Why in the News?
The Meghalaya High Court heard a PIL against the Khasi Lineage Act (preserves Khasi matrilineal traditions) for allegedly denying ST certificates to those with paternal surnames.
About Khasi Tribe:
- Region: Indigenous to Meghalaya, Northeast India.
- Linguistic Family: Belong to the Austroasiatic language group.
- Language: Speak Khasi language, written in the Roman script, with several dialects.
- Religion: Follow Niam Khasi (traditional animist faith); many are also Christians.
- Mythical Origin: Believe in Ki Hynniew Trep – the seven ancestral clans who descended from heaven.
- Cultural Identity: Strong emphasis on nature worship, oral traditions, and clan-based social structure.
Special Customs and Traditions:
- Inheritance System: Follows matrilineal inheritance – property and surname pass from mother to daughter.
- Post-Marital Residence: Follow matrilocality, where the husband lives in the wife’s household.
- Heir Designation: The Ka Khadduh (youngest daughter) is the custodian of family property and ancestral duties.
- Marriage Rules: Practice clan exogamy – marriage within the same clan is prohibited to avoid incest.
- Village Governance: Administered through Dorbar Shnong (village councils) and led by Syiem (traditional chiefs).
- Major Festivals:
- Shad Suk Mynsiem – A thanksgiving and harvest dance.
- Shad Nongkrem – A royal ritual dance for communal prosperity.
- Traditional Attire:
- Women wear the Jainsem (a draped dress with silver jewelry).
- Men wear tunic-style garments and ceremonial headgear.
- Spiritual Practices: Emphasize ancestor veneration and worship of natural elements like stones, rivers, and groves.
| [UPSC 2014] With reference to ‘Changpa’ community of India, consider the following statements:
1. They live mainly in the State of Uttarakhand. 2. They rear the Pashmina goats that yield a fine wool. 3. They are kept in the category of Scheduled Tribes. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? Options: (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only* (c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 |
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