Paik System
Every male citizen of the Ahom country, who was not a priest or disabled, was a paik and was required to offer service to the state in lieu of taxes. For proper functioning of the system, a military hierarchy was made where each officer would look after certain number of paiks and other would overlook specialized tasks like mediation, governing vassals, etc for which they were given different title.
Although these titles were not hereditary, but in the absence of clan system and the eventual fall of the Kingdom, many began using the former offices of their forefathers as effective surnames — rajkhowa, borgohain,etc. The following table lists the original Ahom military titles and their Assamese equivalent
The Ahom Clan System
Ahoms did traditionally have clan system but it was banned by the Ahom King in 1607 in favour of the Paik system where everyone was judged on their military ranks so a lot of traditional family names information was just lost with this new military system.
Family Name Order
Just like other East Asian traditions, Tai people also use their surname or familyname before their own name. So instead of “Lachit Borphukan” it is more correct to say “Phukawnlung Lachet” (or simply Phukonlung) — meaning the great Phukonlung whose name is Lachet. We can see this order in the Ahom King names too such as Serkapha (the tiger from heaven), Serhungmerng (the tiger from famed country), Serkhampha (the heavenly golden tiger), etc. In each of these names the clan name sEw (ser) comes first denoting their Royal Tai dynasty. The Shan Kings belonged to this same Tiger clan of the Tais. Today the Ahom Royal family no-longer uses this “Ser/Hsur” title and has instead started using Kalar surnames like Rajkumar, Rajkumari which is a matter of big shame for all Ahoms.
Similarities with Shan Military System
The Shans also used military titles like Phukawntserng, Phukawntap, Phukawntaplong, Phukawnweng, Phutenphong, etc but the only difference is they never used these military titles as their surname unlike Ahoms. Today many non-Ahoms have also adopted these military titles as surname due to their forefathers holding paik offices. This has created lot of confusion as many people with non-ahom heritage are also claiming to be Ahom these days.
What do you think, should Ahoms adopt new family names or just begin using their old military titles in Ahom?
We thank @birmanicus for providing all audio in this article as well as other lessons. So please make sure to follow him on instagram
Every male citizen of the Ahom country, who was not a priest or disabled, was a paik and was required to offer service to the state in lieu of taxes. For proper functioning of the system, a military hierarchy was made where each officer would look after certain number of paiks and other would overlook specialized tasks like mediation, governing vassals, etc for which they were given different title.
Although these titles were not hereditary, but in the absence of clan system and the eventual fall of the Kingdom, many began using the former offices of their forefathers as effective surnames — rajkhowa, borgohain,etc. The following table lists the original Ahom military titles and their Assamese equivalent
| Assamese | Ahom | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Gogoi | eka$koj# (kâwkói) | et. Burmese ကိုးကွယ် (kui:kwai)- respectful |
|
Guhain | vw@mE[q# (thāomérng) | lit. country elder |
|
Borguhain | vw@mE[q#lu[q (thāomérnglung) | lit. great country elder |
|
Buraguhain | cw@fo[q#mE[q# (tsāopháwngmérng) | noble lord / ruler |
|
Borpatroguhain | cw@cE[q@lu[q (tsāotsērnglung) | governor / senior administrator |
|
Chetia | cw@sC[q (tsāoseng) | lit. amber lord / treasurer |
|
Borchetia | cw@sC[qlu[q (tsāosenglung) | lit. senior treasurer |
|
Rajkunwor | cw@sC[q (tsāokhun) | prince |
|
Rajkunwori | cw@n,[q# (tsāonáang) | princess |
|
Kunwor | cw@noj$ (tsāonôi) | lit. little prince |
|
Borah | rUs,w# (ruusáao) | leader of twenty heads |
|
Saikia | rUp,kq! (ruupàak) | leader of hundred heads |
|
Hazarika | rUrC[q (ruureng) | leader of thousand heads |
|
Hiloidari | cw@ko[q@ (tsāokāwng) | lit. lord of artillery |
|
Phukan | fU#konq# (phūukáwn) | lit. head / leader of a group |
|
Borphukan | fU#konq#lu[q (phūukáwnlung) | lit. senior military leader |
|
Parbatiaphukan | fU#konq#doj (phūukáwndoi) | lit. head of mountain troops |
|
Dekaphukan | fU#konq#m]! (phūukáwnmàu) | lit. head of young troops |
|
Deodhaiphukan | fU#konq#emas,j (phūukáwnmawsai) | lit. head of shamans |
|
Chiringphukan | fU#konq#ec]@rV[q (phūukáwntsāereng) | head of thousand townships? |
|
Damphukan | fU#konq#dM (phūukáwndam) | lit. one in charge of the dead |
|
Rajkhuwa | fU#kinqmE[q# (phūukinmérng) | lit. revenue collector |
|
Hatimuria | rUc,[q$ (ruutsâang) | lit. who operates the elephant-head cannon |
|
Tungkhungia | tu[qx,[q (tungkhang) | lit. one from tungkhang |
|
Baruah | fU@ek]@ (phūukāe) | lit. mediator |
|
Borbaruah | fU@ek]@lu[q (phūukāelung) | lit. senior mediator |
|
Khongiabarua | fU@ek]@xV[q (phūukāekhaeng) | lit. stiff mediator |
|
Dadhorabaruah | fU@ek]@mitq@ (phūukāemīt) | mediator in violent affairs |
|
Hatibarua | fU@ek]@c,[q$ (phūukāetsâang) | lit. elephant mediator |
|
Handique | l,nqtj#mE[q# (laantáimérng) | - |
|
Mohan | emahu[q (mawhung) | lit. the famed master |
The Ahom Clan System
Ahoms did traditionally have clan system but it was banned by the Ahom King in 1607 in favour of the Paik system where everyone was judged on their military ranks so a lot of traditional family names information was just lost with this new military system.
Family Name Order
Just like other East Asian traditions, Tai people also use their surname or familyname before their own name. So instead of “Lachit Borphukan” it is more correct to say “Phukawnlung Lachet” (or simply Phukonlung) — meaning the great Phukonlung whose name is Lachet. We can see this order in the Ahom King names too such as Serkapha (the tiger from heaven), Serhungmerng (the tiger from famed country), Serkhampha (the heavenly golden tiger), etc. In each of these names the clan name sEw (ser) comes first denoting their Royal Tai dynasty. The Shan Kings belonged to this same Tiger clan of the Tais. Today the Ahom Royal family no-longer uses this “Ser/Hsur” title and has instead started using Kalar surnames like Rajkumar, Rajkumari which is a matter of big shame for all Ahoms.
Similarities with Shan Military System
The Shans also used military titles like Phukawntserng, Phukawntap, Phukawntaplong, Phukawnweng, Phutenphong, etc but the only difference is they never used these military titles as their surname unlike Ahoms. Today many non-Ahoms have also adopted these military titles as surname due to their forefathers holding paik offices. This has created lot of confusion as many people with non-ahom heritage are also claiming to be Ahom these days.
What do you think, should Ahoms adopt new family names or just begin using their old military titles in Ahom?
We thank @birmanicus for providing all audio in this article as well as other lessons. So please make sure to follow him on instagram