The War People & The Making of Khasi Identity

When one talks about Khasi history, it feels like groups such as the Synteng and Khynriam receive more attention because of the two great Khasi Himas, viz., Sutnga/Jaintiapur and Shillong (now divided into Hima Khyrim and Hima Mylliem). However, the importance and contribution of the War to the larger Khasi identity are sometimes not given enough importance. In some cases, their identity is being subsumed by other groups. For example, the War are divided into two groups: War-Khasi and War-Jaintia. This is false classification because while Khasi is the term used for an ethnic community, Jaintia is the name of a place, i.e., Hima Jaintiapur.…