Paite Tribe Council objects to use of Paite Puandum in Kuki Organizations’ letterheads

The Paite Tribe Council General Headquarters (PTC GHQ), the apex body of the Paite community, has expressed surprise and concern over the use of the Paite Puandum in the official letterheads of the Kuki Students’ Organization, Delhi & NCR, and the Working Committee Kuki CSOs, Sadar Hills, without its knowledge or consent.
In a statement issued today, the council clarified that the Paite community is an integral part of the Zomi ethnic group and therefore has no requirement to be represented under any Kuki organizations, including the Kuki Inpi, the Kuki Students’ Organization, the Kuki Zo Council, or the Working Committee Kuki CSOs.
The PTC GHQ said that the unauthorized use of Paite cultural symbols, particularly the Puandum and traditional shawls, undermines the identity of the community. It urged the concerned Kuki organizations to immediately remove the Paite Puandum from their official letterheads.
Appealing for mutual respect and understanding during the present crisis, the Paite Tribe Council further called on all non-Paite and non-Zomi organizations to refrain from using the Paite Puandum or any cultural representation of the Paite tribe without prior consent from the PTC GHQ.