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You are at :Top >>Tradition >> Ethinic Tradition >> Karbis                           Page 2 of 4           
Karbis 
contd..                                                                                                                 

Marriage
Although, monogamy is the prevailing practice, there is no bar to polygamy and the cases of polygamy are very rare. Cross-cousin marriage is a preferential one. Like other tribal societies, the Karbis do not have the system of bride price. After marriage, the wife continues to use the surname of her father. But the children assume the title of their father. Thus, the Karbis follow the patriarchal system of family structure.

The settlement pattern of the Karbis is in the form of a village. Each village has a headman called Gaonbura or Sarthe who is appointed by the authority of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council. But each revenue village has a number of hamlets situated kilometers apart. Each of the such hamlets has also a Gaonbura. Each Karbi village is named after the Gaonbura. The Karbis, like the other hill tribes, have a tendency to live on the hill tops. The Karbis who practice jhuming or shifting cultivation very often shift their villages to new jhum sites which might be 10 to 20 kms away from the present site.

Festivals

Among the festivals observed by the Karbis, mention may be made of the "Chojun Puja" or "Swarak Puja" ;"Rongker"; "Sok-keroi"; "Hacha-Kekan", "Chomangkan" , etc.
While the former four festivals are socio-religious in nasture and the letter is a social one.

The spot for "Chojun Puja" or "Swarak Puja" is generally selected near the house of the family which wishes to perform the puja. The deities in this festival are Barithe, Shar Arnam, Arni and the Devil Hii-i and other smaller Gods. Hemphu, the greatest God of the Karbis is also propriated.The puja is peformed for the welfare of the family.

The Karbis have their traditional dresses which are artistically designed. These dresses are woven at their family looms.There are separate dresses for men and women.

The aged men use an artistically designed shirt called Choy-nangpo and the shirt used by the young men is called Choy-hongthor. The men use a loin cloth called Rikong.

The Karbi women and girls generally use Pinicamflak, a piece of cloth tied around the waist like a Mekhela. A piece of artistic cloth is used by them to cover the upper part of their body and it is called Pe-kok. A very highly artistic waist band called Wankok is also used by every woman and girl. The ladies use coloured and striped Endi scarf called Khongjari during winter

Dresses

The Karbi tribes are scattered over the Golaghat subdivision of the Sibsagar district, Nowgong, Kamrup, Khasi Hills and North Cachar Hills and Karbi Anglong dist of Assam . The complexion of the tribes is generally yellowish brown but some are quite fair. The men are comparatively tall. The Karbi dress is elegant. The men put on a long striped coat (choi) without sleeves and with fringes covering the lower part  of the body up to the knees. They wear a short dhoti called Rikong, sometimes of silk. On the head they wear a pagri (pohu). In cold weather they cover themselves like the Assamese  with a wrapper or bor-kapor of eri-silk which is warm. The woman wear a petticoat (pini) fastened round the waist with the ornamental  belt (vankok ) exactly like the Lakhers of the Lushai Hills. The upper part  of the body is covered with a wrapper (jiso) passing under the arms and drawn tight over the breasts. Both men and women draw their hair back which is tied in a knot above the nape.

The women insert a silver tube in the ear lobes. Ear rings of gold and silver are suspended  from the upper part of the ears. Necklaces, rings, bracelets of gold  and silver are worn in Khasi-fashion. Feathers of the horn bill adorn the head of both men and women on festive occasions. The Karbis build their houses on  the floor several feet above the ground. House are built of spilt, flattened out of bamboo, the roof being thatched with sun grass. The house is divided into separate compartments. The furniture of the house generally consist of a raised platform of spilt bamboo which serves as a bed, a block of wood corresponds to the Assamese pira or low stool, Baskets of bamboo serve the purpose of wardrobes, in which Paddy, house hold goods and clothes are kept. Joints of bamboo are used  as containers for water as well as ornaments and other valuables of the family.
Clans in KarbisName List of Clans (KURS) in Karbis

Source of Information: Mr. Chesong Bikram Sing Terang, Ex-General Secretary, GGKSA & Editor of Aturkimi, A Souvenir of the G.G.K.S.A ( Greater Guwahati Karbi Students' Association), 1st Issue:2002-03.

Archaeological Evidence

Hemmed in the south region of Assam lies the verdant hill district, Karbi Anglong, formerly known as the Mikir Hills. The Archaeological Survey of India has not included Karbi Anglong in its fold, in spite of its rich archaeological evidence. This is obviously due to lack of proper exploration and excavation.

It is known that a piece of stone or sculpture may help to unfold a lost history of culture. In Karbi Anglong also, there are many such sites, which are not properly explored. Studies pertaining to these ancient relics may help to reconstruct the history of the land and its culture.

The total area of the district is 10332 sq.km. It has three sub-divisions, namely Hamren, Diphu and Bokajan. Most of the findings are concentrated in the Diphu and Bokajan Sub-Divisions

 



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