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>>Tradition >> Ethinic Tradition >> Karbis
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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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