Tedim

Tedim stands among the ridges of the northern Chin hills, in a country of closely related but independent village communities. Oral histories describe an earlier settlement associated with the Guite family and later struggles among the chiefs of the surrounding hills. Its name is explained locally as referring to a pool that shone in the sunlight.

In the early nineteenth century Kam Hau, a Sukte chief from Mualbem, established his power at Tedim. An account of Kamhau tradition says that he made several attempts to settle there before succeeding with the help of allies and his family. He fortified the village and extended his influence over a broad tract of the northern hills. The authority of his house rested on alliances and relations among the villages as well as on the strength of its fortified seat.