Indigenous Tribal Traditions and Customs of Assam
Assam is home to a remarkable number of indigenous tribal communities, each with its own language, religion, festivals, dress, music and social customs. Questions on tribal traditions and customs are asked regularly in the art and culture and general knowledge sections of ADRE, APSC, Assam Police, DHS, SSC and Railway examinations. Candidates are expected to know the major communities such as the Bodo, Mising, Karbi, Dimasa, Deuri, Rabha, Tiwa and the Tai groups, to remember their principal festivals, dances, traditional dress, deities and musical instruments, and to understand how their customs differ from one another. Because the details are easily confused, a community-by-community table of deity, festival, dance and dress is the most reliable way to prepare this topic.
The Tribal Communities of Assam
Assam has one of the most diverse tribal populations in India. The major Scheduled Tribe communities include the Bodo, Mising, Karbi, Dimasa, Rabha, Deuri, Tiwa, Sonowal Kachari, Barman, Garo and the Tai groups such as the Tai-Phake, Tai-Aiton, Tai-Khamti and Tai-Khamyang. Each community has preserved its own language, forms of worship, festivals and crafts. Many still follow their traditional religion, while others have adopted Vaishnavism or Christianity. Their contribution to Assamese culture is enormous: tribal music, dance, weaving and festivals are part of the living heritage of the state and are a favourite subject in competitive examinations.
The Bodo Community
The Bodo are the largest Scheduled Tribe community of Assam. Their traditional religion is Bathouism, whose supreme deity is Bwrai Bathou, and the sacred plant of the faith is the Sijou. The Kherai festival, held in honour of Bathou, is the most important religious festival of the community. The Bagurumba dance, sometimes called the butterfly dance, is the best-known Bodo dance. Bodo women wear the Dokhona and men the Arnai or Gamsa, and the traditional rice beer is called Zu. The Siphung, a bamboo flute, and the Kham, a drum, are their main musical instruments. Questions on the Bodo usually combine Bathou, the Sijou plant, Kherai and Bagurumba.
The Mising Community
The Mising live mostly on the banks of the Brahmaputra and are famous for their stilt houses, called Aaham or Rambha, which are built on raised platforms to survive the annual floods. Their great agricultural festival is Ali-Ai-Ligang, celebrated at the time of sowing, and their well-known dances include the Gumrag and the Lota. Mising women wear the Ege and the Gaseng. The community has a rich tradition of river life, fishing and weaving, and its folk culture is closely linked to the great river that shapes its way of life. Ali-Ai-Ligang is the fact most often asked about the Mising.
The Karbi Community
The Karbi, also known as Mikir, live mainly in the Karbi Anglong hills. Their principal deities are Arnam and Hemphu, and the Chomangkan is their great festival for honouring the departed souls, celebrated with songs and dances. Their traditional dance forms include the Lahang and the Dongse Nai, and Karbi women wear the Pini. The community has a strong tradition of oral poetry and of community feasting. The Chomangkan, a death festival that may last for several days, is one of the most distinctive customs of the Karbi and is frequently asked in examinations.
The Dimasa Community
The Dimasa, who once ruled the Kachari kingdom, observe the Bushu festival, a harvest and New Year celebration that is their most important community festival. Their traditional dances include the Baidi and the Doulal, and Dimasa women wear the Rijamphain. The community has a rich tradition of music, dance and weaving, and its heritage is closely connected with the ancient Kachari capitals and monuments of the state. Bushu is the name that candidates should link with the Dimasa in an examination.
The Deuri Community
The Deuri are a smaller community with a distinctive priestly tradition. Their Gija Puja involves traditional offerings, and their traditional rice beer is called Igu or Poro Aapong. Deuri women wear the Chungi and the community is known for its weaving. The Deuri were historically associated with the priestly duties of the Kachari kings, and their rituals preserve many ancient elements. Questions on the Deuri usually centre on the Gija Puja and their role as traditional priests.
The Rabha and Tiwa Communities
The Rabha celebrate the Baikho festival, and the Baikho dance is performed by Rabha women, who also wear the Rekhne. The Tiwa, also called Lalung, observe festivals such as the Nrikri and Biswasing, and Tiwa women wear the Phasu. Both communities live in the plains and hills of central and western Assam and have a strong tradition of agriculture, weaving and folk music. Their festivals are linked to the agricultural calendar and to the worship of traditional deities, and they are often asked in questions on tribal festivals.
The Tai Communities
The Tai groups of Assam include the Tai-Phake, Tai-Aiton, Tai-Khamti and Tai-Khamyang, who speak languages of the Tai family and trace their origin to the Tai migrations of the medieval period. The Tai-Phake celebrate the Poi festivals, and their Poi Pee Mau is the New Year festival, celebrated in spring. These communities are also known for their Buddhist religion and for their distinct architecture and weaving. The Ahoms, who ruled Assam for six centuries, were also a Tai people. Poi Pee Mau is the festival most often linked with the Tai-Phake.
Tribal Ornaments, Crafts and Music
Tribal culture in Assam is expressed in many forms. The ornaments of tribal women include the Jangphai and the Dugdugi, and each community has its own patterns of beadwork and metal jewellery. The major musical instruments of the region include drums such as the Kham, flutes such as the Siphung, and stringed and percussion instruments used in community festivals. Weaving is a highly valued skill among the tribal communities, and their handloom products are an important part of the handloom heritage of Assam. For examinations, the community, its festival, its dance and its dress should be learnt together as a single set.
The Importance of Tribal Culture
The tribal communities give Assam much of its cultural colour and diversity. Their festivals and dances are performed at state functions and cultural festivals, and their crafts and textiles are prized across the country. Many of their customs are based on respect for nature, community sharing and the worship of ancestors, and they offer valuable lessons for modern society. Preserving these traditions is an important part of preserving the identity of Assam. For students, tribal culture is a scoring topic because the facts are specific and the questions are usually direct, provided the details of each community are learnt carefully.
Key Facts at a Glance
- The Bodo are the largest Scheduled Tribe community of Assam.
- The traditional religion of the Bodo is Bathouism.
- The supreme deity of the Bodo is Bwrai Bathou.
- The Sijou is the sacred plant of the Bathou religion.
- The Kherai festival is associated with Bathou worship.
- The Bagurumba is the traditional dance of the Bodo.
- Bodo women wear the Dokhona and Bodo men the Arnai or Gamsa.
- The Siphung and the Kham are Bodo musical instruments.
- The Mising build stilt houses called Aaham or Rambha.
- The Ali-Ai-Ligang is the sowing festival of the Mising.
- The Gumrag and Lota are Mising dances.
- The Karbi deities are Arnam and Hemphu.
- The Chomangkan is the Karbi festival for the departed souls.
- The Dimasa observe the Bushu festival.
- The Baidi and Doulal are Dimasa dances.
- The Gija Puja belongs to the Deuri community.
- The Baikho festival belongs to the Rabha community.
- The Nrikri and Biswasing are Tiwa festivals.
- The Poi Pee Mau is the New Year festival of the Tai-Phake.
- The Jangphai and Dugdugi are tribal ornaments of Assam.
Quick Revision Points
- Link each community with its main festival: Bodo with Kherai, Mising with Ali-Ai-Ligang, Karbi with Chomangkan, Dimasa with Bushu, Deuri with Gija, Rabha with Baikho, Tai-Phake with Poi Pee Mau.
- Link each community with its dance: Bodo with Bagurumba, Mising with Gumrag, Karbi with Lahang, Dimasa with Baidi.
- Link each community with its dress: Bodo with Dokhona, Mising with Ege, Karbi with Pini, Dimasa with Rijamphain, Tiwa with Phasu, Rabha with Rekhne.
- Remember the Sijou plant and Bwrai Bathou for the Bodo.
- Remember the Mising stilt houses as a flood adaptation.
- Remember that the Ahoms too were a Tai people.
How to Prepare This Topic
- Draw a table with columns for community, deity, festival, dance and dress.
- Write one short line on each of the major communities.
- Make a separate list of traditional rice beers such as Zu and Igu.
- Mark the home region of each community on a rough map of Assam.
- Learn the Tai groups and their Poi festivals together.
- Revise the communities in groups of two or three so that the details do not get mixed.
Common Exam Traps
- Mixing up the Bodo Bagurumba with the Mising Gumrag dance.
- Confusing the Karbi Chomangkan with the Dimasa Bushu.
- Attributing the Sijou plant and Bathou religion to the wrong community.
- Forgetting that the Deuri Gija Puja and the Rabha Baikho are different festivals.
- Calling the Mising stilt house by the wrong name.
- Mixing up tribal dresses such as the Dokhona, Ege, Pini and Rijamphain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the largest Scheduled Tribe community of Assam and what is its religion?
The Bodo are the largest Scheduled Tribe community of Assam. Their traditional religion is Bathouism, whose supreme deity is Bwrai Bathou and whose sacred plant is the Sijou.
Which festival of the Mising community is related to sowing?
The Ali-Ai-Ligang is the sowing festival of the Mising community. It is their great agricultural festival, and the Gumrag and Lota are among their best-known dances.
What is the Chomangkan festival and which community celebrates it?
The Chomangkan is the festival of the Karbi community held in honour of the departed souls. It is celebrated with songs and dances and may continue for several days.
Which community observes the Bushu festival?
The Dimasa community observes the Bushu festival. It is a harvest and New Year celebration and is the most important community festival of the Dimasa.
What is the Poi Pee Mau festival and who celebrates it?
The Poi Pee Mau is the New Year festival of the Tai-Phake community. It is one of the Poi festivals of the Tai people of Assam and is celebrated in spring.