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The Mikirs
The
Mikir tribes are scattered over the Golaghat
subdivision of the Sibsagar district, Nowgong, Kamrup, Khasi Hills and North
Cachar Hills. The complexion of the tribes is generally yellowish brown but some
are quite fair. The men are comparatively tall. The Mikir dress is elegant. The men put on a long striped coat
(choi) without sleeves and with fringes covering the lower part
of the body up to the knees. They wear a short dhoti called Rikong, sometimes of
silk. On the head they wear a pagri (pohu). In cold weather they cover themselves
like the Assamese with a wrapper or bor-kapor of eri-silk which is
warm. The woman wear a petticoat (pini) fastened round the waist with
the ornamental belt (vankok ) exactly like the Lakhers of the Lushai Hills.
The upper part of the body is covered with a wrapper (jiso) passing under
the arms and drawn tight over the breasts. Both men and women draw their
hair back which is tied in a knot above the nape.
The women insert a silver tube in the ear lobes. Ear rings
of gold and silver are suspended from the upper part of the ears.
Necklaces, rings, bracelets of gold and silver are worn in Khasi-fashion.
Feathers of the horn bill adorn the head of both men and women on festive
occasions. The Mikirs build their houses on the floor several feet
above the ground. House are built of spilt, flattened out of bamboo, the
roof being thatched with sun grass. The house is divided into separate
compartments. The furniture of the house generally consist of a raised
platform of spilt bamboo which serves as a bed, a block of wood corresponds
to the Assamese pira or low stool, Baskets of bamboo serve the purpose
of wardrobes, in which Paddy, house hold goods and clothes are kept. Joints
of bamboo are used as containers for water as well as ornaments
and other valuables of the family.
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Assamese Language
The word 'Assamese' is an anglicised formation. It stands for
the language called Asamiya which is derived from the name of the state,
Asom. Asom means 'unparalleled' or 'peerless'. Assamese is an Indo-Aryan
language. It developed out of the Sanskrit language about the 7th
century AD. Its immediate ancestor was Magadhi Apabhramsa. (Apabhramsa
- dialect; Magadhi is the dialect of prakrit (spoken form of Sanskrit)
which became the language of Bihar).
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