Meitei diaspora
Meitei cultural flag | |
Maibis (traditional Meitei priestesses) dancing to please the Umang Lai deities of Sanamahism during Lai Haraoba festival in Bangladesh | |
| (Meitei ethnicity) Meitei ethnicity (including those of ancestral descent) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Myanmar, Bangladesh, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, Canada, Korea and the Gulf states | |
| Languages | |
| Meitei language (officially known as Manipuri language) | |
| Religion | |
| Hinduism & Sanamahism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| other Indian diaspora, Bangladeshi diaspora and Burmese diaspora |
The Meitei diaspora, also known as the Manipuri diaspora, comprises individuals of Meitei ethnicity (or Manipuri people), who have migrated from their ancestral homeland of Manipur, a state in northeastern India, to various regions across the world. Historically, movements of Meitei populations have occurred due to political, economic, and educational factors, as well as regional instability, most significantly during the Seven Years' Devastation of Manipur Kingdom. Notable Meitei communities exist in neighboring countries such as Myanmar and Bangladesh, as well as in more distant locations including the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, Canada, Korea and the Gulf states. The diaspora maintains varying degrees of cultural, linguistic, and social ties to Manipur, while also adapting to the contexts of their host societies.