Hand cannon made of raw hide.

Collection type: Object
Description: Hand cannon made of raw hide.
Long description: The hide has been rolled to form a tube, one end is folded, it is bound along its length with strips of hide. There is a metal tubular touch hole extending from the roll towards the folded end.
Geographical reference: India
Asia > Southern Asia > India
Cultural groups: Thado; Zomi
Person: Field collector John Henry Hutton; PRM source John Henry Hutton
Date / Period: Date made: Before 1931
Date collected: By 1923
Acquisition information: Donated: 1931
Materials and processes: Material Animal Hide Skin, Material Iron Metal, Process Bound, Process Rolled, Process Forged (Metal)
Dimensions: Depth: max 105 mm, Length: max 890 mm, Width: max 87 mm
Object numbers: Accession number: 1923.85.805
Research and responses: According to Ethnologue, 'Kuki' is a synonym for both the Thado Chin and the Zome (Zo). However, 'Kuki-Chin' is also an overall Tibeto-Burman linguistic sub-grouping, members of which according to Ethnologue include the Falam Chin, the Anal, the Aimol, the Biete, the Hrangkhol, the Lamkang, the Vaiphei and the Purum. In this latter sense, though, 'Kuki' is a broad linguistic family rather than just one of two ethnic groups. In any case, all these groups are Chin. [SHD 7/6/2000]
The local name for this object is Pumpi. Information provided by S. Seigoulien Haokip, Kuki PhD researcher from the Department of Anthropology and Sociology at SOAS, following a research visit in July 2025.

Search terms: Firearm Weapon, Firearm

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