Chieftainship For the Gangtes, chieftainship occupies the highest court of administration and arbitration. Chieftainship, an ascribed position, exacts unquestioning obedience and undying loyalty from the subjects. Dr T.S.Gangte, in his magnum opus The Kukis of Manipur, elaborated the power of the chief. Dr Gangte wrote that disobedience of the Chief merits expulsion from the village, and neither could outsiders immigrate without his assent. The power of the Chief is nigh absolute in the sense that even in the distribution of and access to the wealth of the land, nothing goes but the Chief's will. The Chief is not only the ruler over his villagers; he is also their protector in times of adversity like famines and tribal wars. If a villager migrates without the proper consent of the chief, his property and belonging are detained by the Chief. The Gangte Chief is entitled to certain tributes from his subjects viz, Changseu, Salieng and Khuotha. Changseu: This is a tribute paid to the chief out of reverence and loyalty. Practised till now, Changseu is a form of the tribal taxation system, customarily paid in paddy produce. It varies from two, three or five tins of rice grain. The Chief can exempt certain classes of villagers who are needy and poor from paying Changseu. This exempted lot is anticipated to offer either chicken or tribal brew to the Chief on the day of Changseu collection. Another set of exempted classess is constituted by the members of the village council. Changseu is annually collected on a particular date, post-harvest; and the Chief is obliged to treat his subjects to a sumptuous buffet or binge session. Salieng: Literally reworded, Salieng means the shoulder blade of animals. This is gifted to the Chief by anyone who caught wild animals in gratitude to his permission to hunt within his Chiefdom. It is also obligatory and villagers who play truancy are punished, punishment entails slaying a mithun or paying forty rupees to invite the Chief's exoneration. Khuotha: It refers to the collective labour force of all households in the village that a chief can call for if the need arises. Even the villagers are entitled to invite Khuotha but they must provide lunch for the village labour corps on the day of social work. Further, the Chief can make a trade for Khuotha in lieu of Changseu but is not obliged to furnish meal on the day