From Theravada to Mahayana Buddhism<\/strong><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nSingpho<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Singpho are a tribe inhabiting India, China and Myanmar. In India they reside in the district of Lohit and Changlang in Arunachal Pradesh and in Assam they inhabit the district of Tinsukia and some districts of Sivasagar, Jorhat and Golaghat. The Singpho are the same people as those called the Kachin in Burma and the Jingpo in China. They speak the Singpho dialect of the Jingpo language. Like the Khampti, the Singpho are mainly Theravada Buddhist by religion. Animism is also widely followed in this community. Unlike most hill-people, shifting or jhum cultivation is not as widely practiced by the Singphos, although tea is widely planted. Singphos were the ones who gave British the idea of tea. The Singpho produce their tea by plucking the tender leaves and drying them in the sun and exposing to the night dew for three days and nights. The leaves are then placed in the hollow tube of a bamboo, and the cylinder will be exposed to the smoke of the fire. In this way, their tea can be kept for years without losing its flavor. The Singpho also depended on yams and other edible tubers as their staple food. Singpho dwellings are usually two stories and built out of wood and bamboo. The houses are of oval form; the first floor serves as a storage and stable while the second is utilized as living quarters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kuki<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Kukis, also known as the Chin and sometimes as the Zomi are Tibeto-Burman tribal peoples spread throughout the northeastern states of India, northwestern Burma and the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. In Northeast India, they are present in all states except Arunachal Pradesh. Long ignored by the outside world, an important landmark in the history of the Kuki people was the arrival of missionaries and the spread of Christianity among the Kukis. Missionary activity had considerable social, cultural and political ramifications. The acceptance of Christianity marked a departure from ancestral customs and traditions. The spread of English education introduced the Kuki People to the modern era.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Khelma<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Khelma or Khelma Sakachep are one of the old Kuki tribes of Northeastern parts of India. They mainly inhabit the areas of Assam\u2019s Dima Hasao, Cachar and Karbi Anglong districts. Some live in Jaintia hills in Meghalaya and the Peren district in Nagaland. Their lifestyle and habitat closely resemble the other tribes of the Chin, Kuki or Mizo Community. They are entirely dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. The Sakachep celebrate different festivals which are connected with the worshiping of different gods and goddess during the year. Rubu-khat, Parsem, Inmuthung and Rubuthum are such festivals. Rubuthum is the most important of all the ceremonies during which they worship nature. It is believed that one has to perform the ceremony to bring peace in the family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tea\u2013Tribe<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Tea-tribes, also called Adivasi, are the tribal people who were brought into Assam by the British colonial planters as indentured labourers from the Chhota Nagpur Plateau region during the British raj. They live in almost every district of Assam but their density varies according to the number of tea plantations in different regions of Assam. Major tribes among them are the Munda tribe followed by Santhals, Kurukh, Gonds, Kharia, Saora, Bhumij, Kui Kanda, Chik Baraik, and Gowalas. Tantis, Kurmis, Karmakar, Telis and other castes are also present among them. Music is an important component of this community and is usually collectively performed for a variety of occasions like weddings, festivals, arrival of seasons, ushering-in of new life, and harvests. Through folk music and dance, they try to convey their perspective on social issues and define their daily life styles and their history. In some dance forms, martial arts are displayed to convey their age-old rebellion against the British. Jhumur dance is a famous folk dance form of this community through which they are identified within Assam. Apart from Jhumur, they also possess other numerous dance forms like Santhali dance, Chhau dance, Karam naach, and Sambalpuria dance which are performed during different occasions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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