The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has decided to maintain a record of all the names of clans that are based under its jurisdiction.
This decision was taken during a meeting organised by the KHADC, which was attended by clan leaders, traditional heads and chiefs, among others.
The meeting was held in response to a request from the Deputy Commissioner of Ri-Bhoi, who sought the Khasi clan list to ease the issuance of Scheduled Tribe certificates.
Deputy Chief Executive Member of the KHADC, Pynshngain N Syiem, told reporters that the council has requested all clan leaders to provide information relating to their clans.
The aim of this exercise is to streamline the matter of issuing certificates and Khasi clan names accordingly. He added that once the KHADC has compiled the complete record, it will hold another meeting with all stakeholders before making the list public.
Clan names have been in the news of late because the state government decided to revoke an order that permitted the issuance of ST certificates to those Khasis who have been given or who use their father’s clan name.
As per the KHADC’s Khasi Social Custom of Lineage Act 1997, the clan name is to be derived from the mother.
Opposition leader in the KHADC Titosstarwell Chyne expressed his support for the act and stated that all clan leaders and others have also supported it.
Advocate Erwin Sutnga stated that the empowerment of clan leaders by the KHADC to issue clan certificates will help control the mushrooming of unknown Khasi clans and titles.
He added that in a matrilineal system like the Khasi, using a father’s clan name has no principle since even the father ultimately took his surname from his mother.
