Garo (tribe)

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The Garos are a tribe in Meghalaya, India, and greater Mymensingh, Bangladesh, who call themselves Achik-mande (literally "hill people," from achik "hill" + mande "people") or simply Achik or Mande.[1] They are the second-largest tribe in Meghalaya after the Khasi and comprise about a third of the local population. The majority of Garos are Christians. There are a large number of Baptists (Garo Baptist Convention, GBC) and Roman Catholics. There is also a sprinkling of Seventh-day Adventists, Anglicans and others belonging to some new denominations. Much like the Mizos, there were very few Garos who still follow their traditional Animist-Hindu beliefs.

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[edit] Geographical distribution

They are mainly distributed over the Kamrup, Goalpara and Karbi Anglong Districts of Assam, Garo Hills in Meghalaya, and substantial numbers, about 200,000 are found in greater Mymensingh (Tangail, Jamalpur, Sherpore,Netrakona) and Gazipur, Rangpur, Sunamgonj, Sylhet, Moulovibazar district of Bangladesh.

There are also Garo in the state of Tripura. They numbered 5,559 in 1971.[2]

[edit] Language

The Garo language belongs to the Bodo branch of the Bodo-Naga-Kachin family of the Sino-Tibetan phylum. As the Garo language is not traditionally written down, customs, traditions, and beliefs are handed down orally.

[edit] Historical accounts

According to one such oral tradition, the Garos first came to Meghalaya from Tibet about 400 years ago, crossing the Brahmaputra River and tentatively settling in the river valley. It is said that they were later driven up into the hills by other groups in and around the Brahmaputra River. Various records of the tribe by invading Mughal armies and by British observers in what is now Bangladesh wrote of the brutality of the people.

The earliest written records about the Garo dates from around 1800. They "...were looked upon as bloodthirsty savages, who inhabited a tract of hills covered with almost impenetrable jungle, the climate of which was considered so deadly as to make it impossible for a white man to live there" (Playfair 1909: 76-77). The Garo had the reputation of being headhunters.

In December 1872, the British sent out battalions to Garo Hills to establish their control in the region. The attack was conducted from three sides – south, east and west. The Garo warriors confronted them at Rongrenggiri with their spears, swords and shields. The battle that ensured was unmatched, as the Garos did not have guns or mortars like the British Army.

Togan Sangma, a young man was in command of the valiant Garo warriors. He fell fighting with unmatched heroism and courage in December 1872.

[edit] Culture

The Garos are one of the few remaining matrilineal societies in the world. The individuals take their clan titles from their mothers. The youngest daughter (nokna) inherits the property from her mother. Sons leave the parents' house at puberty, and are trained in the village bachelor dormitory (nokpante). After getting married, the man lives in his wife's house.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Official Homepage of Meghalaya State of India
  2. ^ Gan-Chaudhuri, Jagadis. Tripura: The Land and its People. (Delhi: Leeladevi Publications, 1980) p. 10

[edit] External links

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