Tiwa people (India)
Total population | |
---|---|
371,000 appox.[1] (2011 Census) | |
Regions with significant populations | |
India (Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh
Kachari |
The Tiwa people (তিৱা / tiwa), are a
A striking peculiarity of the Tiwa is their division into two sub-groups, Hill Tiwa and Plains Tiwas, displaying contrasting cultural features.[2] The founder of Tiwa community is Pha Poroi “Indrosing Dewri” who has contributed a lot to the construction of Tiwa society. He also wrote the Tiwa national anthem called - O Angé Tiwa Tosima.
Etymology
They were known as Lalungs/Lalong/Laleng in the Assamese Buranjis and in Colonial literature[3][4] and in the Constitution of India, though members of the group prefer to call themselves Tiwa (meaning "the people who were lifted from below"). Some of their neighbours still call them Lalung.[5]
Origin
According to
This is moreover supported by the folklore of the Tiwa people who believe that they migrated a long time back from their homeland which was situated in the eastern part of undivided
.However, some other experts believe that there has been no scientific evidence to support the claim that the Tiwas are related to the Pator-goya clan, which prompted a section of the Deoris to begin a search. A preliminary investigation from 30 September to 5 October under the aegis of Jimachaya Giyan Aru Juktibadi Samaj has given a positive indication of the presence of Deori people in Kachin province and near Yangon in Myanmar. A team of researchers has decided to visit Myanmar, hoping to find out the lost clan.[web 1]
Researchers like Robert Shafer, George Greirson and Dr. Suniti Chatterjee have all placed the Tiwa, Kokborok and the Deori language as belonging to a single family under Kachari languages. In the Assam Census report of 1881, Wadell made a significant proposition about the Tiwas, "The Lalungs got mixed up with the Garos and the Mikirs. They have numerous exogamous clans". This could be one of the reasons as to why the Ahom chroniclers could not differentiate between the Tiwas and the other ethnic groups of the hills, and the reason why the Tiwas developed a unique culture of their own retaining old customs from their homeland as well as getting influenced from the Karbis and Garos.
Medieval Period
The Buranjis (Assamese chronicles) recount the meeting of Assamese soldiers with "people of the margins"(datiyaliya) and the settlement of 12 families of Lalung and Mikir, i.e. Tiwas and Karbis, in the plains in the 17th century.[6] Tiwa people are closely associated with the principality of Kobâ (Gobha).[7] The Kobâ rajâ (Gobha raja) belongs to a Tiwa clan and his territory covers more or less the Tiwa cultural realm. Kobâ (Gobha) is mentioned in the Buranjis since the early 18th century, as an important market for the trade between Tiwa (Lalung) Kingdom of greater Assam, and the Jaintia Kingdom.[8] These two powerful neighbors have since been competing to keep Kobâ (Gobha) principality under their authority, with varying success. The historical role of Kobâ (Gobha) and the Tiwas as mediators between plains and hills in Central Assam is enacted every year during an old fair, the Jonbeel Mela (Chunbîl Melâ).
The Tiwas were under the
The Gobha chief who became vassal of the Ahoms during the reign
.Hill Tiwas
The Hill Tiwas live in the westernmost areas of "The Ancient Lalung - Tiwa Hills" now known as
Plains Tiwas
Plains Tiwas live on the flatlands of the Southern bank of the Brahmaputra valley, The following places below are the areas mostly in
districts. They speak speak Assamese as their mother tongue. Their descent system is definitely patrilineal. Their patronymics are not derived from their clan's names but are common Assamese surname-names instead (mostly Lalung, Pator, Senapati, Manta, Dekaraja, Dewraja, Bordoloi, Konwar, Doloi, Kakoti, Deka, Dewri, Deuri, Deory, Deori, Bhuyan, etc.). Their religion shares many elements with Assamese Hinduism but remains specific. And plains Tiwa's sang "Godalboriya Geet", plains Tiwa's folk songs sang in Assamese & Tiwa mixed.Tiwa Language
Tiwa is spoken in northwestern Karbi Anglong district and further north in parts of Morigaon District / Nagaon District in the plains of Assam. There is a cluster of Tiwa villages in the northeastern Ri-Bhoi District of Meghalaya. For want of precise knowledge, it is difficult to speak of strictly delimited Tiwa dialects. On the one hand, Tiwa, probably with the exception of the variety of Tiwa spoken near Sonapur in Assam, is a single language, any of its dialects being mutually intelligible with any other. Like most languages of the hill tribes of the Northeast India, Tiwa people do not have their own script. Therefore, they use the Latin script and occasionally use Assamese script.
Tiwa Clan System
The Tiwa community is divided into several Phoit (Wali) and Dilok (divided into exogamous clans and again the clans are sub-divided into many sub-clans) Example - Amsai wali, Marjong wali, Magro, Sagra, Mayong, Lingra, Lumphui, Amkha, Amlera, Amni baro, Amnisa, Rongkhoi baro, Rongkhoisa etc. TheWali or Phoits have their own Loro. The Loro (priest) is the Governor of the 12 Phoits or Wali kingdoms. Now in every Phoits there is a Sat Phuni, Baro Phuni called Khul,Pongos, Khel, Mahar, and Warang. Tiwa have various Khuls, they can marry with other Khul but not with Pongos, Khel, and Warang (means that they are allowed to marry people from other clans). A single khul consists of several Khel Mahar. In every Khul there are different Khel called Warang.
- Note: Khul = Clan,
- (i) Pongos,
- (a) Khel, Warang
The Tiwa clans cooperate with one another as a community, whether constructing a house, harvesting rice, or worshiping. Every clan has its own place of community worship where there is a titular for the clan's god.
Number | Clans |
---|---|
1 | Agari |
2 | Amphi |
3 | Amphili |
4 | Amchi/Amsi |
5 | Amchong/Amsong |
6 | Aphi |
7 | Agar |
8 | Amji |
9 | Akawang |
10 | Anchong/Ansong |
11 | Buma/Puma |
12 | Borong |
13 | Chagra/Sagra |
14 | Cholong/Solong |
15 | Chomsol/Somsol |
16 | Chongrang/Songrang |
17 | Chomchong/Somsong |
18 | Chomcha/Somsa |
19 | Chongcha/Songsa |
20 | Chanchor/Sansor |
21 | Cholo/Solo |
22 | Darang |
23 | Darphang |
24 | Daphor |
25 | Dakhor |
26 | Datrang |
27 | Dongkhoi |
28 | Damo |
29 | Dumura |
30 | Hukai |
31 | Khorai/Kharai |
32 | Kholar |
33 | Khajar/Khachar/Khasar |
34 | Karkha |
35 | Kharal |
36 | Khamli |
37 | Khonjai |
38 | Kocho/Koso |
39 | Lumphoi |
40 | Ladur |
41 | Laram/Lara |
42 | Lupu |
43 | Madar/Mathar |
44 | Madur |
45 | Magor |
46 | Marjong |
47 | Malang/Melang |
48 | Machlai/Maslai |
49 | Markang |
50 | Machereng/Masereng |
51 | Mithi |
52 | Maloi |
53 | Muni |
54 | Mathlai |
55 | Mothrong/Mosorong |
56 | Phangchong/Pamchong/Phangsong/Phamsong |
57 | Pulu |
58 | Puru/Pu |
59 | Radu |
60 | Rongkhoi |
61 | Taram |
Tiwa Festivals
Festivals constitute a significant part of the culture of the Tiwa people. There are many festivals of Tiwa people. Tiwa people celebrate several occasions and festivals. The main festivals of the Tiwa
In the festivals, the Tiwa communities sing two types of songs. These are:
- Lo Ho La Hai - songs of the ceremony of name-giving, wedding, and harvesting, etc.
- Lali Hilali Lai– song of the marriage ceremony, Karam, and similar festivals.
- Songs and dances are the living spirits of the Tiwa community; the Tiwa people is considered to have one of the richest reservoirs of folk songs and dances in the state of Assam and Meghalaya.
Population
Tiwa population in India is 371,000 approx. (2011 census). But according to the 2001 Census reports 161,000 approx. "Tiwas/Lalungs"; this figure comprises only the Plains Tiwas. As they became a Scheduled Tribe after the 2001 Census, the Hill Tiwas were not taken into account. Their population may be estimated at 10,000 approx. The total number of Tiwa speakers amounts only to 34,800 approx. (2011 Census).
Tiwa Autonomous Council (Tiwashong)
Tiwa people have an autonomous council consisting of 36 seats for their special representation in Assam. The last election was held in 2020.[web 2][web 3]
Government (35)
Bharatiya Janata Party: 33
Asom Gana Parishad: 2
Opposition (1)
Indian National Congress: 1
Official status
Tiwas, under the denomination of "Lalung", have been recorded as a
See also
- Tiwa Tribe
- History of Tiwa Autonomy Movement
- Jonbeel Mela
- Tiwa Youth Association (TYA)
- The Wild Lalungs
- Tiwa language (India)
- Sogra Festival
- Deo Langkhui
- Wanshuwa Festival
- Shikdamakha
- Tiwa Autonomous Council (Tiwashong)
- Tiwa musical instrument
- Tiwa-English Dictionary
Notes
- ^ "A-11 Individual Scheduled Tribe Primary Census Abstract Data and its Appendix". www.censusindia.gov.in. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
- ^ "Many Tiwas account for the cultural dichotomy between hill Tiwas and plains Tiwas in terms of an acculturation to the Assamese dominated plain culture"(Ramirez 2014:20)
- ^ Bhuyan S.K. (ed.) Deodhai Asam Buranji. Gauhati: DHAS, 1932.
- ^ Hunter W. A statistical account of Assam. London: Trubner, 1879.
- ^ "(T)he Tiwas, called Lalungs by their neighbours"(Ramirez 2014:19)
- ^ Bhuyan S.K. (ed.) Deodhai Asam Buranji. Gauhati: DHAS, 1932.
- ^ (Ramirez 2014, p. 23)
- ^ Bhuyan S.K. (ed.) Deodhai Asam Buranji. Gauhati: DHAS, 1932; p.35.
- ^ (Gogoi 1994:248–49)
- ^ Ramirez, Philippe, People of the Margins, Spectrum, 2014
References
Printed sources
- Ramirez, Philippe (2014). People of the Margins - Across Ethnic Boundaries in Northeast India. Spectrum Publications.
- Dalton, Edward Tuite (1872). Descriptive Ethnology of Bengal. Office of the superintendent of government printing.
- Gogoi, Nityananda (1994), Historical Geography of Medieval Assam, EBH Publishers (India)
- Jacquesson, François (2008), "Discovering Boro-Garo: History of an analytical and descriptive linguistic category", European Bulletin of Himalayan Research, 32
Web-sources
- ^ Talukdar, Sushanta (9 October 2014). "To Myanmar, in search of a lost clan of the Deoris tribe of Assam". The Hindu.
- ^ "Tiwa autonomous council elections: Tiwa Autonomous Council: BJP wins 16 seats, leading in many others | Guwahati News - Times of India". The Times of India.
- ^ "Tiwa Autonomous Council: BJP Registers Landslide Victory".