INTRODUCTION: The Karbis are the principal tribal community in the Karbi Anglong district of Assam, a district administered as per the provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India, having an autonomous district of their own since 17 November, 1951. They are also known as Mikir, the term given to them by their Assamese nighbours of the plains. But they feel congenial to call themselves as arleng, which means a man.[1]
It has therefore stated by Stack E. and Lyall C. as- “The name Mikir is that given to the race by the Assamese; its origin is unknown.”[2] Assamese ‘historians’ like Gunabhiram Baruah chose to create a ‘Mikir’ out of the Sanskrit ‘Markat’ (meaning ‘eater of raw flesh’) just as the ‘Naga’ tribes were almost identified to be the snake-worshipping ‘Nagas’ of ‘Upper India’ between whom there was neither cultural nor historical relations or similarities.[3] Though it is tough to undermine the meaning of the term, it may have originated form the term- Mi- kiri, which means, hills tribe.[4]
INHABITATION: They are found inhabit in the Karbi Anglong District mainly. Nevertheless some of the Karbi pockets are found in the North Cachar Hills, Kamrup, Pragjoytishpur, Nagaon, Golaghat, Jorhat and Sonitpur districts also.[5] Some of them are still inhabits in the Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya. Besides they are reported to settle in quiet a good numbers in Manipur and Nagaland and foot hills of lower Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh.[6] Thus they inhabits in both plains and hills.[7]
RACIAL AFFINITY, ORIGINAL HOME AND MIGRATION: Racially they belong to the Mongoloid group and linguistically they belong to the Tibeto- Burman group.[8] There have hardly been any historical traits of immigration of Karbis to Assam. The Karbis were among the earliest inhabitants of Assam, so much so that Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha, a noted cultural personality and freedom fighter from Assam has called them the Discoverer of Assam. It has been believe that the Karbis along with others entered Assam from Central Asia in one of the waves of migration. While Gemini Paul stated that though originally they belong to Austric origin, they are now a mixture of the Austric and Bodo, with the latter as the predominant strain.[9]
There original homeland is in the Mountain Peaks. They named the peaks after their gods- Hemphu, Mukhrang and Rasinza. For them Hemphu is the supreme god, who creates man from his own flash, where as- Murilokpo and Kuriokpi were the first human beings on the earth.[10]
It has therefore stated by Stack E. and Lyall C. as- “The name Mikir is that given to the race by the Assamese; its origin is unknown.”[2] Assamese ‘historians’ like Gunabhiram Baruah chose to create a ‘Mikir’ out of the Sanskrit ‘Markat’ (meaning ‘eater of raw flesh’) just as the ‘Naga’ tribes were almost identified to be the snake-worshipping ‘Nagas’ of ‘Upper India’ between whom there was neither cultural nor historical relations or similarities.[3] Though it is tough to undermine the meaning of the term, it may have originated form the term- Mi- kiri, which means, hills tribe.[4]
INHABITATION: They are found inhabit in the Karbi Anglong District mainly. Nevertheless some of the Karbi pockets are found in the North Cachar Hills, Kamrup, Pragjoytishpur, Nagaon, Golaghat, Jorhat and Sonitpur districts also.[5] Some of them are still inhabits in the Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya. Besides they are reported to settle in quiet a good numbers in Manipur and Nagaland and foot hills of lower Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh.[6] Thus they inhabits in both plains and hills.[7]
RACIAL AFFINITY, ORIGINAL HOME AND MIGRATION: Racially they belong to the Mongoloid group and linguistically they belong to the Tibeto- Burman group.[8] There have hardly been any historical traits of immigration of Karbis to Assam. The Karbis were among the earliest inhabitants of Assam, so much so that Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha, a noted cultural personality and freedom fighter from Assam has called them the Discoverer of Assam. It has been believe that the Karbis along with others entered Assam from Central Asia in one of the waves of migration. While Gemini Paul stated that though originally they belong to Austric origin, they are now a mixture of the Austric and Bodo, with the latter as the predominant strain.[9]
There original homeland is in the Mountain Peaks. They named the peaks after their gods- Hemphu, Mukhrang and Rasinza. For them Hemphu is the supreme god, who creates man from his own flash, where as- Murilokpo and Kuriokpi were the first human beings on the earth.[10]
REFERENCES:
[1] SINGH K.S., “People of India: Assam” Vol. - XV, Part- 1, Page- 373.
[2] Stack E. and Lyall C., “The Mikirs” (Reprint), Guwahati, Page- 3.
[3] Phangcho Morningkeey, Mikir: Tracing the genesis of the term, October7 – 2007.
[4] N.K.Dutta, Gazetteer of India: Assam State, Govt. of Assam, 1979, page- 45.
[5] Bordoloi B. N., Thakur Sarmah G. C. and Saikia M.C., “Tribes of ASSAM”, Part- 1, 1987, Page- 52.
[6] Bhuyan B.C., “Political Development of North East”, vol. - 1, 1989, Page- 69.
[7] SINGH K.S., “People of India: Assam” Vol. - XV, Part- 1, Page- 373.
[8] Bordoloi B. N. and Chomangkan, “The Death Ceremony Observed by the Karbis”, Guwahati, 1982, Preface.
[9] SINGH K.S., “People of India: Assam” Vol. - XV, Part- 1, Page- 374.
[10] Ibid.
[1] SINGH K.S., “People of India: Assam” Vol. - XV, Part- 1, Page- 373.
[2] Stack E. and Lyall C., “The Mikirs” (Reprint), Guwahati, Page- 3.
[3] Phangcho Morningkeey, Mikir: Tracing the genesis of the term, October7 – 2007.
[4] N.K.Dutta, Gazetteer of India: Assam State, Govt. of Assam, 1979, page- 45.
[5] Bordoloi B. N., Thakur Sarmah G. C. and Saikia M.C., “Tribes of ASSAM”, Part- 1, 1987, Page- 52.
[6] Bhuyan B.C., “Political Development of North East”, vol. - 1, 1989, Page- 69.
[7] SINGH K.S., “People of India: Assam” Vol. - XV, Part- 1, Page- 373.
[8] Bordoloi B. N. and Chomangkan, “The Death Ceremony Observed by the Karbis”, Guwahati, 1982, Preface.
[9] SINGH K.S., “People of India: Assam” Vol. - XV, Part- 1, Page- 374.
[10] Ibid.
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