Marriages in Kuki Tribe are one of the most important social institutions which define the cultural trends of the Kuki tribe. A member of the Kuki tribe is free to select his life partner in three different ways. He can select his life partner either through arranged marriage which is popularly known as the mother`s brother`s daughters` marriage or MBD way of marriage. The arranged marriages often take place during the childhood of the boy and girl, when the parents of the boy are determined that the boy should marry no body else than mother`s brother`s daughter called Neinu. The marriage negotiations are supposed to be initiated by the parents of the boy and the girl during their childhood. The system of arranged marriage which is visible in the Kuki tribes also include some extreme instances when on the birth of a baby girl , her father`s sister and her husband initiate that she shall be the Nienu of their son then , she should not be given to any one else. As such the institution of arranged marriage describes those marriage proposals which are organised within the close relatives of the boy and girl in their childhood.

Marriages in Kuki Tribe also include the second type of marriage that takes place with the mutual consent of the boy and girl when they fall in love with each other. In this the boy and girl may fall in love and ask their parents to give their consent for organising their nuptials. This often results in the formal negotiations within the families of the boy and the girl. Commonly this is available within the mother`s brother`s daughter and father`s sister`s son.

The third type of marriage that takes place in the Kuki tribe is due to the elopement that is organised by the boy to get the girl he loves. This usually happens when a boy and a girl fall in love with each other and any one of the parents raise objection to their union then the couple is left with no alternative than elopement. It also involves such situations when a third person is likely to interfere as the third contender for the girl`s hand or when there is the economic considerations involved which shall decide the fate of the girl or when the girl is impregnated by her lover then the couple has no other alternative than getting eloped till they are engaged with marriage.

Marriages in Kuki Tribe usually follow the normal course of customary procedures in case of normal marriage proposals. In usual times the parents of the boy along with all their Tucha and Becha tribes lay the proposal if marriage after offering Zu to the girl`s family. The final decision depends on the Bechas of both sides who are the deciding factors of the community. Round about it takes a number of visits to formally negotiate the marriage during which the bride - price is also fixed. Finally the marriage takes place when the boy accepts the challenge and wins his girl through wrestling. Then their relationship is formally accepted through marriage.

Marriages in Kuki Tribe also lay down a separate procedure for the special marriages in which every girl is entitled to be married under the system called `Cbongmoo Hailam Domma Kipai`. In this the girl`s father is the sole authority to decide the future of the girl. Anyone who is interested in showing his love to the girl should maintain all levels of dignity and prestige and then propose the girl. After this the formal method of fixing the bride price shall take place and if the Father of the girl has no objection then the formal marriage shall take place.

Thus Marriages in Kuki Tribe represent a distinctive feature of Kuki tribes.