Introduction:

Mro is a a small indigenous minority group, who live scattered in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). They mostly living in Toin, Mangu, Toinfa, Luloing, Uttarhangar, Dhakkinhangar, Tankabati, Harinjuri, Takerpanchari, Renikhyong, Pantola, Thankhyong, Swalok, Tindow, Singpa, Alikhoung and Bhariyatali mouzas in the Bandarban district of CHT. Peoples also call them “Mru”. However, on many occasions, Mros are contemptuously called “Mro-Dang” or “Myawktong”, the meaning is lower type of animal being. But Mros introduce themselves as “Mro-Cha”. The word “Mro” means “man” and “Cha” stands for “being”.

Origin:

Rajwang, the chronicle of Arakanese Kings, records that during the 12th century two Mro men helped King Da Tha, the Raja of Arakan (1153-1165) in locating the Mahamuni Statue. In the 14th century, Mros were driven out from Arakan by Khumis, who was a powerful tribe in that region. They moved in the Bandarban district and settled down in the western valley of the Sangu River along the Matammuri River. This is supported by a letter of the King of Arakan to the Chief of Chittagong district. They had no Chief of their own. But, they had group leader. They owed their allegiance to the Bohmong Chief of Bandarban. Each village had a leader who collected tributes from each head of the family for the Bohmong Chief. The village leader’s position was hereditary (Lewin 1869:86-88). Mros are divided into several clans such as “Dengua” (plantain tree), “Premsang” (cockscomb plant), “Konglai” (wild plantain tree), “Maizer” (jack fruit tree), and “Ganaroo Gnor” (mango tree). From this division, it appears that totemic tree worship is still prevalent in Mro society.

Population:

The Mro population was 1,500 in 1869, 17,000 in 1956 and 20,000 in 1981; and at present approximately 35,000 in 2006.

Social System:

The Mro society is patriarchal. Although the father is the head of the family, women play a dominant role in social life. The property goes from father to son but the lion's share is given to the youngest son. In old age, father and mother live with him. Elementary and joint family system are prevalent in the Mro society. Mros try to maintain a close relationship with other tribes; men and women visit nearby markets to sell agricultural products and purchase necessary items for daily use.

Lifestyle:

Mros have Mongoloid features but are tall and strong and mostly dark complexion. They are peaceful and timid. Moustache and beard are hardly seen on their face. Physically, they closely resemble the Semang of Malaysia. They build their houses on hilltops. The houses are big and seem to be built for community dwelling.

Livelihood:

Mros depend mainly on hunting but many of them are engaged in Jhum cultivation, collective farming and gardening. They have no permanent abodes. Migratory instincts have prevented them from progress in daily life. Mro women are very active in economic pursuits, weave their own clothes and manage all affairs of the house.

Language:

Mros do not have any written language. They have an oral dialect which similarity with the Burmese and it seems to belong to the Tibeto-Burman linguistic family (Bernot 1964:159), (Shafer 1995:103) however considers it to be a category by itself. In all probability, the Mro language was separated from Tibeto-Burma group at an early period. The Mro vocabulary, syntax, and grammar, to some extent, resemble the Kuki-Chin languages of north-eastern India and north-western Myanmar. Nowadays, some Mros receive modern education at Shialoe school (near Bandarban town) established by the government. Mros talk to their neighbours in the local language and known as “Bengali”. In this sense, they are bilingual.

Religion:

Mros are animists and have three gods. They are the “Turai”, the creator of the universe, the “Sangtung” or “Sungtiang”, the spirit of the hill, and the “Oreng”, the river deity. In starting any venture, they take oath in the name of Turai. They do not have any priesthood or religious books. According to Mro mythology, the religious book that their god sent to their forefathers was in the form of scriptures written on banana leaves. A messenger was given the scriptures and some clothes for Mro women to wear. In course of his journey, the messenger halted on the bank of a river, left the scriptures and the clothes on the bank and went to take a bath. On his return, he found that a cow had eaten up the leaves and nothing is left out of the holy book. The cow also swallowed up the major part of the clothes. This is how Mros were left without formal religion and their women got to wear few clothes. For this act, Mros punish a cow every year ceremoniously. A well-fed cow is tied to a pole in an open space where the whole village assembles. Drinking and dancing around the cow continue till afternoon, when they start striking the cow with a painted bamboo stick till blood gushes from its body and it dies. The blood of the cow is considered sacred and preserved in bamboo pots. The animal body is cut off with a sharp dao. Then the villagers sit in a circle. The elderly Mro villagers distribute the blood to every member so that they can suck it. Later, they eat the roasted flesh of the cow. In the ceremony, all persons are urged to live in peace with their neighbours and relatives. They believe that a bull which was sent by God Turai to carry the religious book for them had eaten up the book on the way. They therefore hold a special ceremony called “Nasyat Pa” or “Kumlang” in which a bull is ceremoniously killed. The Sangtung is considered sacred, and they offer prayer to this hill spirit for good harvest in jhum cultivation. Oreng is worshipped collectively for the welfare of the villagers and to keep out epidemic diseases and bad luck. They do not have any priesthood or religious books. Mros do not believe in the next world i.e., the world after death and they direct all their activities to the present world.

Buddhist influences are evident in the daily life of Mros. A section of Mros adheres to Christianity. Lately, many Mros have embraced “Cramma”, a new religion founded by a Mro named “Manley”. However, all oaths are taken in honour of guns, daos and tigers. Mros venerate the sun and the moon but do not offer any sacrifice to them. They do not have scriptures, temples, and priests.

Another Mro ritual is “Champua”. On a fixed day, young boys and girls go to the dense forest to cut banana leaves and celebrate the festival by dancing and singing till dawn. Such a ritual gives young men and women the chance to select their life partners.

Food:

Mros take boiled rice twice a day and consume all types of meat but hardly use spicy items in cooking curry. Dry fish is their favourite food. Drinking is popular and they have no taboo as regards any food.

Marriage:

Marriage within the clan is prohibited. They marry within the tribe, although inter tribal marriage may also take place on rare occasions. Two types of marriage are found in Mro society. One is marriage by elopement and another is marriage by negotiation. In case of divorce, the husband is repaid all that he had given to his wife except the ornaments, which the wife takes to her father's house. For a woman, a second marriage is unusual but a man can marry after the death of the first wife. Polygamy and polyandry is practically absent and child marriage is rare.

Traditional Dress:

Mro men wear round the waist a strip of cloth called “Lengti”or “Dong”, which is passed between the two legs. They also wears a “Lungi”, and shirt when they go to the market.Males keep long hairs and also put high hair in a bun just above the forehead and use turbans called “Pagri” as head dresses.

The females use a small piece of dark blue cloth called “Wanglai” to cover the private part of the body; the left side is kept open. It is colourful embroidery on one side and in the centre. The Wanglai is 6 inches in width and breadth of 9 inches. from top of bottom. They wrap it around their waists. The women hardly cover their breasts. Mro women do not wear anything at their chest. They however wear a wrap called “Wancha”, which they buy from the market. They bind their hairs on the left side of the back of the head. Mro women use “Tapung” made of coarse cloth woven in their own looms to carry their babies on their shoulders.

Mros decorate their body using different colours; both boys and girls colour their lips. They prefer to paint their cheeks, lips and forehead red when they go out for dancing. Females put flowers on head and ears and also a string of small beads on their necks. Only bachelors and spinsters can participate in ceremonial dances. Like the women, the men bore their ears and put on rings. Every Mro blackens his/her teeth. Their musical instruments consist of bamboo pipes called “Plungs”. When dancing, men wear red clothes with a head-dress of feathers and beads while women dress themselves with flowers, beads and coins.

Death:

Mros dispose of the dead body by burying and burning.