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Exploring Folklore of Karbi Tribe in Northeast India

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Exploring Folklore of Karbi Tribe in Northeast India

Anjana Engtipi
Research Scholar, Department of History, Assam University (Central University), Diphu Campus
Diphu, Karbi Anglong Assam-782462, India
Dr.Vulli Dhanaraju
Assistant Professor, Department of History, Assam University (Central University), Diphu Campus
Diphu, Karbi Anglong Assam-782462, India
Abstract
This paper explores the role of folklore and its significance in cultural discourse of Karbi tribe in
northeast India. Karbi tribe is one of the major ethnic groups in northeast India mainly in Karbi
Anglong district of Assam. Folklore is the creation of a group of people in particular geographical
area who has a common tradition, cultural, language, and livelihood. Folklore is playing an
important role in order to create collective behaviour. However, this has been changed in course of
time in history. However, it continues to be a vital part of the life. In this context this explores the
folk life of the Karbi people including the cultural history and customs of day to day life that are all
related to their folklore.

Keywords: Folklore of Karbis, Oral Literature, Material Culture, Social Folk Custom,
Performing Folk Arts

1. Introduction
Karbi tribe is one of the major ethnic groups in northeast India mainly in Karbi Anglong District of
Assam. It is accepted notion the academics discourse of northeast that Karbis are under Tibeto-
Burman linguistic family and the oldest inhabitants of Assam. These people were called by the non-
Karbis as ‘Mikirs’, but the recent Karbi scholars like to call themselves as ‘Arleng’ which denotes
‘men’ in Karbi language. It is indeed a hard task to find out where the Karbis came from and how
their identity is formed at present. Historiography is obscure regarding the origin of Karbis even
today. They did not settle in a single place for a long time. Largely, they were shifting cultivators.
Once farming of land started losing its productivity, they would leave it uncultivated and migrate to
other places. In the course of history, even their ancestors had forgotten their origins. However, a
few prominent personalities/oral narratives generated their past through memory and metaphor
from historical perspective, however, even these memories started getting distorted. However, in
the recent past, scholars from Karbi community have taken initiative to explore the memories and
metaphor which are available in oral narratives by deploying historical tools.

2. Concept of Folklore
Folklore is the body of expressive culture shared by a particular group of people. It encompasses
the traditions common to that culture or group. Folklorist Alan Dundes (1965) defines that “folklore
is an autobiographical ethnography. It is a people’s own description of themselves”. Folklorist,
Mazharul Islam (1985) defined folklore in a more democratic way. Even an individual creation can
become folklore over a period of time if it is based on shared experience of a community.

The word “folklore” is believed to have been coined in 1846 by William Thomas as a study
of antiquities Ajeet Cour (2011). Folklore is the oral literature of the simpler societies which is
perpetuated by the oral traditions. In the international encyclopaedia of the social sciences, the term
folklore has been defined as under: “Folklore means learning, it comprehends all knowledge that is
transmitted by word of mouth and all crafts and techniques that are learned by imitation or expel as
well as product of those age”. According to Mazharul Islam (1985), “folklore is the material that is
handed on by the tradition, either by word of mouth or by custom and practices. It may be folksong,

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folk tales, riddle, proverbs or other material preserved in words. It may be traditional tools and
physical objects like fences or knots, hot cross buns, or Easter egg; traditional ornamentation like
the walls of troy; or traditional symbols like swastika. It may be traditional procedure like throwing
salt over ones shoulder or knocking on wood. It may be traditional beliefs like the notion that elder
is good for the ailments of the eye. All of these are folklore”. (Cited in chapter%203.pdf)

One of the best known explanations of folklore is found in Alan Dundes (1965) brief essay,
What is Folklore? He disputes the notion that “folk” should be automatically identified with peasant
or rural groups, or with people from the past. He argues that contemporary urban people also have
folklore and suggests that rather than dying out, folklore is constantly being created and recreated to
suit new situations. He asserts that “folk can refer to "any group of people whatsoever who share at
least one common factor. It does not matter what the linking factor is-it could be a common
occupation, language, or religion-but what is important is that a group...have some traditions that it
calls its own”.
Richard M.Dorson (1972) has outlined four broad sectors of folklore and folk life studies
are given below:
1. Oral Literature
2. Material Culture
3. Social Folk Custom
4. Performing Folk Arts
Keeping in view of the above conceptual understanding of folklore especially classification of
folklore developed by Dorson this paper also classified Karbi folklore into four categories.

3. Karbi Folklore
3.1 Oral Literature
In the Karbi society oral literatures are rich in the mind of the people which have carried out from
generation to generation. In the traditional Karbi society, every occasion is a ritual and every ritual
is an occasion. And there are as many incantations or hymns as there are rituals. (Dharamsing
Teron, 2011). The oral literatures of the Karbis include folk tales, myth, legends, ballad, folk song
etc. These oral literatures of Karbi society form an important element of the Karbi folklore(Cited in
bitstream.pdf). According to N.Scott Momaday, an American Indian writer define “The oral
tradition is the process by which the myths, legends, tales, and the lore of a people are formulated,
communicated and preserved in language by words of mouth, as opposed to writing or, it is
collection of such thing”.(Cited in Temsula Ao, 2012)

3.1.1 Folktales: The folk tales are the form of an important genre in Karbi orality (Dharamsing
Teron, 2011). Folk tales are those narratives which are of chronologically subsequent observations
of man about life in general and about the life of nature around him (Temsula Ao, 2012). According
to Bascom, folktales are prose narratives which are regarded as fiction. They are not considered as
dogma or history, they may or may not have happen, and they are not to be taken seriously (Cited in
bitstream.pdf).
In the Karbi society folk tales form an important genre in Karbi orality. According to
Charles lyall (1908) the Mikirs are fond of telling stories, but the historical material which they
contain does not appear to be of very ancient date (Edward Stack & Charles Lyall, 1908).
According to Smith Thompson, “oral art of tale telling’ ‘is far older than history, and it is not

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bounded by one continent or one civilization. Stories may differ in subject from one place to place,
the conditions and purpose of tale telling may change as we move from land to land or from century
to century, and yet everywhere it ministers to the same basis social and individual needs. The call
for entertainment to fill in the hours of leisure has found most people very limited in their resources,
and except where modern urban civilization has penetrated deeply they have found the telling
stories one of the most satisfying of pastimes”. (Cited in Dharamsing Teron, 2011). The Karbi life
of yore comes alive in the folk-tales which include the stories of Voraju (Drongo bird) how the
drongo got its racket tail. Vopi ejon lapen asangho atum (Ahen and her lazy friend) the stories of
Biniong vopo (The legend of Binong vopo) and also Jangreso pen Takun (An orphan and a vulture)
The orphan and the earth princess (jangreso lapen purthimi kungripi).
3.1.2 Ballads: Another important oral literature in Karbi epic ballad are known as sabin alun and
the tragic story of ‘Ha-i’, the rain goddess. These two songs represent the epic ballad in the Karbi
society. They are still in the mind of the Karbi people (Ibid). In Sabin alun, the Karbi epic ballad,
shows the women empowerment in a prominent manner through the most affable character of Sinta
kungri apart from faithfully highlighting the imagination and worldview of the Karbis characterized
by a rural and agrarian atmosphere. On the other hand Ha-i-mu is a tragic story narrating about the
suffering of “Ha-i” the daughter of a poor farmer who was forced into marriage with a powerful
official of the ruling Karbi gentry, knowingly that she was already betrothed to her sweetheart and
was raising a baby son. However Ha-i did not submit herself to the cruel official and embraced
death instead. It is still belief that the Karbi gentry forbade the public performance of the Ha-i story
except the chief priest, Katharpo. Karbis believed that the complete performance of the epic ballad
bring down heavy rain and misfortune to the performer. It is said that the present geography of
Karbi Anglong are identified with the events narrated in the ballad (Ibid).
3.1.3 Myths: Myths are generally considered as the origin or creation. The term myth is to
designate etiological stories explaining the origin of animal or human traits, customs, belief, gods
and heroes(Cited in bitstream.pdf). Myth are those narratives which relates, to the very origin of
creation and being of man and the universe around him and are therefore invested with an aura of
mystery and generally considered to be scared and timeless. Myths are generally accepted by the
folk as ‘true stories’, meaning that these are ‘invention, of man’s in ordered to entertain, educate
and elucidate(Cited in Temsula Ao, 2012). According to Malinowski, “Myths are regarded not
merely as true, but as venerable and scared. They are told when rituals to which they refer are to be
performed, or when the validity of these rituals are questioned” (Cited in Dharam Sing Teron,
2011). According to M.Eliade, Myth narrates a scared history; it relates to an event that took place
in primordial time, the fabled time of the ‘beginning’. In the other words, myth tells how, through
the deeds of supernatural beings, a reality came into existence-an island, a species of plant, a
particular kind of human behavior, an institution. Myth, then, is always an account of a ‘creation’, it
relates how something was produced, began to be. Myth tells only of that which really happened,
which manifested itself completely (Dharamsing Teron, 2011). The Karbis Keplang or the origin of
the Karbis (is a myth of the Karbis) which is popularly known as Mosera kihir. Mosera is known as
the tales of migration of the community.

The myths of Hemphu keplang (origin of Hemphu) Hemphu is the creator and there is a
creation myth of the creator himself. According to myth, Hemphu with his sister Ra-sin-ja appeared
in the bank of the river kuleng to the two brothers Long-Mukrang and Bang-Mukrang. And ask
accommodation in the house of the two brothers; however they were welcome by Rang-Mukrang,
father of the two brothers. Since Hemphu did not identify himself, he was addressed as longmangpo
or langmipo (one who glanced sideways). He was also addressed as Vo-hangpo (one who asked for

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red fowl). This unknown was later identifying as Hemphu, the supreme one who introduced the
Karbis to new ways of worship (Dharamsing Teron, 2011).
There are various myths of the Karbis society, and some of them are the Lunse keplang
(origin of the singers and songs), Sok keplang (origin of rice), Bong keplang (origin of bottle
gourd), Vo-keplang (origin of fowl/poultry). This are some of the creation narrate about the origin
or myths that are still remember till today.
3.1.4 Legends: Legends are believed to be true and often contain important factual information. In
the Karbis society the most popular legends are;
i. Thong Nokbe: Thong Nokbe Teron is believed to be the captain and body guard of
Janyanta Narang, the Jaintian King. The Karbis regard him to be one among the celebrated
heroes. It was said that Thong was killed by the Jantia soldiers out of jealousy. It was
because he was greatly honoured which the Jaintia soldiers could not tolerate this. But his
name remains as a legend and a subject of great veneration among the Karbis.
ii. Waisong: Waisong is another important name of the Karbi legends. He was known as a
well-built and a handsome young man who was deeply loved by his people. He pursued
everything that he believed to be right. The Jaintias did not like him since he was very
sincere. So they sought opportunities to trap him. They enslaved him for 12 years. He fought
a number of important battles and is still remembered as a hero.
iii. Rongpharpi-Rongbe: Rongpharpi-Rongbe was one of the most popular legends stories of
the Karbi society. She was considered as one of the important Karbi women leader or
heroine. She was known as Rongpharpi-rongbe but her real name was Kareng Rongpharpi
wife of On Teron and the mother of the famous legend or the Karbi hero Thong Nokbe
Teron. In the Karbi folk memory it is remembered that she hacked the Dimasa King’s
soldier to death with axe because they asked her to produce milk for tiger cubs. During her
days of leadership, the Dimasa king is said to feed human milk to the tiger cubs which the
king rarely as a pets. Later on, her advices to the people were to escape since she was sure
that the Dimasa king would seek revenge and her strength was limited to withstand and
protect the people from the combined force of the enemies. Thus she was successful in
evading the attack of the enemies and protecting her people.
iv. Serdihun: The first women who introduce the art of weaving in the Karbi society, and it
have continued its trend till today; in fact some of the women has done this for her
household. Hence Serdihun was considered as legend who introduces the traditional of
weaving, and its contribution towards making of the Karbi identity.
v. Sambepo: Another important legend in the Karbi society is Sambepo, who traces the origin
of the tradition of ancestor worship among the Karbis. The legend of Sambepo reinforces
the belief that ancestor spirits continue to take active interest in the lives of the living
descendent and can influence either positively or negatively depending on whether
‘they’(ancestor spirits) were adequately propitiated or not. The legend of Sambepo has lived
on who is deified and propitiated every Chojun in traditional Karbi society.
vi. Sir Vomu Tokbi: Sir Vomu Tokbi is believed to be associated with the staying of a
predator called Vomu (eagle) that once tormented the Karbis with frequent attacks. He said
to have given the Karbis new lease of life by slaying the eagle.
3.2 Material Culture

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The material culture or the visual art are also considered as the important part in the Folklore of the
Karbi society. It is said that the Karbi are very rich and unique in material culture. The most
significance material cultural in the Karbi society includes the architecture, food habit, costumes
and ornaments. In the traditional Karbi society the house or the hut are made up of wooden and
bamboo and its well design and exists even in the present today. The Karbi men and Youth are also
expertise in craving wood craft and bamboo craft product for self-sufficient and for day to day
necessity (Subhonti Teronpi, 2015). The Karbi loom is another important architecture made by the
Karbi people which are made up of wooden and the use of the bamboo stick. The Karbi loom, is
inherited from the faceless ancestor, has not only survived the onslaught of globalization but also
continued to be in use as an important tool for producing a wide range of textiles with intricate
motif and design the most unique symbol of the Karbi tradition, culture, and identity. The Karbi
identity today is also presented through the dressing and clothing (Dharamsing Teron, 2011). The
Karbi loom is also known as Kachivur a-therang’ also variously girdle-back, hip, waist, belt, loin,
or stick loom. The basic and simple implement, which consists of the following part: Therang,
Thening, Thepun, U-vek, Barlim, Ingthi, Hi-i, Harpi, Honthari langpong, Thehu, Dang, and
Langvet are some of the artifact which are the important tool of the Karbi loom.

Another important artifact made up of bamboo is also known as Belang (around or circle
shape made of bamboo) is use in cleaning rice or removing husk from the rice. Beleng carried the
identity of Karbi society. Since it was use from the day of our ancestor and it’s still survived.
Hoton, Beibuk, Horsero, Ann thong, chobak, Long, Lingpum, Marjong and Hak are the important
type of Karbi articraft which are made up of bamboo and wooden carried the identity of the Karbi
society.
Jambili Athon is one of the most important artifacts symbol in the Karbi society which is
made up of wooden rod. It is most significance in the Karbis festival include the Chomangkan, the
Karbi youth festival, and in many other festival in the Karbi society, the Jambili Athon carried the
identity of the Karbi society. Through the symbol of Jambili Athon, it distinguishes the Karbi
society from the other community. The “Jambili Athon”, is the wood curving tree with five
branches spreading with the “WOJARU” birds sitting in each branch is the symbol of the Karbi
Tribes fine Art and culture curved by wood product. Thus, the traditional art and culture is the
identity of the particular community domicile in a particular designated area (Subhonti Teronpi,
2015).
The traditional food of the Karbi society are Kangmoi, (alkaline preparation) Kelang-dang,
(boiled) and Hanthor (sour/acidic preparation) which are regarded as the main traditionally food of
the society’s. It has also prepared in others way like kemung, (cooked in bamboo tube), kang-thu
(wrapped in banana leaves), ke-phi (roasting), ke-hur (smoking), karnu (frying) and also there are
varieties of vegetable used in the Karbi society. In traditionally Karbi society, food is considered
scared and the gift of god.
The ornaments are also regarded as the visual art or material culture. In the Karbi society
both man and women uses the ornament. The women usually wear the two pair of big earing called
No-thengpi which is made up of silver. And the bracelet of silver called Ruparoi, and the necklace
wore by both the woman and the girls are known as Lek-dohon. Even the man in the Karbi society
wear the earing called Norik which is made up of brass, the bracelet for the man is called Prinsoroi
made up of silver. Thus, the material cultures of the Karbi society are rich and considered to be very
unique (Oral Interview conducted on 23rd July 2017).
3.3 Social Folk Customs

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Another important area of the Folklore is the social folk custom. The social folk custom of the
Karbis included:

3.3.1 Chomangkan/Chomkan: Chongmangkam is the death ritual custom of the Karbis, the
Chongmangkan is also known as ‘Thi-Karhi’ which is the unique festival of the Karbis. It is
actually performed by a family for the peace and the safe passage of the soul of family members
who died recently or long ago and never to celebrate them again. This festival is especially
dedicated to the dead. It is primarily a dead ceremony. It depends upon the convenience of the
locality. The chomangkan festival continues for the long four days it’s a nonstop ritual. This
ceremony does not need a special invitation but all are welcome to it. In the Chomangkan festival,
‘Charhepi’ is the dominant female character, like the Lamaist shamans, who guides the soul of the
dead to the ‘villages of ancestors.’ ‘Thireng-Vangreng’ was the person who introduced the funerary
traditions among the Karbis. He was believed to traveled alive for the forth and back between the
earth from the ‘village of the ancestor’. It is believed that death in the Karbi society is only
transition to a new identity for both physically and spiritual- through time and space. The another
important person who played a very important role in the chomangkan is known as the Duhuidis (a
traditional drummers) who beat the drum for the dance of the Nimso kerung interspersed with the
erotic tunes of mi-ring-rang song. In the chomangkan festival there is a nice folk song and a folk
dance which are participated in the program. The celebration of the chomangkan festival is an
important part of the Karbi community. This are follow by our ancestor. These are the cultural folk
custom of the Karbis which carried the traditional identity. But as the rise of modernity the social
folk custom of the Karbi society are changing continuously between the diverse spaces within the
community.

3.3.2 Chojun: The chojun is generally a worship festival which is popularly known as Arnam
Kethe Karkli means worship to great God. It is said that chojun is a worship festival which is
usually done once in every 5 years. This is generally said that the Chojun are performed for the
betterment and protections of the house and family member from all the evil spirit and also from the
disease. It is said to be the most important and costly religious festival of the Karbi society. There
are three kind of offering in this religious festival and they are given below: a) Kecheng (First
worship), b) Angbong (Middle or Second worship and c) Kapachok (Last worship).
a) Kecheng (First worship)
 Phak arme kerot: This is the first rite for the worship of Arnam kethe. On the occasion of
Kecheng two number of He-pig are required for the purpose. Therefore, the two numbers
of He-pigs are to be castrated its sex organs beforehand. This is called ‘Phak Arme kerot in
Karbi. This rite is generally performed by a person called kurusar well experience person,
this done with help of Tarno (a blade made of bamboo). The ceremony would take place
after three or five years while the animal would be matured for the purpose.
 Hor ketun: Before the ceremony, the women of the villages will cook rice for rice beer as
required. The rice beer is the national beer of the Karbi people. On the occasion women of
the village, cooked rice as required and well broken up on mat. It is than mixed with a
ferment called Thap made of powered rice with certain kinds of leaves pounded into it, and
the whole are dried for use as required. After this has been mixed thoroughly with the
cooked rice, the latter is heaped up and covered with plantain leaves, and put aside in the
house. In three or four days, in hot weather, fermentation sets in and in the cold weather
long time is required. The rice beer is then emptied and put into the earthen pot.

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 Phongrong keteng: Phongrong keteng the third stage of the occasion of the Kecheng (first
worship). In this third stage a plant called phongrong is inevitable. This tree should be cut
in the first day for the post of the booth. And the second is garlanding leaves round the
posts called phongrong keteng.
 Kasadi: On that particular night Kasadi take place with the present of the old male
members of the villages for invocating him to present on the occasion. Thus this stage is
known as the “Kasadi” in Karbi.
 Kechopi: Kechopi is the final stage of the grand ceremony where the feast will be held. In
this stage the sacrifices are made, a fowls are killed and then the two pigs are beheaded
with one stroke of a heavy knife delivered from the above. The liver, hearts and thigh of
both are cooked for God. Then the hoof, ear, and tails of the pig are offered, and then
pieces of cooked rice and meat, are offered. In this stage the women also get share of the
sacrificial feast. In the evening men carry remaining flesh keeping aside for the next
morning bound up in leaves (ok-bor) and take it to their home.
 Hanbor Kachelang: In the end of the ceremony an earthen utensil is kept filled in full of
rice beer and on the above a basket ‘si’ put on it. On the next morning kurusar and the two
or three number of the people go to the booth to see good result of the ceremony done
earlier. This is called Hanbor kachelang.
b) Angbong (middle or second worship)
 Phak arme kerot (The castration of he-pig)
 Hor ketun (The preparation of rice beer)
 Phongrong keteng (The preparation of booth)
 Kasadi (Invoking to God)
 Kechopi (Worship to great God)
 Hanbor Kachelang (to see good result of the worship)

c) Kapachok (Last worship)

 Phak arme kerot (The castration of he-pig)
 Hor ketun (The preparation of rice beer)
 Phongrong keteng (The preparation of booth)
 Kasadi (Invoking to God)
 Kechopi (Worship to great God)
 Hanbor Kachelang (To see good result of the worship) (Mondol Sing Bey, 2004).
These are the three kind of offering to worship the religious festival of ‘Chojun’ along with
the six agendas. Thus, this has been followed from generation to generation in the Karbi society.
The worship or religious festival of Chojun is regarded as important social folk custom, which
carried the cultural Identity of the Karbi.
3.3.3 Rongker: Rongker is the annual festival of the Karbis which is observed once in a year by
each individual village, the Rongker is observed in order to appease the local deities associated with
the welfare of the village, and to get rid of all the evil happening. The festival lasted for three days.
There are various type of Rongker in the Karbi society and these are:

i. Havar Rongker: The Havar Rongker is also known as ‘Than Rongker’. In Karbi ‘Than’
denotes the domiciling place of God head. ‘Havar Rongker’ is performed by the people
who are staying in the hills with view to cultivate jhum cultivation for livelihood, with

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whom they have to be at peace for the years to come. So they contribute everything for the
successful worship of the ‘Havar Rongker’. Havar means paddy field where the people are
cultivated for the jhum cultivation. The Havar Rongker is the worship for the blessing so
that they can be cultivated without sickness and to be a good harvesting.
ii. Pirda Rongker: The Pirda Rongker is also known as Rongkerpi (Annual Great Rongker)
the Pirda Rongker is performed by the people of some villages with the contribution as a
whole. It is the combination named of Hemphu Rasingja and Mukrang and the other God
of locality where the village is situated. Thus, this is performed for the wellbeing of the
people of an area or mouza to live in peace and tranquility.
iii. Mavur Rongker: The Mavur Rongker is also known as the Ajo a Rongker. The type of
Rongker is generally performed during the night. This is not performed individually but it
is performed with the contribution of the village people. This Rongker is performed as the
protective and precautionary measure to get rid from the epidemic types of cholera and
small pox etc. There is the myth behind the name of Vophong Rongker in the Karbi
society. The Kachari king was very much fond of hunting a prey. One day the king found
the Tiger cub in the forest, and he had a whim to tame the cub feeding human milk.
Hence the capricious deputy of the king in the Jamuna valley perturbed atrocities on the
poor king subjects and once when the chief who had a peculiar whim of finding his pet tiger cub
with human milk having his whim satisfied the Karbis revolted and the official who laid his hands
on Rongpharpi Rongbe’s to feed the milk but was put instantly to death with the stroke of an axe.
Later on Akola, he was put to death near Howraghat by the rebellion of Karbi subjects. Since then
the Karbi people has been worshiping to Vophong Rongker to resume themselves from the
impending onslaught of the Kachari subjects or others too.
 Vophong Rongker: Vophong Rongker is known as Longri Rongker. To performed
vophong rongker people of a mouza or longri contribute everything for the successful of the
Rongker. This rongker is performed once in every year.
 Dengja Rongker: Dengja Rongker is known as ‘Dovanso Rongker’, the Dengja rongker is
worshipped where the Dengja worshipper of the rongker is residing. Generally, this rongker
is performed just to rid manling of tiger of the longri. It is interesting to mention here that
‘Bilo’ scape-goat is procured by the god head himself. This Rongker is performed once in
every 10 year.
 Tongprop Tongso Rongker: This Rongker is performed when there would be appeared
natural calamities and ethnic clash in the Longri. It is the precautionary and preventive
measure of the impending natural calamities like drought, epidemic type of disease and
ethnic clashes in the ‘longri’. This rongker does not have a fixed date for the
Worshipped(Mondol Sing Bey, 2009).
3.3.4 Karbi Youth Festival: Karbi youth festival are regarded as the most important festival which
carry the culture identity of the Karbis .It is the cultural platform of the Karbis where the people can
show their cultural activities and talent it is a grand festival of joy and Happiness. The Karbi youth
festival was held in Taralangso Diphu in the year 1994 for the first time in the history of Karbi
Cultural Society since its inception. It is one of the greatest cultural festivals of joy and happiness
(Dhaneswar Engti, 204). The “Karbi Youth Festival” has given the platform to the urban and rural
Karbi communities and allied communities living in the District of Karbi Anglong to perform and
displayed their art, culture, and tradition. The Karbi Youth Festival has awaken the spirit of the
Karbi peoples in every nook and corner of the District whether it is among the literate or illiterate

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people, rich or poor people, barring all boundaries and assimilating all religion caste, creed and
Tribes. Each and every tribe performed and displayed their art and culture through dance, music,
drama, duet, and displayed their colourful traditional attires with pomp and gay (Subhonti Teronpi,
2015).

3.3.5 Adam Asar (marriage ceremony): The prevalent marriage system of the Karbi society is
popularly known as Adam Asar in the Karbi. It is the important Karbi custom or ritual which follow
by the Karbi society. The marriage system of the Karbi Society was first ever introduced by the two
chiefs namely Velongbi Engti and Harlongbi Timung at ‘Akliso rongsopi’. It was believed that
before this, the Karbi did not have any rules and procedures for the performing of wedding
ceremony in the society. In the Adam Asar marriage system of the society there are six stages of the
marriage as given below:

i. Nengpi-nengso kachingki: Nengpi nengso kachingki is the very beginning of the married
process of the Karbis society. In the Karbi society marriage is traditionally solemnized by
negotiation. In this stage bride groom mother, village head women and some other women is
to visit the house of the selected girl to ask permission from the mother of the girl, whether
they can come formally with a proposal for her daughter for nuptial relationship. The
conversation on which they have discussed on the matter of proposal is called Nengpi-
nengso kachingki.
ii. Kehang horpo abong kepon: This is the second stage of the Adam Asar marriage system
in the karbi society. Literally Kehang means taking permission and horpo abong kepon
means taking a hollow gourd of rice beer on the occasion. In the second stage the presence
of the member of the family and the village headmen are very important. In this stage if the
bride’s mother give due permission to come, then the parents of the bride groom along with
the village head man and women and some of the people from the village to visit the going
to bride house for the formal proposal.
iii. Kepatini/Kehang: Kepatini/Kehang: The third stage of the Adam Asar marriage system
of the Karbi society. This is the stage to be confirmed by the parents of the boy for the final
wedding ceremony. Some people like the village head man and women and some people
from the village also visited along with them for the confirmation of the nuptial relationship
between the two families. This stage is called ‘Kapatini’ in Karbi.
iv. Ajo arni kepha: The fourth stage of the Adam Asar means the fixation of the date for the
final wedding ceremony. The parents of the bridegroom along with the village head man
visited for the final fixation of date. And once the date is fixed than they will prepare for the
grand ceremony of pangripangdon.
v. Pangri-Pangdon/Tovar adeng Kecho: The final stage of the Adam Asar wedding
ceremony of the Karbi, where all the relative, neighbor, and village members are also
invited to the grant feast. When the feast is over the bridal party will leave the house of the
bride in the evening. On the other hand Tover adeng kecho means taking lunch/or dinner on
the way by the newly wedded couple. In the Traditional Karbi Society there is a provision to
take lunch by the newly wedded couple on the way when the bridal party returns home from
the bride house.
vi. Peso-riso kachithon: This is the last stage of the Adam Asar wedding ceremony of the
Karbi system. After week, the newly wedded couple visits the bride’s parents’s house and

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customarily the bride is supposed to return her attire along with all the ornaments that she
wore on the marriage day to her parents. This is called Peso-riso kachithon.
In the ‘Adam Asar’ marriage system of the Karbi, the folk songs also played a very
important role in the wedding ceremony. There is a nice folk song regarding the Adam Asar
marriage which is known as the ‘Thelun Alun’. There is also another system of Marriage system of
Karbi which is known as the Aron Kapachok. This is generally done by the old age marriages that
have not done the actual marriage. The tradition of Aron kepachok is a must is the karbi society for
those who do not observed their actual marriage (Mondol Sing Bey, 2004).
3.3.6 Religious Beliefs:The Karbi are generally believed to be an animist. The religious belief are
basically animist in nature fused with the elements of shamanist ‘mysticism’ ancestor worship and a
good many sacrifices to the unseen and territorial deities. The basic argument is derived from the
varied and fascinating still continues to dominate the Karbi religious tradition under the shadows of
the mighty world religious (Dharamsing Teron, 2011). It is said that the Karbi have been
traditionally the worshippers of ‘Hemphu-Mukrang’ but there is no Karbi equivalent to exactly
describe the term-‘religion’. It is said that when the American Baptist Missionaries first arrived in
the Mikir country, they had experience the tribes and the curious custom. The Mikirs sacrifice
chicken, goat, and pigs to the demons to gain their favor, and to keep them from harm. They
believed in both good and evil spirits, but sacrifice more to the evil spirits, as they think they can
cause them sickness, failure of crops and all sorts of trouble. It is said that the situation for many
animist Karbis becomes all the more vulnerable, as the vast majority of them are not ‘Hindus’ for
the simple reason that since the days of their forefathers, ‘Peng, Hemphu-Mukrang, Hi-i, the dozens
of territorial deities, and the ancestor spirit, (Tirim) have continued to played a crucial role in the
animist Karbi pantheon. According to Charles Lyall (1908) he argue that “The Karbi have no idols,
temple and shrines. All the natural objects of as striking or imposing character have their divinity”
(Mondol Sing Bey, 2009).

In the religious believed of the Karbi, Hi-i and Arnam are roughly translated to mean demon
and deity. They enjoy equal status in the Karbi folk ritual. The expression of Hi-i-Arnam is a
phrases coined by the Karbi ancestors and it is juxtaposed or uttered in reverse. Hi-i therefore is not
the parallel of the demon or Satan of the established religion. The unity and duality of the negative
and positive forces and the balance between them are what constitute the philosophical basis of the
Karbi folk religion. Ancestors are worshipped and Karbi soul travel through predestined paths back
to the village of the ancestor. Which neither is neither hell nor heaven (Dharamsing Teron, 2011).
The Karbi believed in the immortality of the soul, life after death and re-incarnation. Arnam
Songsar Recho or God almighty is considered to be the corner of the universe. The act of
conversion into other religions such as Vanishnavism, Lokhimon, ISKCON (international society
for Krishna consciousness) etc. took place because of religious detribalization that led to an abrupt
change to the socio- cultural life of the Karbis. A small section of the Karbis also has embraced
Christianity with the coming of the American Baptist missionaries since the 1850’s. This new
religion opened up a way to have direct link with western faith and culture. But the process of
religious detribalization did not take place in all part of Karbi Anglong. The Karbis people still
carry the old folk religion. The upcoming of the modernization, such as the spread of Christianity
and higher education, a revolutionary sense of reform has been sweeping in within the age-old
belief and practice. According to the census report of India, it is said that 12.2% of the Karbi
population in Karbi Anglong has converted into Christianity (Paul B.Chonzik& Marilyn Killingpi,
2014).
3.3.7 Totem and Taboo

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The totem and taboo played a very important role in the Karbi society. It is said to be the influence
of the impact of social life of the Karbi people. Totem is a natural object or animal believed by a
particular society to have spiritual meaning and adopted it as an emblem. The totem belief is the
most important feature of the Karbi society, and it has become the social ingredient of the society.
In the Karbi society, the clan Terang is said to be adopted from the wild bird called, Vo Terang
(Hornbill). So it has been forbidden to Terang clan not to take the flesh of hornbill. It is true that
totem belief has a great influence over the society till today (Mondol Sing Bey, 2004).

The German philosopher and psychologist Wilhem Maximillin (1916) hailed as the ‘father
of experimental psychology’ has called taboo as ‘the oldest unwritten code of law of humanity. It is
generally assumed that taboo is older than the gods and goes back to the pre-religious age. The
word taboo is a Polynesian derivative as ‘much of most theories of taboo still to refer to Polynesian
taboo customs or compares the Polynesian types with others.
In Karbi social, religious and moral attitude, ‘kertang’ or ‘aker’ is observed (or avoided)
which is literally closer to what the Polynesians meant by ‘ prohibited’, ‘disallowed’, or forbidden’.
In similar fashion, the late Longkam Teron, a prominent literature and folklorist, had also defined
the terms ‘aker’ or ‘aker-rengno’, shortened from ‘kertang’, as ‘klemno, heno, aron kali’.
Traditionally, ‘aker’ or taboo’ is the violation of an old or forgotten oath (seme) by
predecessors. In traditional Karbi society, ‘sin’ as it is understood or interpreted in the western
sense does not exists. Instead the Sanskrit derivative ‘pap’ is used. As such, strict avoidance of
‘aker’ in its various manifestations makes Karbi life and existence meaningful and complete. A
Karbi soul only return is neither overly worried about a hell nor unduly elated at the prospect of a
heaven. A Karbi soul only returns to his/her ancestors’ village and comes back to his/her clan in a
continuing cycle of death and rebirth.
Taboo is a social religious custom and tradition, a ban or restriction on the particular thing
or person. It became the important feature of the Karbi society. In the Karbi folk society there is a
taboo where women are needed to put a tattoo on their forehead. It is said that if the girl or women
does not have tattoo in their forehead in their life time. Than even in their death they would have to
make tatoo on their forehead with the ash.
In the early day the Karbi folk society also had a believed or a taboo of not to take food and
water from the women or damsel whose does not have tattoo in their forehead (Mondol Sing Bey,
2009).
3.4 Performing Folk Arts
Performing folk arts is another important tradition of the Karbi society; folksongs, music and dance
are one of the dominant characteristic of their culture. There are a number of folk songs and folk
dance dealing with their religious festival.

3.4.1 Folk Songs: Some of the folksong includes:

i. Oso kepadok alun (lullabies): It is a lullaby song, which are sung to ‘coax babies to
asleep. The infant is put in Ja-e a piece of cloth slung as cradle (hammock) between two
posts inside the house. This song is generally sung by the female member of the house like
the mother, grandmother, elder sister or a baby sitter, while gently rocking it to and fro. The
lullaby song consists of three segments viz (a) Tu-va-a-a alun, (b)Aladung ladung alun and
(c)Kurdidi alun (Dharamsing Teron, 2011).
ii. Ove alun (Love ballads): Love ballads form a very important genre in the Karbi orality. In
the bygone days, love between boys and girls was expressed in a very delicate way through

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beautiful song compositions. The ove alun or love songs were composed and sung while the
boys and girls were working in shifting cultivation area. Sometimes these songs took the
form of a dialogue between boys and girls to exchange their views. Ove Alun is known as
‘Bong-oi Alun’. Some of the ‘Bong –oi Alun’ are ‘Bong-oi mir tampe’, ‘Bong-oi mir seng
long, ‘bong-oi mir lori’, ‘bong-oi mir vansan’, bong oi mir mandung, bong-oi mir mavet’,
bong-oi mir marang’, etc,.
iii. Folk songs during the chomkan
 Kapa-er alun: it is a kind of sensual song with vulgar meaning sung by a group of young
boys while dancing in chomkan festival.
 Kacharhe alun : it is a funeral hymn to chant specially sung by a female singer, knows as
‘uchepi’ this song is very pathetic tune and generally sung by a professional female singer,
which is also known as ‘Charhepi’
 Musera kehir: it is an important genre of recounting the past history of the Karbis; it is
recited with high esteem during the ‘Chomkan’ festival, the death ritual of the Karbis.
iv. Adam asar alun: Adam asar alun is sung during the marriage ceremony of the Karbis, these
songs are recited during the marriage ceremonial rites and melodious songs go together as a
blessing for the bride and the bridegroom. And also there are various kind of folk song
regarding the establishment of village, organization of village, and also the origin of the
wild thing like song related to the origin of thap keplang alun, bong keplang alun, thelu alun
and arnam keplang alun.
There are also Folk songs of agricultural cultivation and these are;
 Hacha kekan alun
 Lokhi keplang alun
 Botor kekur alun
 Ritnong chingdi alun
 Hen-up ahi-ke an alun
 Jir kedun alun
Karbis are rich in folksong, there are also another devotional, folk songs called Aranam alun
and the Phurkimo alun which means a song recounting the historical events of the Karbis these
song are supported by functional myths of the past. The historical songs of the Karbis are; Sabin
alun, Ha-I alun, Rongkim alun, Sarkebat alun, Lunse keplang alun, Kur kepon alun, Rukasen
alun, Bor-et alun, Hanri-bong alun etc, thus this are some of the important folk songs which are
sang by the expert Lunsepo orally recited from generation to generation (Dhaneswar Engti, 2014).
3.4.2 Traditional Dances: There are also several traditional dances in the Karbi community. In
modern days traditional dances were also used to performed during the Karbi youth festival which
is celebrated every year during the month of February. The different dances of the traditional
dances are briefly discussed below:
i. Nimso Kerung: It is mirthful dance recital presented during the Karbis Chomkan festival
held in honour of family members who passed away. It is somewhat like bidding farewell to
their spirit prior to their departure from this earthly world to their permanent abode of rest. It
is a joyous and festive celebration of young boy and girls and men and women of the same
locality as well. The word Nimso means damsel and Kerung means picking up the damsel at
dance.

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ii. Banjar kekan: This dance is an indispensable part of chomkan demonstrated during the
chomkan festival. This dance is held in the outer courtyard of the house and only the
youngsters can take part of it. The word Banjar means a kind of bamboo pole, while kekan
means dance, it’s a bamboo ornamented with curl shaving, or a decorated bamboo with tufts
and projecting arms, variety of design over the bamboo poles. The folk artist gets enough
scope to prepare the Banjar pole and thus they never vacillate to art a variety of design over
the pole. This dance also played a very important role in the Karbi youth festival.
iii. Chong kedam: The word Chong means shield, and kedam means going, chong kedam is
generally mean for going to the battle, or a war with the weapon of shield and including a
long sword. This is a warrior dance to protect or to represent the warrior’s fight against the
enemy. In the modern days these dances also perform by a group of heroic during the
chomkan festival.
iv. Kengtir kekan: Kengtir kekan is a dance performed inside the room where the straw
effigies, representing the dead bodies of the deceased person, are kept during chomkan
festival. A few boys dance by the side of the old man keeping rhythms with the drum beat
and shout,-shrieking like “Hei hei-hei-hei” beside the above, dances Mivei-voi kekan,
Kachethui kekan,etc are also perform in the Chomkan festival.
v. Hacha kekan: This dance is performed during the harvesting festival. It is very lively and
eye-catching dance of the Karbis. The Karbi community celebrates ‘sok-keroi’ festival after
the paddy is harvested from the field. In this festival ‘Hacha kekan’ is performed with the
traditional gaiety and enthusiasm.
vi. Ritnong chingdi kekan: This is a traditional dance of the Karbis related to the seed sowing
festivals celebrated in the first part of the month April. These dances demonstrate various
stage of the process of cultivation right from the sowing of seeds to the reaping of crops.
vii. Lengpum sokchon kekan: Lengpum sokchon kekan is a bamboo dance it is perform during
the harvesting festival. Lengpum means a pestle, a long stick made with wood for husking
paddy. Sok means paddy and the chon means the move, sokchon is a combination word
which means movement of a paddy while husking paddy. So lengpum sokchon is a pestle
dance, but while dancing bamboo sticks are used. It is called bamboo dance, it is performed
by both men and women.
viii. Hen- up ahi ke-en kekan: It is one of the most fascinating folk dances of the Karbis. ‘Hen-
up means bamboo shoot; Ahi means residue of bamboo shoots from its specific period of
preservation and kekan means dance. In the late summer, young boys and girls from villages
go to jungle to collect the bamboo shoots and gather them in a place in their villages. After
storing it for one or two months they fix a day to distribute the bamboo shoots among
themselves with pomp and gaiety. Merry making is an essential part of this festival. On the
very occasion this dance is performed which is accompanied by beating the traditional
drums.
3.4.3 Musical Instruments: The Karbis also have a various traditional musical instruments. They
are mainly discussed below:
i. Cheng: Cheng is the musical instrument of the Karbis which are used in the every traditional
dance of the Karbis. The Karbi traditional dance generally followed the every drum beat cheng
mean drum, there are different types of cheng or drum used in the Karbi society including:
 Chengpi,

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 Chengso,
 Cheng burup,
 Cheng kumbang,
 Cheng prakso,
 Cheng langpong,
 Cheng tumtum,
 Cheng hule
 Cheng thailok,
 Sophi’ingacheng (this is made up of wooden, bamboo, iron, brass, and steel). (Sikari
Tisso, 2015).
ii. Muri: Muri it a flute like red instrument, in Karbi society, muri played a very important role. It
has also a various type of muri such as muri jangkek, muritongp, muripongsi, these are made
up of bamboo and wooden, etc., beside the other indigenous flute instruments are pong-vut,
pung-pung, turulit, plap-plap, krit, etc are also used in the Karbi societies.
iii. Krongchui: It is a lyre-shape musical instrument made up of bamboo and iron. It is played
with the mouth and thus produces sweet music to fascinate the listeners’.
iv. Kum: It is a wind instrument, like a violin, made out of gourd and wood. Kum-li-eng and kum-
deng-dong are the two types of kum used by the Karbis especially in the festival
(Dhaneswar Engti, 2014).
Conclusion
Karbi oral history provides a list of various types of folklore in order to demonstrate the cultural
importance of the community. It includes folktales, legends, myths, ballads, festivals, folk dance,
songs etc. that are disseminated largely through oral communication and behavioral expressions.
This paper mainly argues that the structure of folklore consists of a rigid core and a flexible
periphery of the Karbis that reflected in every aspect of the life in course of history. However, this
lore has been changed due to internal and external influence of the society. It is also argue that the
tradition of folk songs of the Karbis is the construction of the inner identity and it facilities to adjust
with various social setting that led to process of socialization which is responsible for the evolution
of folk lore from generation to generation. It is also emphasized that folklore is the main source for
the constructing of Karbi oral history.

Acknowledgements: We would like to express our deep sense of gratitude to Dharamsing Teron,
Director, Centre for Karbi Studies for intellectual and academic support for wring this paper.
Without his exceptional generosity and scholarly support, this paper would not have been possible.

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