‘Chinese, chinki, momo bolte hai’: Northeast woman’s response to racism goes viral, wins praise online

Northeast woman calls out racial slurs. (Image: sitasamnam/ Instagram)

A video posted by a woman from the Northeast is drawing wide attention online. It comes at a time when an alleged case of racial harassment against three women from Arunachal Pradesh in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar on February 19 has triggered public debate. The incident has renewed concerns about discrimination faced by people from the Northeast in other parts of the country.

An Instagram video shared by a woman identified as @sitasamnam has since begun circulating widely. In the clip, she spoke about what she described as growing ignorance and the continued use of racial slurs against people from the region.

She stated, “Bade hi disappointment ke saath video banana padh raha hai. Mujhe samajh mein nahi aa raha hai, desh mein itne gawar log bhare pade hain, dharti par bhoj. (“I’m making this video with great disappointment. I don’t understand how there are so many ignorant people in this country, a burden on the earth.)”

She questioned why many Indians remain unaware of basic facts about the Northeast, “Jab Northeast ke logon ko pata hai India ke baaki states mein kya khaate hain, kya peete hain, kya culture hai unka, agar humko itna general knowledge hai, toh baaki states ke gawar logon ko kaise pata nahi ki Northeast ke log kaise dikhte hain, Northeast kahan hai? Inko pata hi nahi hai, itna gawar kaise ho sakta hai log.” (When people from the Northeast know what people in other Indian states eat, drink, and what their culture is, if we have that much general knowledge, then how is it that people from other states don’t even know what Northeastern people look like or where the Northeast is? How can people be this ignorant?”)

Referring to racial slurs often directed at people from the region, she said, “India mein reh kar India ka map pata nahi. Arre social media ka zamana hai, AI ka zamana hai, tab bhi pata nahi hai. Aur Northeast logon ko ‘chinki’, ‘Chinese’, ‘momo’, ‘go back to China’ yeh sab bolte hain.” (“Living in India and still not knowing India’s map. This is the age of social media, the age of AI, and even then they don’t know. And they call people from the Northeast ‘chinki’, ‘Chinese’, ‘momo’, and say ‘go back to China.’'”)

She also spoke about how people from outside the region live in the Northeast. She explained, “Hamare Northeast mein itne saare bahar ke log rehte hain, khushi khushi rehte hain sab. Hum bhi aisa hi karein phir, baaki jaisa humko treat kar rahe hain? Uncivilised log. Aisi chhoti soch ke saath developed countries ko beat karenge?” (“In our Northeast, so many outsiders live there, and everyone lives happily together. Should we also start treating others the same way they treat us? Uncivilised people. With such a narrow mindset, how will we ever compete with developed countries?”)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sita Samnam (@sitasamnam)

Towards the end of the video, she suggested a step that she believes could help address the issue in the long term. She urged, “Har school mein ek chapter toh hona chahiye hamare Northeast ke baare mein taaki logon ko bhi hamara culture pata chale, warna aise gawar log aate hi rahenge.” (“There should be at least one chapter in every school about the Northeast so that people learn about our culture; otherwise, such ignorant people will keep coming.”)

Her video has received support from many users online. Several comments echoed her concerns. One user wrote, “Absolutely right”. Another added, “Yes you are right.” Actor Nupur Sanon commented, “What a girl!!!”

Another user wrote, “The audacity of calling us Chinese but not even being able to name the states of India.” One comment read, “Sorry on behalf of these people, it’s heartbreaking.”