first Mizo people to become known to outside groups; the larger ethnic group was first named after them as the Lushai. The present Indian state of Mizoram (literally "Mizoland") was called the Lushai Hills and was defined as a district of Assam in the British Raj and independent India. The people of the Lushai Hills demanded a distinct political territory when India achieved independence. Due to continuing efforts by its people to gain autonomy, the national government approved Mizoram in 1972 as a Union Territory and in 1987 as a full-fledged state of India. As the people organized, they chose to identify as Mizo, rather than by the individual clan names such as Hmar, Lushei, Ralte, Gangte, Mara, Pawi, etc. Their languages (of which the largest is Lusei Duhlian dialect) belong to the Tibeto-Burman language family. The state has one of the highest rates of literacy in India, at more than 91%. The people are mostly Christian, following a wide variety of denominations. ==Etymology== The term Mizo is derived from two Mizo words-''Mi'' and ''zo''. 'Mi' in Mizo means 'man'. There is dispute on the term 'zo'. According to one view, 'zo' means 'highland' and Mizo means highlander or people living in high hills. Historian Lalthangliana says 'zo' may also mean 'cold region' and therefore, Mizo signifies people of the cold region.〔Lalthangliana B (2001) The history of Mizos in India, Burma and Bangladesh.〕 Though the term Mizo is often used to name an overall ethnicity, it is an umbrella term to denote the various clans, such as Pawi, Mara, Ralte, Hmar people etc. A number of dialects are still spoken under the umbrella of Mizo; some of them are Mizo ṭawng (which is an official language of Mizoram and a lingua franca of the Kuki people), Hmar language Gangte language, Paite language, Thadou-Kuki, a sub-clan of Gangte who still speak their own dialect, Lai and Mara language. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Mizo people」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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