Articles - The Garos of Bangladesh

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Articles
The Garos of Bangladesh
The story of Zakia
The story of Khadija
The business of the shrimps in Bangladesh
The geon Health foundation
Hijras. The third gender
Muslim weddings in Bangladesh
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Page 2 of 8

THE GAROS OF BANGLADESH

Bangladesh, like India, is inhabited by many different ethnic groups.

While in India they have more rights and a better status, in Bangladesh
they must struggle with the dominant culture and the narrowness of
the territory of the new and young country. These ethnic groups live on
both social and physical boundaries of the nation. Their population was

estimated

at

1.2

million

according

to

1991

census.

The adibashi (old people) as they are called in Bangladesh, are

distributed within the territory according to a survey of 1997[1]:

North: Santal, Oraon,

Munda,
North

Pahari,
East

Khasi,

Koch.
Manipuri,

Tipper.

Chittagong
North

Hills:

Center:

Chakma,
Garo,

Marma,

Hodi,

Tipper,

Dalu,

Tonchongya.

Banai,

Hajong.

Having recently had the opportunity to spend two weeks with the Garo
in Mymensingh area, in this article I will write exclusively about them. I
have to thank the Spanish xaverian Father Benjamin, for having gave
me some books difficult to find, and without which I could not
investigate the issue.

The Garo, or Mandi (human beings in their own language) as they call
each other and prefer to be called, are divided into several ethnic
groups: Chibok, Abeng, Babul, Dual, Samon, Brak, Chocin, Atong and
Megami.
These groups differs on small variations in the traditions and khushuk
(dialect), but everything is supposed to belong to a single ethnic matrixstyle Assamese-Tibetan, a supposition confirmed by the membership at
the same linguistic group known as Bodo. These populations, by similar
physical traits as Burmese or Philippines, are therefore not strictly
native, but came down from the mountains to the north of Bangladesh
several

centuries

ago.

The Mandi, according to a statistic on 1991, were approximately

64,300,

number

that

is

supposed

to

increase

by

years.

Who were the Mandi? In order to understand this question, maybe is

necessary to investigate their past, a past free from contact with
other groups. As for the rest of the tribal groups in Bangladesh,
contact with foreigners has led to a radical process that in
anthropology is called acculturation, that is, the change due to
contact with other cultures (this can be done peacefully or violently as
a result of colonialism). Before investigating the phenomenon of
acculturation and see how the Mandis dealt the change brought by the
English and mainly Christian groups, we focus on those aspects, peculiar
to

their

culture,

that

are

largely

lost.

The constant
that still distinguishes Mandis from other tribal groups in Bangladesh is
the matrilineal descent and matrilocal residence: inheritance and titles
pass through women. In the past it was a common practice that the
family of the bride chooses her husband and, after having agreed with
the boy's parents, he was the victim of a practice called "capture of
the bridegroom." The boys, consenting or not, had to play this practice
that eventually turned into a veritable manhunt. However, at the end of
the hunt, the boy was always brought in the home of the bride's family,
with which he had to consummate the first night of marriage in front
of

her

family,

who

controlled

him

for

not

escaping.

The same night, while everyone was asleep, the potential husband who
didnt want to marry had the opportunity to escape, thus annulling the

marriage imposed, without fear of any repercussion. The chosen ones,

also could be captured several times after the first escape from the
girl's bed. In most of the cases, however, marriages were concluded in
the

manner

hoped

by

her

family.

A man could have more than one wife. This was done in special cases
such as the death of her husband's mother-in-law. In these cases
frequently happened that the son was forced to marry the widow and
thus continue to carry on the name of the lineage of the family with
which

he

had

already

committed.

Marriages between kinship groups are strictly exogamous (marriage

outside of their family group) and there are two main lineages: Sangma
and Marak. These two major lineages are further subdivided into many
other sub-groups (chisim, row, toju, noknek etc..). Often, after his name
follows the lineage name, for example Nokrek, and then Marak. In the
past, marriages between the same group were prohibited , for example
Sangma-Sangma, they are called madong (or "married to their mother"),
while marriages between subgroups, such as noknek are still stymied. In
most marriages today, however, most of the Mandis marriages are
between

the

opposite

exogamous

group.

During our journey through the lands of the Mandis, we were amazed to
hear that the number of disabled people was dramatically lower than

the national average. We can attribute this factor to the strong control
and the exogamous marriages rules for the handicapped. These
standards are often not observed in Bangladesh and the number of
genetic

inherited

defects

is

very

high.

A matrilineal descent, as the Mandi one, mustnt let thinks about a

matriarchal society (historically never proved), or a government and a
female power. The various groups were organized and controlled by the
family nokma (enlarged heads of households), who oversaw weddings
and lineages. The nokmas gathered in a house where the villages
decisions were made, the nokmandi. At these meetings could also
participate women, who maintained a position lagging behind the heads
of households, but which were allowed to take part in the discussions.
The duties of men and women were not well defined and the society
could still be fairly equal in gender issues for a Western eye, especially
compared

to

the

condition

of

women

in

Bangladesh.

Among Mandis, there is no pollution of sexual taboos related to

impurity women as in monotheistic religions, and so frequent in other
Asian societies. In addition, before the arrival of Christians and
Bengali, Mandis didnt know women's modesty of Christian or Muslim.
Currently, the Mandi women dress in the Bengalis manner, but not
exactly according to the purdah (rules of conduct written in the Koran).

The dress typically Bengali, "three pieces", is composed of three pieces

covering legs, torso and orna (that covers the chest and is also used as
a veil). Instead, Mandi women are limited in using two pieces instead of
three:
The

they
men

went

dont
hunting,

wear
war,

the

orna.

chopping

wood,

butchering

the

meat, while the women cooking, looking at children, collecting firewood

in the woods and took care of the fields with men. Nevertheless, the
roles were not stiff and formal: it happened that during the holiday
were the men and women to cook for the celebration of rituals. During
our visit to the Mandi schools, the women were present at the meeting

and spoke freely and forcefully. Some teachers have also been drinking
rice beer with us. The rice beer and eating pigs are the distinctive
culinary traits of this ethnic group. These practices are tolerated by
Muslim neighbors, that have been confessed to us, sometimes they
secretly go to the Mandi villages to buy few bottles of fermented rice.
Before discussing the historical changes due to contact with foreigners
is still good to consider some other aspects noted by early British
scholars arrived in the mid-nineteenth century[2]. Mandis are
described as a savage people and "headhunter". The villages were living
in a constant state of fear due to the aggressiveness of neighboring
villages looted and killed to make slaves and collecting heads which were
then sold to the market, kept as war trophies, hanging out of their
homes, or burned along with the corpses as hope for a safe journey in
the afterlife, which, as we shall see, was not so otherworldly.

The
corpses, in fact, were burned, but the spirit of the dead, retired on a
high mountain that we saw during our trip, called by the locals
Chikmang. The Mandis cosmological system is called sangsarek.
Originally the world was composed entirely of water. The supreme god,
Tatara Rabugh, so he decided to send two other deities who managed to
create the life, the sun, the moon. There are many gods and spirits in
Mandi religion, which can be described as animist. Often, people who
still believe in the old religion, they appeal to medicine doctors called

kamals and sacrifice animals to appease the wrath of a mite, a spirit

that occasionally bites the victim, making her\him sick. For each mite
match symptoms of the disease and precise sacrificing animals once
recognized the author of the illness. The animals are sacrificed in the

occasion of many festivities and to many gods, including, most

importantly, the harvest. Another important festival takes its name

Wangala, which coincides with the onset of cold weather. The party
went on for several days and saw plenty of food, decorations, dress,
swords of war and headhunting. The unmarried men and women danced
together day and night. It even seems that unmarried people of both
sexes would attend the houses where sexual relations were not
prohibited[3].
The Sangsareks do not believe in witchcraft, but they believe that
some people have the ability to morph into a tiger and that the spirits
of the dead can come back to haunt the living people. They also believe
in reincarnation: if during the life you are a good person, then you
return

to

earth

as

man,

if

not

as

an

animal.

Starting in 1850 with the arrival of the British colonialism the Mandis
have had to abandon several violent practices as the "headhunting". One
hundred years later, in 1950, nobody had more memory of this custom.
Our guide also mentioned that a common practice before the arrival of
the British was the cannibalism (not specified whether ritual or less).
The hint was vague and we could not prove its truthfulness.
It is believed that up to then Mandis culture remained largely intact
and genuine, as well defended against attacks coming from the valley.

Their natural protective shield consisted of diseases like malaria to

which

they

were

immune.

Together with the British, arrived also the first religious orders,
including, first and foremost, the evangelist group of Baptist. In 1863
they recorded the first converts and they built in Birisiri the first
Baptist community that next will have one hundred years. These
changes make strict lifestyle of Mandis, and prohibiting the novices
followers in renouncing their major ethnic brands: singing, drumming,
festivals, animal sacrifices, rice beer, pork, polygamy, cremation of
dead

bodies,

etc..

This dramatic change has not reached a large scale until the arrival of
the Catholics, who arrived in 1912 and they soon converted 90% of the
Mandi (it is believed that there is still a small sangsarek minority). The
almost complete conversion of this race was definitely one of the
greatest successes of Asian Christianity. Negligible having to cite the
factors

that

led

to

this

change

of

masses

faith.

Catholics have maintained a more tolerant line than Baptists in respect

of the ancient local traditions, allowing them to use the drums during
Christian

ceremonies,

eating

pork

and

drinking

rice

beer.

Among the Mandis, as we said, there are different dialects. The

khushuk of abeng has become the spoken one and understood by

everybody. Upon arrival of the British, Mandi had any form of writing.
The Christians thought to transliterated their language in Latin
characters. At the time of the British, moreover, were not bilingual as
they are now (in school the language of instruction is Bengali and the
Mandi

is

the

language

of

intimacy

and

familiar).

Many Bangladeshis terms have come to be part of the vocabulary

including definitions concerning rice and conceptions of time (day of the
week, months, years and even numbers, although these also exist in the
language Mandi). This suggests that Mandis had not a complex
organization of the time, but their vocabulary is full of terms about the
trees

and

animals.

Who are the Mandis? As we have said until now, many of the traits of
their own identity are lost. In 1964 there was an important turning
point that began to keep in contact Mandis and Bangladeshis. Many
refugees of the East Pakistan, were sent to the north of Mymensingh in
the areas of Mandis. Muslims settled in the Mandis villages, who
suffered violence and dispossession of land. They told us that, often
subtly, plots were sold at bargain prices from illiterates Mandis to
Bangladeshis, who, taking advantage of their inability to read and write,
cheated landowners in purchase contracts. Following these events a
Mandis riot broke out, which is called the "first rebellion."

In 1971, following the war of liberation from Pakistan, millions of

Hindus and other minorities found themselves forced to flee to India.
Mandi were involved in the liberation war on the side of the
Bangladeshis. This is known as "second uprising". Although not feel a
strong national identity, the Garo Hills were one of the theaters of
clashes between the two armies in what historically has been one of the
bloodiest

wars

of

liberation

in

human

history.

Although the two Mandis revolts, the first against the Bengalis and the
second against the Pakistanis, the existing relationships in the new
state are peaceful although still complicated by what we have been told.
Despite a current government Bengali minister is Mandi (also in India
there is one), there are still many prejudices against racist tribal, also
dictated by the incompatibility with the religious system of Muslims
(especially due to the taboo of rice beer and the pig) that sees them
frequently

marginalized

from

the

rest

of

society.

Today, the Mandis in search of fortune are leaving to Dhaka towards a

brighter future. Many work in factories of garments to earn a pittance
per month and to be exploited by their employers. Women are often
employed as domestic servants in the homes of rich Bengali (even
Mandi), where it can happen that they are victims of harassment and
abuse because facilitated by the loneliness and unfamiliarity with the

capital.
Some NGOs help mandis, especially those related to the Church as
World Vision, which despite having built many schools and subsidize
them, for instance, does not seem very present in the area, therefore
the
Who

projects
will

be

seem
the

left

Mandis?

The

to
Mandis

themselves.
villages

now

are struggling to
survive without the help of those who work in cities and, moreover, the
Mandis are not cut for business and trade. The alternative for them to
survive, is to find non-traditional and non-standard employment

(essentially unrelated to agriculture). New and old forms of slavery are

already present. A prediction of the coming year sees a progressive
weakening of their identities due to increasingly frequent contact with
diversity. The pull of the national attraction, from the magnet
increasingly powerful, could lead to oblivion their historical memory.
In this people only reside the ability to remember the past and control
the

future

Daniele Bagnaresi

by

analyzing

the

present.

Garo people
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Garo
Total population
2,000,000 (2001)
Regions with significant populations

India
Meghalaya
Assam
Tripura
West Bengal
Bangladesh
Dhaka Division
Sylhet Division

6,000

200,000

Languages
Garo
Religion
Christianity Sangsarik

For other uses, see Garo.

A Garo couple in traditional dress

The Garos are a tribal people in Meghalaya, India and neighboring areas of 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 Garos are one of the few remaining
matrilineal societies in the world. According to some anthropologist the Garos are originated
from the greater Mongoloid Nation.

Contents

1 Religion
2 Geographical distribution

3 Language

4 Historical accounts

5 Culture

6 Festivals

7 Music and dance

8 References

9 External links

Religion
Garos are mainly Christians,[2] although there are some rural pockets where the traditional
animist religion and traditions are still followed.
The Garo Tribal Religion: Beliefs And Practices
This book deals with the origin and migration of the Garos consisting of different tribal groups
who settled in Garo hills, their ancient animestic religious beliefs and practices, numerous
deities, which control their life and must be appeased with rituals, ceremonies and animal
sacrificies to ensure welfare of the tribe. Although dubious, the Garo tribal religion is popularly
known as sangsarik ( a word which possibly originates from Sanskrit root sangsar meaning
family). The Garo people refer to their original religion as "dakbewal" relating to their most
prominent cultural activities.

Geographical distribution
The Garos 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, Mymensingh) and Gazipur, Rangpur,
Sunamgonj, Sylhet, Moulovibazar district of Bangladesh. It is estimated that total Garo
population in India and Bangladesh together were about 2 million in 2001.
Garos are also found scattered in the state of Tripura. The recorded Garo population was around
6,000 in 1971.[3] In a recent survey conducted by the newly revived Tripura Garo Union revealed
that the number of Garos have increased to about 15000, spreading to all the four districts of
Tripura.

Garos also form minority in Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling and Dinajpur of West Bengal.
As well as in Nagaland, the present generation of Garos forming minority do not speak the ethnic
language anymore.

Language
The Garo language belongs to the BodoGaro branch of the Tibeto-Burman language family. As
the Garo language is not traditionally written down, customs, traditions, and beliefs are handed
down orally. It is also believed that the written language was lost in its transit to the present Garo
Hills.
Garo language has different dialects, viz- Abeng or Ambeng, Matabeng, Atong, Megam,
Matchi, Dual [Matchi-Dual]Ruga, Chibok, Chisak, Gara, Ganching [Gara-Ganching] Awe etc.
In Bangladesh Abeng is the usual dialect, but Achik is used more in India. Awe has become the
standard dialect of the Garos. Awe is used in Garo literature and hence for the translation of the
Bible. The Garo language has some similarities with Boro-Kachari, Rava, Dimasa and KokBorok languages.
However, the modern official language in schools and government offices is English and the
modern generation is more inclined towards English.

Historical accounts

A Garo woman, 1912

According to one such oral tradition, the Garos first immigrated to Garo Hills from Tibet
(referred to as Tibotgre) around 400 BC under the leadership of Jappa Jalimpa, 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 ethnic groups in and around the Brahmaputra River till they finally
settled the erstwhile uninhabited Garo Hills. 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 fierce headhunters, the social
status of a man being decided by the number of heads he owned.
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
(matgriks) confronted them at Rongrenggre with their spears, swords and shields. The battle that
ensued was heavily unmatched, as the Garos did not have guns or mortars like the British Army.
Togan Nengminja, a young matgrik, was in command of the valiant Garo warriors. He fell
fighting with unmatched heroism and courage in December 1872.
Later, a Garo patriot and statesman Sonaram R Sangma also fought against the British and tried
to unify the contiguous Garo inhabited areas.

Culture
The Garos are one of the few remaining matrilineal societies in the world. The individuals take
their clan titles from their mothers. Traditionally, the youngest daughter (nokmechik) 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. Garos
are only a matrilinear society, but not matriarchal. While property of Garo's is owned by the
women, the men folk govern the society and domestic affairs and manage the property. This
gives a solid security to the Garo women folk. Garo also have their traditional names.[4]
However, the culture of modern Garo community has been greatly influenced by Christianity.
Nokpantes are glory of the past and all children are given equal care, rights and importance by
the modern parents.

A Garo woman with traditional ornaments

Ornaments: Both men and women enjoy adorning themselves with varieties of ornaments.
These ornaments are:

Nadongbi or sisa made of a brass ring worn in the lobe of the ear.
Nadirong brass ring worn in the upper part of the ear

Natapsi string of beads worn in the upper part of the ear

Jaksan Bangles of different materials and sizes

Ripok Necklaces made of long barrel shaped beads of cornelian or red glass while some
are made out of brass or silver and are worn in special occasions.

Jaksil elbow ring worn by rich men on Gana Ceremonies

Penta small piece of ivory struck into the upper part of the ear projecting upwards
parallel to the side of the head

Sengki Waistband consisting of several rows of conch-shells worn by womenPilne

head ornament worn during the dances only by the women

Weapons: Garos have their own weapons. One of the principal weapons is a two-edged sword
called milam made of one piece of iron from hilt to point. There is a cross-bar between the hilt
and the blade where attached a bunch of oxs tail-hair. Other types of weapons are shields, spear,
bows and arrows, axes, daggers etc.

Food and drink: The staple cereal food is rice. They also eat millet, maize, tapioca etc. Garos
are very liberal in their food habits. They rear goats, pigs, fowls, ducks etc. and relish their meat.
They also eat other wild animal like deer, bison, wild pigs etc. Fish, prawns, crabs, eels and dry
fish also are a part of their food. Their jhum fields and the forests provide them with a number of
vegetables and root for their curry but bamboo shoots are esteemed as a delicacy. They use a
kind of potash in curries, which they obtained by burning dry pieces of plaintain stems or young
bamboos locally known as Kalchi or Katchi. After they are burnt, the ashes are collected and are
dipped in water and are strained in conical shaped in bamboo strainer. These days most of the
town people use soda from the market in place of this ash water. Apart from other drinks country
liquor plays an important role in the life of the Garos.
Garo Architecture: Generally one finds the similar type of arts and architecture in the whole of
Garo Hills. They normally use locally available building materials like timbers, bamboo, cane
and thatch. Garo architecture can be classified into following categories:
Nokmong: The house where every A'chik household can stay together. This house is built
in such a way that inside the house, there are provisions for sleeping, hearth, sanitary
arrangements, kitchen, water storage, place for fermenting wine, place for use as cattleshed or for stall-feeding the cow and the space between earthen floor and raised platform
for use as pigsty and in the back of the house, the raised platform serves as hencoop for
keeping fowl and for storing firewood, thus every need being fully provisioned for in one
house.
Nokpante: In the Garo habitation, the house where unmarried male youth or bachelors
live is called Nokpante. The word Nokpante means the house of bachelors. Nokpantes are
generally constructed in the front courtyard of the Nokma, the chief. The art of
cultivation, various arts and cultures, and different games are also taught in the Nokpante
to the young boys by the senior boys and elders.
Jamsireng: In certain areas, in the rice field or orchards, small huts are constructed. They
are called Jamsireng or Jamdap. Either the seasons fruits or grains are collected and
stored in the Jamsreng or it can be used for sleeping.
Jamadal: The small house, a type of miniature house, built in the jhum fields is called
Jamadal or field house. In certain places, where there is danger from wild animals, a
small house with ladder is constructed on the treetop. This is called Borang or house on
the treetop.

Festivals
The common and regular festivals are those connected with agricultural operations.
Greatest among Garo festivals is the Wangala, usually celebrated in October or November, is
thank-giving after harvest in which Saljong, the god who provides mankind with Natures
bounties and ensures their prosperity, is honored.
Other festivals: Galmak Goa, Agalmaka, etc.

Wangala of Asanang: There is a celebration of 100 drum festival in Asanang near Tura in
West Garo Hills, Meghalaya, India usually in the month of October or November.
Thousands of people especially the young people gather at Asanang and celebrate
Wangala with great joy. Beautiful Garo girls known as nomil and handsome young men
pante take part in 'Wangala' festivals. The 'pante's beat a kind of long drum called dama
in groups and play bamboo flute. The 'nomil's with colorful costume dance to the tune of
dama' 'and folk songs in a circle. Most of the folk songs depict ordinary garo life, God's
blessings, beauty of nature, day to day struggles, romance and human aspirations.
Christmas: Though Christmas is basically a religious celebration, in Garo Hills the month
of December is a great season of celebration. In the first week of December the town of
Tura and all other smaller towns are illuminated with lights and celebration goes till
about 10 January. The celebration is featured by worship, dance, merry-making, grand
feasts and social visits. People from all religions and sections take part in the Christmas
celebration.
Tallest Christmas Tree of the World: In December 2003 the tallest Christmas tree of the
world was erected at Dobasipara, Tura by the Baptist boys of Dobasipara. Its height was
119.3 feet, covered by BBC and widely broadcast on television. The tree was decorated
with 16,319 colored light bulbs; it took about 14 days to complete the decoration.
The annual winter festival AHAIA: The festival, conceptualised in 2008, is aimed to
promote and brand this part of the region as a popular tourist destination vis--vis giving
an opportunity for the regional people to showcase their skills and expertise. The threeday fest features a gala event with carnival, cultural show, food festival, rock concert,
wine festival, angling competition, ethnic wear competition, children's fancy dress, DJ
Nite, exhibitions, housie housie and other games. The entry forms for carnival and other
events are available at the Tourist Office, Tura.

Music and dance

Group songs may include Kudare sala, Hoa ringa, Injoka, Kore doka, Ajea, Doroa, Nanggorere
goserong, Dim dim chong dading chong, Serejing, Boel sala etc. Dance forms are Ajema Roa,
Mi Sua, Chambil Moa, Dokru Sua, Chame mikkang nia, Kambe Toa, Gaewang Roa,
Napsepgrika and many others.
The traditional Garo musical instruments can broadly be classified into four groups.[5]

Idiophones: Self-sounding and made of resonant materials Kakwa, Nanggilsi,

Guridomik, Kamaljakmora, all kinds of gongs, Rangkilding, Rangbong, Nogri etc.
Aerophone: Wind instruments, whose sound come from air vibrating inside a pipe when
is blown Adil, Singga, Sanai, Kal, Bolbijak, Illep or Illip, Olongna, Tarabeng,
Imbanggi, Akok or Dakok, Bangsi rori, Tilara or Taragaku, Bangsi mande, Otekra,
Wapepe or Wapek.
Chordophone: Stringed instrument Dotrong, Sarenda, Chigring or Bagring, Dimchrang
or Kimjim, Gongmima or Gonggina.

Membranophone: Which have skins or membranes stretched over a frame Ambeng

Dama, Chisak Dama, Atong Dama, Garaganching Dama, Ruga and Chibok Dama, DualMatchi Dama, Nagra, Kram etc