 Colonel J. Shakespeare (1887–1905), the first superintendent of the then Lushai Hills, referred to them as one of the "Kuki" clans of Manipur and recognized as part of the "Chin-Kuki-Mizo" tribe by the state government of Manipur.The group is originally from the Siyin valley located in the northern part of Chin State.The group speak the Vaiphei language and at the 1991 census the number of Vaiphei speakers was 26,185.