SOCIETY AND POLITY

ASSIGNMENT

The Reang Tribe of Tripura

ABHINAM PATEL (19F002)

ANKIT KUMAR JHA (19F008)
GURPREET KHALSA (19F016)
MANTHAN RAUT (19F023)
MAYANK SINGH NEGI (19F024)
SHUBHAM KHATDEO (19F045)
 The Reang Tribe of Tripura

Table of Contents

Reang Tribe of Tripura ...................................................................................................... 1

Non-Material Culture ................................................................................................................. 1

Dance and Music .................................................................................................................... 1

Marriage system..................................................................................................................... 1

Religious beliefs and Festivals ................................................................................................ 2

Customs .................................................................................................................................. 2

Language ................................................................................................................................ 2

Material Culture ......................................................................................................................... 2

Houses .................................................................................................................................... 2

Dress and Ornaments ............................................................................................................. 3

Distribution and Physical Environment ..................................................................................... 3

Census ........................................................................................................................................ 4

Administrative Unit .................................................................................................................... 6

Reang Exhibits at IGRMS ............................................................................................................ 7

Why do ethnographic museums choose to display predominantly selected groups? ............. 9

References ............................................................................................................................... 11

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 The Reang Tribe of Tripura

List of Figures
Figure 1 Reang women performing a traditional dance ............................................................ 1
Figure 2 Reang woman wearing traditional jwellery ................................................................. 3
Figure 3 Subdivision of tribe ...................................................................................................... 5
Figure 4 Administrative structure of Reang tribe ...................................................................... 6
Figure 5 Inside look of Reang House at IGRMS .......................................................................... 8
Figure 6 Reang House present at IGRMS ................................................................................... 8

List of Tables
Table 1 Population Census of Reang Tribe ................................................................................ 4
Table 2 Population Proportion in Year 2011 ............................................................................. 5

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 The Reang Tribe of Tripura

Reang Tribe of Tripura

Non-Material Culture

Dance and Music

No other Tripuri people are so fond of dance like them. Hojagiri folk dance of Reang is famous
all over the world. The dance is performed on the occasion of Hojagiri festivals or Laxmi Puja.
It is performed by women and young girls . They balance their feet on an earthern pitcher and
manage other props such as bottle on the head and earthern lamp on the hand while only the
lower half of the body is moved. The male members participate in singing the lyrics, playing
the Kham and Kshumu( wind instrument).

Figure 1 Reang women performing a traditional dance

Marriage system

Marriage is arranged through the matchmaker Andra, who goes to the prospective bride’s
parent for negotiation. There are two types of marriages: - Haloksai and Haloksam. Parallel
cousin marriage is prevalent but declining. The Reang marriage bond is very strong and Reang
men cannot divorce without the consent of wife. Child marriage is not allowed. Remarriage
of widow and widower are allowed after one year of death of their spouse.

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 The Reang Tribe of Tripura

Religious beliefs and Festivals

Majority of the Reang adhere to Vaishnav Hinduism. Like other Tripuri people they also
believe in many god and goddess. The centre figures are fourteen gods and goddess of
Tripura. Some of these are Sibrai, the supreme deity; Tuima, the presiding deity of river;
Sangrongma, the deity of mother earth. Different types of life stock like fowl, pig, goat eggs
etc are offered in the worship. The place of worship is generally outside the houses.

All the religious festivals are arranged with the prior meeting of chiefs. Their festivals are same
as those prevailing in Tripura. These are Ker, Goria, Hojagiri, Katangi Puja, Chitragupra. The
religious observances are community in nature, and each family has to contribute his part of
share of payment.

Customs

Most of the disputes and differences are settled by the people of the Kotor dafa, that is by
the Rai and Kasko of respective sub tribe. It is done through the customary law of the Reang.
All relevant arguments are heard and justice is done through according to the principles of
natural justice. Whatever verdict is pronounced, it is implemented with firm hand and
payments of penalty are made then and there.

Language

Reang people linguistically and ethnically belong to Bodo group of the Tibeto-Burman family.
The language spoken by them is Kokbru.

Material Culture

Houses

Reang build their huts on a raised platform called gairing or gaireng. Bamboo is used
extensively except for the roof where sun grasses or at times bamboo leaves are used. The
huts usually have two doors- one in the front and another at the back and window is absent.
The size of the house depend on the number of the family members.

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 The Reang Tribe of Tripura

Dress and Ornaments

Traditionally men wear a hand woven loin cloth and a piece of cloth
to cover the head. The women wear a long cloth called Rnai, a
wraparound; from the waist to down to the knees. Rikatouh is used
for covering the whole upper half of the body. But today the educated
reang tribal are wearing all the modern dresses. The Reang women
are very fond of personal decoration, make-up and hair-do. They love
ornaments and flowers especially the necklace of silver coins.

Figure 2 Reang woman

wearing traditional jwellery

Distribution and Physical Environment

Journey of Reang tribe were said to began from upper Burman (Myanmar now) region.
Different patch of people from tribe made there way to Chittagong Hill. Another group from
same tribe persuaded through Mizoram. Large number of Reangs were still living in Mizoram
since migration. While some of them moved slowly towards Tripura specifically to
Kanchanpur, Kailashar, Chawmanu, Ambasa and also in some places of north Tripura.
Whereas, Reangs settled in tracts of Chittagong Hills migrated towards south Tripura
particularly in Udaipur, Belonia, Grandachara and Amarpur sub-division.

Initially the Reangs used to live in Maiyanithlang area of Lusahi Hills along the borders of
Burman. It is believed that they were the kins of Kuki-Chins. They were the lower cast and
hence they were required to pay a hefty family tax (Gharchukti). Due to this heavy demands
they migrated to Karnaphuli valley of Chittagong Hills in the rain of Ratna Manikya in 14th
century. Later Kuki’s also followed them in an attempt to reassert their authority over the
Reangs. Then they fled and spread all-over the Tripura. From Amarpur, they spread slowly in
small groups over the whole state. A part of Reangs are also found in Cachar areas of Assam
region which were migrated from Burma.

The Reangs had a king, kachak who had a status of being cruel when he along with the Reangs
moved to Tripura. The people of Tripura sent six diplomats to the court of Govind Manikya,

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 The Reang Tribe of Tripura

these diplomats got lost in the valleys and forested peaks of Devtamura but they moved along
the river Gumti. The king Govind Manikya was performing Ganga puja in Udaipur and the
diplomats were arrested after hearing the fate of people of Tripura, the king dispatched a
huge force to overthrow Kachak but the forces did not return as some were killed and some
married Reang girls. Govind Manikya got worried and seven of his most honest and faithful
warriors were sent to solve the problem. The warriors met Kachak’s ministers who was armed
with a Dow. The seven men wisely got the the ministers into a conversation and they were
able to kill them in the night. The king, Kachak without his council of ministers was easily
overpowered and killed. Then the army entered the land of Reangs and arrested everyone,
entitled to death. The Tripura Queen intervened on the behalf of Reangs and was able to get
them reprieved. She was then seen as a goddess and Reang started living in Tripura.

Over the years, Reang settlements spread over Tripura and got intermixed with the Tripuris
due to which their language got synthesized with the Tibeto-Burmose. Their cultures and
customs also get intermixed with Tripuris. The first contacts of Reangs with ruling class of
Tripura was when they worked as Palamquin-Bearers. Slowly over the years, they get included
in the armed forces of the state which suited to their physical ability and rugged bodies. By
time of Dhanya Manikya, they established themselves at prominent positions in the army.

Census

Table 1 Population Census of Reang Tribe

Year Population
1951 8,471
1961 56,597
1971 64,722
1981 84,003
1991 1,11,606
2001 1,65,103
2011 1,88,220

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The Reang Tribe of Tripura

Table 2 Population Proportion in Year 2011

RURAL URBAN

Male Female Total Male Female Total Total

93,664 91,372 1,85,036 1,661 1,523 3,184 1,88,220

Meska

Msa

Chorkhi

Meska Raikchaoh

Wairem

Tuama Yakcho
Reang

Tuimuiyaphaoh

Molsoi

Apeto

Nouhkham
Molsoi
Chongpreng

Yaohstam

Reang Kachko

Figure 3 Subdivision of tribe

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Administrative Unit

Kangreng
Yakchang (Nazir)
(Attendant)
Supreme Council

Kachak (Prime Hazra

Minister) (Attendant)

Khandal
Chapiakha (Rai's
(Collector of
Successor)
Food Stuff)

Chapia
(Chapiakha's
Successor)

Darkalam (Chief
Priest)

Dulai (Cousellor)

Bhandari
Rai
(Storekeeper)

Kanda
(Attendant)

Daya Hazara
(Drum Beater)

Murai (Flutist)

Dugria and Daoa

(Musicians)

Saikrak
(Distributor of
meat after pujas)

Figure 4 Administrative structure of Reang tribe

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 The Reang Tribe of Tripura

As a whole administration, 19 titles were distributed among 26 leaders. Title holders were
known as Katardafa (big castes) and also they were free from family tax (Gharchukti). This
council was responsible for and act as a final jury in all matters including civil and criminal.
These leaders were paid less administrative functionaries but they got credited by the fines
paid. Council became defunctionalized after the revolt against Kharendra in 1940-1942 which
is nothing but internal dispute among clans initiated by the Maharaja. Even after the revolt,
some Khatadafa still carry the status without respective powers. Some of the rituals were still
going on like washing feet of respective persons which is evident as one of the writer met
with villagers.

At present, the Para chief which was at bottom in judicial system at that time is still considered
as powerful authority at specific matters such as divorce, theft, civil and criminal matters.
Nature of final decision get changed from Rai’s judgement as tit for tat basis ( like murderer
leads to death in short time) to handed over to police or get fined and let off.

Reang Exhibits at IGRMS

Reangs make their dwellings on the tillas or hill mounds near the jhum field bamboo stills.
The plan of house is normally rectangular with a covered verandah in front ( sonchi) and an
open verandah (nugu) at the back. It is a completely bamboo dominated house with a cross
pattern of bamboo walls In between the two verandahs lies the only living room which is the
center for all household activities. A special place is reserved for the domestic deities to a
close proximity of the wall where a raised bamboo made altar is placed for worship.

Outhouse structures such as hen pen (Tawonowk), Goats pen (Poinowk), Piggery ( Yokro) etc.
are meant for the subsidiary source of income as also for religious manifestations in rituals
and sacrifices. Exquisite usage of bamboo in different types of rituals and their dependence
on things made from bamboo, influenced their life and development from birth to death.

The economic activities of the Reang mainly consists of

• Food Gathering
• Food Producing
• Animal Husbandry
• Basketry & Weaving

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 The Reang Tribe of Tripura

However shifting cultivation is mainstay of their economy which generally starts in winter and
ends in autumn.

Figure 5 Inside look of Reang House at IGRMS

The economic activities such as animal husbandry and food gathering can be understood from
the picture as there is an outhouse which is specifically designed for animals and also there is
storage of grains or other food materials and the picture also shows granary.

Figure 6 Reang House present at IGRMS

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Why do ethnographic museums choose to display predominantly

selected groups?
There is no neutral position to look at different things. Our upbringing, ideas, society, status
etc. decide how we observe and perceive things. This fact plays an important role in
ethnographic museums and in the minds of the viewers.

According to us, the museums tend to show us a glimpse of an exotic world which is so
different from us that we see its every detail with awe. There is limited literature available for
most of the tribes, so museums use ethnographic artefacts to display information about these
tribes. We use these artefacts as the source for our understanding of that tribe but the truth
is, may be those objects were never meant to be put in the museum to define the originality
of those tribes. So, the importance and meaning which these artefacts had at the place of
their origin changes on shifting them to museums, and so does our perspective of looking at
them. Museums create a new identity of these tribes which may be similar to the original one
or maybe not. New assumptions are created with the help of these artefacts and a
comparison with developed world is sought with further expands the differentiation. There is
not a single thing which is born or created with an ethnographic tag. But, it is us who underline
a difference between us and them, detach them from the so called “mainstream” and then
look at them with a whole different perspective.

When it comes to tribes, we don’t see all the people of the world as different entities but as
two separate sides with us on one side and them on the other. We look at tribes and think
that they are the symbols of our past. A past when human was attached to nature and had a
simple life and so we think that they are at the lower levels of evolutionary hierarchy. It is this
perspective which leads us to thinking that these tribes are in peril and need saving. Their
importance increases as they are still connected to our origin, but due to modernisation and
industrialisation, they are losing their tradition and culture. The more a tribe or ethnic group
is different from us, the more it is considered the “Other” and the more focus it gets in
museums.

The large difference between us and such tribes directs our gaze on the level of evolution that
has taken place from them to us. It has been seen that there are several non- tribal groups
which have similar culture and traditions like these tribes but they are not given much

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importance as they are believed to be amongst ourselves and hence are considered not
interesting enough. Focus is given to those tribes which either have a huge importance in our
past as they provide us a glimpse of the time from which we have come, or those tribes which
have witnessed the revolutionary changes in the timeline.

They aren’t just a TRIBE, they’re our PRIDE

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References
Arunkumar, D. C., Hanjabam, D. S., Mangang, P. N., Kipgen, J., & Kiranbala, P. (n.d.). The tribes of
Sikkim & Tripura. Maxford Dynamic Series of Tribal studies.

Dutta, S. K. (2005). Uprooted Reangs : Strangers in their motherland. Akansha Publishing House.

Majumdar, S. (2016). The politics of displacement and rehabilitation : A study of Reangs in Mizoram.
Kolkata: Rabindra Bharati University.

Samantha, R. K. (1981). The Reangs of Tripura : Socio-cultural and agro-economic changes. Social
Scientist, 44-54.

Singh, K. S. (1996). People of India | Tripura. Seagull Books.

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