Matrilineal Culture, Meghalaya; Unique culture of Meghalaya

A short speech on the Unique Culture of Meghalaya: Khasis, Garos & Jaintias.

Every person & every culture is unique in its own way. Differences is the root of beauty.

      Meghalaya is one of the very few surviving matrilineal societies in the world. The three major tribes of Meghalaya have unique matrilineal system, wherein women are the owners of the house and yet patriarchal where men govern the house as head of the family. Tracing descent is only through female lines. Gender equality is well maintained. In Meghalayan matrilineal culture, the inheritance of property generally goes to the youngest daughter of the family. The four main similarities among these three tribes are matrilocal, matrilineal descent, patriarchy and inheritance in which the youngest daughter receives the ransom properties. Garos are matrilineal but purely patriarchal. But few reports cite that some Khasi and Jaintia families are also matriarchal.

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About:

       This video is just a portion of the speech on the programme, "Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat", a cultural exchange programme organised by MHRD, in collaboration with IIT Delhi on 9th October 2018.

Namjajok Didajok

Namjajok didajok, salan name dingtangjok,
Ada na∙ongni chabikon, jol∙ok ra∙bajolmanjok.

Badidake dakmaljok, gisik jamanga∙aljok,

Ka∙dingnaba siktaijok, mima rongchu su∙piljok.

Di badidaknajok, basak ron∙epilnajok,

Adatangan re∙babujok, chabitangko ra∙ebujok.

Nok-ko tekna man∙jaoba, bangbang donna nanguba,

Jong Mikkim dongenba, nampilajok hi∙aba.

Di dakudi namnua, ian melibatnua,

IIT Gate-ona re∙baua, anga ra∙ange on∙ua.

Di ong∙arijokba, na∙an re∙bamanjokba,

Anga an∙tangariba, nang∙na ra∙ange on∙jokba.

Ripeng Namtea

Ripeng baju namtea,

Katta ku·bimik knatoa;

Wakeng ku·keng ku·gepja,

Ku·eng ku·chok botpaja.

Mikkangode namane,

Simsakbone Dambe-ne.

Mikkrem mikjap dakbea,

Ku·misi ku·misa ra·pila;

Mikgitching mikpakma donpil·e,

Mikreng miktong nirongretpile;

Golpomikkane jinmaone,

Mikkrakbone Dambe-ne.

Jakjip jaksi reprepe,

An·tang nangrok dangtape;

Nachilkolona rang·san gongjole,

Nang·na chake biko gale;

Chi·mikene rentanawane,

Nang·ko cha·na Dambe-ne.

Mittin noksam nokgillo,

Chel·tang noksul songsulo;

Niokane nang mata pariko,

Galonna salonna man·ako;

Jelatgene a·sakna ku·jole,

Dambe-ne, simsakbee dongbone.

Ma∙skima

Angsi jomi dongonga,

Saksan a∙ba re∙matja.

A∙ba sampangkuri dikpripa,

Samjil dangna rang∙sokja.

Ka∙saa namkalongama, sajima grankal∙angongjokma,

Ka∙sin anga de∙chaatna, dimbrengkal∙e dandanda.

Angsi nang∙na ra∙bara, minil chaming cha∙etpa.

Ku∙sa ku∙gni du∙atna, be∙en bilakba∙kanna.

Jawan dakgamongjokma,

Samman balnangongjokma.

Miba cha∙o cha∙napja,

Chiba ringo ringnapja.

Jamba rikna man∙kuja,

Salbarako neng∙kama.

Mikka balwa rakba∙a,

Ha∙sil jamcha katkuna.

Angsi saja jomjaodi,

Jakra bamil matchotgni.

Be∙en mangrakpa∙odi,

Akgni sukko man∙pagni.

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Ortorang:

angsi - segipa

sampangkuri - a∙ba dikgipa samsi jatsa

samjil - samjiljil, samsi jatsa

grankal∙angongjokma - komikal∙angengjokma

ha∙sil - a∙bao cha∙pagipa nokgipin, jean hiri sima apsangrika.

jakra - a•bao skanggipa samsirang pikani ba dangani.
bamil - skanggipa samsi danga ba•chotani ja•mano samsi dangai

Miksongani:

      Ia poem ma∙skimani, jikgipa segipani ru∙utbee sakamani gimin duk ong∙bee skime an∙tangtang golpoenga. A∙ba samsi dikpripani gimin a∙ba re∙angnade sikbea indiba segipako nokko saksan galangmatskaja. Indake jikgipa, segipana simsakbee una ka∙sabee duk ong∙bee una pringo cha minil ra∙bae setangna du∙engon segipani saaniko namkalangama namkaja∙enga, ua sing∙a.

      Ua duk ong∙tinge, segipako sam jawa sam kal∙akengama ineba chanchiman∙pilenga. Indaken ua skimbee mikoba chikoba cha∙napja ringnapjaha. Segipa saani a∙selo jamatdal, a∙bao neng∙taknaba rikna matchotjaha aro sal rakko mikka wao indakpil∙e neng∙nikaniko man∙aha. Indake ua saksan a∙ba re∙ango, mikka balwa rakba∙ode a∙ba noksulni jamchina katnapna nangbeachim. Ua segipa an∙seng baljoke dongode katchae dongna man∙genchim ine ma∙ringaha.

Meghalaya - Brief

            Meghalaya is a beautiful hill state and is highly blessed with diversified topography. It is bounded by Assam on the North & East, and on the South and West by Bangladesh. It has a mixed culture with a number of tribes with three major tribes: Khasi, Garo and Jaintia all of which follow a matrilineal system where women are the owners of the property. Meghalaya is also one of the North Eastern parts of India which was not reigned by Mughals.

The people are simple and hospitable. Agriculture is the most primitive occupation. The major mineral resources are coal, limestone and glass-sand. The principal agricultural products are rice, maize, cotton, orange, ginger, banana, and pineapple. Rice is believed to be originated in Garo Hills.

If you are planning to explore Meghalaya, then get mesmerized by the green-carpeted mountains, natural terrains, and the sound of raindrops. Extremely beautiful adorned with natural beauty and natural climatic conditions, Meghalaya has always been one of the most sought destinations for tourists.

It has two national parks that are Balpakram National Park and Nokrek Biosphere Reserve, both are situated in Garo Hills and has four Wildlife Sanctuaries.[1] There are also many well-known caves: the first 10 of the 11 longest and deepest caves are situated in Meghalaya. Krem Liat Prah (30.957 km) in Jaintia Hills is the longest natural cave in India, Krem Puri in Mawsynram in East Khasi Hills is the longest sandstone cave (24.5 km) in the world and second longest in India in general category discovered recently (in 2016) and made renowned in March 2018 and Siju Cave in Garo Hills is popular for bats inhabitant.

Temperature is moderate throughout the year, largely controlled by monsoon & seasonal winds; and Shillong popularly referred as ‘the Scotland of the East’ has never experienced 30 ⁰C. Mawsynram (Cherrapunji) has been credited as the wettest place on earth. Mawlynnong village (in East Khasi Hills) is Asia’s cleanest village. Amindagre, the cleanest village of Garo Hills is comparable to Mawlynnong and has created a legacy with wood and stone crafts. In 2011, the village bagged the Nirmal Gram Puraskar.

Some of the popular tourists destinations are: Balpakram-the land of perpetual winds, Nokrek Biosphere which is a home to a very rare citrus species Me∙mang Narang, orange of the spirits considered to be the most progenitor of all other varieties of citrus plants, Selbagre Hoolock Gibbon Reserve, where the only tailless ape can be found in India, Siju Bird Santuary, Chibragre an ideal picnic spot, Mawsmai Cave, Sohra Cherrapunji, Mawphlang Sacred Grove, Jarai Pitcher Plant Lake, the natural habitat of the carnivorus pitcher plant-Nephenthes Khasiana the only nepenthes species native to India, Jakrem hot spring-believed to have curative medicinal properties, Nohkalikai Falls, Elephant Falls, Dawki and Shillong peak.

Shillong Golf Course prides being one of the oldest, largest and finest natural golf circuits in the world. Don Bosco Museum one of Asia’s finest museums (on the promotion of indigenous and tribal cultures). Nongkhnum Island-the second biggest river island in Asia after Majuli Island in Assam.

Apart from being the abode to tourists, Meghalaya has transformed itself to be the education hub of the northeast. Some of the few elite education centres are St. Edmund’s School, St. Anthony’s college and school, Don Bosco College, IIM Shillong and NEHU. English is the official language of the state & medium of teaching in schools, colleges, and universities.

The major festivals are Shad Suk Mynsiem Dance - the religious ritual of Khasi tribe, Behdienkhlam - a colourful religious festival of Jaintia tribe that signifies the driving away of evil by wooden sticks and Wangala Festival - a post-harvest thanksgiving festival to the sun god of fertility Misi Saljong by the Garos.

Coming to connectivity - it has two airports: Umroi Airport and Baljek Airport, one railway station Mendipathar railway station in the western parts of the state. The state is easily accessible through roads which are smooth and well-connected.

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[1]Baghmara Pitcher Plant Wildlife Sanctuary, Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary, Siju Wildlife Sanctuary, Narpuh Wildlife Sanctuary.

Garos: Matrilinearity & Patriarchy

I am proud to be GARO:

Every person and every culture is unique in its own way. Differences is the root of beauty. If everything is of the same feature, there will be no beauty at all. Variety makes the world beautiful, a wonderful place to live in. Every individual is  singular, so does different tribes have different cultures, with different ways of life. Cultures make every race and every country unique,  with different cultural activities and cultural rituals. Culture may also differ within a region, society or sub-group. This is what our country, India is. In every culture and in every race there are good things to talk about,  which must be kept retaining and bad things that must be discarded. So, everyone must be proud of its own uniqueness and; but must not give birth to racism. 

I’m very proud to be Garo and with head held high, would like to proudly share ONE of the MANY uniquenesses, that make our tribe/culture exceptional: “Garos are matrilineal but patriarchal”. Garos are one of the very few surviving matrilineal societies in the world. I’m very proud of this. Garos are not matriarchal but patriarchal. Garos are also matrilocal, i.e. a husband lives with the family of the wife. 

Matrilineal: tracing descent only through female lines.

Patrilineal: tracing descent only through male lines.

Matriarchal: female governs the family; a female is the leader/head of the family.

Patriarchal: male governs the family; a male is the leader/head of the family.

Garos retain their surnames even after marriage, i.e. surname of the male is not changed to female’s surname. Till death, children take their mother’s surname, irrespective of sex even after marriage. As cited above, Garos are matrilineal, matrilocal and the property is owned by women. Garos are again patriarchal where man govern the family, society and domestic affairs; and manage the property. This provides security to women, and both genders are treated and respected equally. Matrilinearity and patriarchy is what makes Garos different from other remaining matrilineal societies in the world.

(Majority of the Garos are in Meghalaya, North East India)

Count to three

Let us all count to three;
and vote for CHANGE,
by intense study of the tree
that imparts stability to longer range.

Look carefully at the tributary brook,

That quenches the thirst of every livelihood.
To him, concealed with vain words, never ever; 
and not being tempted to a filthy lucre.

Let us count one, two, three;

Choose wisely to be truly free.
Let us be still for a second and breathe, 
and proceed for the one with quality seed.

Meaning of the context:

Tree, brook (here): candidate, desired person, proposed leader

Longer range (here): that can reach to the needs of far and near, the poor and the rich;

Lucre: Gain in money or goods; profit; riches, often in a negative sense.