Tripura woman
Introduction:
After Chagmas and Marmas, the third largest indigenous hill tribe in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region are the Tripuras. Tripuras call themselves “Tipara orTipra”, while Marmas call them “Mrong”, Lushais call them “Tuikuk”, Pankhos call them “Bai” and Chagmas call them “Tibirya”.
Tripuras are divided into 36 “Dafas” or groups of which 16 are in Bangladesh. Some of these groups have a number of subgroups. All groups and subgroups have their own dialects, dresses and ornaments. Each of these groups and subgroups is usually named after an incidence they encountered or occupation they practise.
Origin:
Tripura people who are living Khagrachari district of CHT; Comilla, Sylhet and Chittagong areas as well as to some other regions like Noakhali, Dhaka, Faridpur and Barisal that had migrated from their original homeland of Tripura state in India. Many also believe that they are in fact descendants of the indigenous Bodo group of Assam, considered as the forefathers of the peoples of Assam, Burma and Thailand. In course of time, however, they concentrated largely in the CHT, especially in and around Ramgarh and Khagrachari district that accounting for nearly 80% living in this areas.
Population:
The 1881 census recorded the distribution of Tripura people as:
Areas Population
CHT 15,054
Comilla 1,895
Faridpur 101
Barisal 45
Noakhali 16
Dhaka 4
Sylhet and other areas 268
Total: 17,383
In 1991, the total number of Tripuras in Bangladesh was 79,772 and approximately almost 100,000 in 2006. This figure accounts for 6.6% of the total tribal population in the CHT.
Lineage System:
Tripuras do not have a uniform lineage system. In some groups, sons draw their lineage from the father's side, while in some others, daughters draw their lineage from the mother's side. The eldest son of a family can inherit all his father's property but the other sons and daughters do not get any share at all. However, the right of the eldest son to inherit any property is forfeited if he separates himself from the parent's family when the father is still alive. Provisions of inheritance by other sons or the daughters take effect only in circumstances when the family does not have any son or when the eldest son is disqualified on the above ground.
Lifestyle:
The Tripuris live on the slopes of hills in a group of five to fifty families. Their houses are built of bamboo and raised five to six feet height to save themselves from the dangers of the wild animals. Nowadays a considerable section of this community are living in the plains and erecting houses like the plains' people adopting their methods of cultivation and following them in other aspects of life, such as dress, manners and cosmetics.
Livelihood:
Traditionally, Like the Chagma, the main resources of the Tripuras livelihood is closely linked with hill agriculture or shifting cultivation called “Jum”. Living in settled villages, they would cultivate plots on surrounding hills for some years, then leave them fallow to recuperate naturally. They also cultivated land in river valleys.
According to early observers, the living standard of cultivators in the CHT was relatively high. Rice, cotton and vegetables were important crops. The bamboo was essential as building material. In the recent century, population growth made hill cultivation more problematic mainly because fallow periods had to be shortened - and more Tripuras had to find non-agricultural jobs.
Language:
The language of Tripuras knows as “Kokborok” belongs to the Bodo indigenous tribe in Assam state of India, which has its origin in the Assam branch of the Tibeto-Burma language under the Sino-Tibetan family. The script of the Tripura language has some similarities with that of the Chagma language but although the alphabet appears to be similar, the two languages differ very much in pronunciation and the reading procedure. Kokborok was widely used in writing letters, demonstrating magic, and preparing lists of indigenous medicine. But due to lack of use, the script is on the verge of extinction.
Religion:
Tripuras are mainly Hindus but their beliefs and religious practices are different from caste Hindus in many ways. They worship the “God Siva” and the goddess “Kali” and other 14 gods and goddesses. They also believe in a number of evil spirits, incorporeal beings and demons, who have their abode in jungles and who do harm to people by inflicting diseases. Tripuras sacrifice animals and birds in the name of their gods and goddesses. They believe that rivers, lakes and canals were once human beings and but sacrificed their lives and turned into nature bodies to serve mankind. They also believe in life hereafter and consider that those who have done good work will live in ease and comfort in the next life but that wrong doers will face ceaseless toil and constant harassment.
Marriage:
There are three main features of the traditional form of marriage in the Tripura society: (1) the proposal of marriage is initiated by the bridegroom's party, (2) the marriage usually takes place at the bride's home and (3) marriages are arranged by the parents, relatives, friends or acquaintances of the parties concerned.
Tripuras follow a custom of arranged marriage, which is traditionally not allowed within one's own group. Majority Tripura men marry, age between 16-25 and women age 15-22.There is no bar in marrying outside the tribe. The father of the bridegroom is to pay the expenses for the bride's dress and ornaments. The dowry system practically does not exist in Tripura society but feasts claim a large amount of expenses. The bridegroom is required in certain cases, to pay a certain amount known as “Pan” or “Price” of the bride to her father. The Pan is fixed through a negotiation between the parties of the bride and bridegroom. In fixing this amount often references are made to such amounts in the cases of other married sisters or cousins in the bride's family. The bride's party usually claims a high amount. But the groom's party often scales it down. Part of the Pan is payable on the day the marriage takes place and this “Prompt” payment is made usually in the form of the value of ornaments brought by the groom's party as gift to the bride. The remaining part of Pan designated as deferred, is payable to the bride later. Full payment of Pan at the time of marriage is welcome and in fact, is practised by rich families in some areas.
Divorce is unlawful among Tripuras but should be arranged by mutual consent. In case either party wishes to separate without due reason she or he must pay compensation and also provide a pig for the community.
Traditional Dress:
The traditional dress of a man wear “Dhuti”, which is a narrow piece of cloth clad round the waist and between the legs with a fringed end hanging down from the rear up to the ankle and a “Khaban”, which is cover their head exactly look like turban used by the Punjabis in India. They also wear a ruggedly sewn jacket in winter days.
Tripura women is similar to that of a Chagma women and in most cases it is a petticoat with a blouse on the upper part of the body. In the past, married Tripura women usually did not wear anything to cover the breasts. Unmarried girls distinguish themselves by wearing colourful clothes. Both men and women wear crescent shaped silver ear rings. The women wear necklace made of beads and shells, nose skewers and ornaments on the hair, neck, wrist and ankle.
In modern days, the women wear “Renai”, which is like an open Lungi measuring 4cubits x 2cubits. Renai has broad black borders with red field. They weave in their loin-loom a small piece of cloth, which they call “Risa”, and they use this small piece of cloth as their breast garment, which is a piece of cloth 3 cubits x 1 cubit. It displays a variety of designs of birds, butterflies, flowers and leaves. They often use tatting with tiny beads at both ends. Elderly women wear a white cloth as turban. A group of Tripura women rear a scarp, called “Pachra”, which reaches down just below the knee.
Festivals:
The most important social festival of the Tripura people is the “Baishuki”that its last for three days beginning from the second last day of the Bengali calendar. On the first day of the festival called “Hari Baishuki”, that children decorate homes with flowers, wear clean dress and visit neighbours, who treat them with cakes. Elders also visit neighbours and are treated with drinks. From this first day of the festival a group of no less than 15 dancers display folk dances by visiting every house in their village. The dances and visit to neighbours continue on the second and third day named “Baishukma” and “Bisikatal” respectively. Dancers are given drinks, chicken and rice by the houses they visit. After all the houses have been visited, a worships is arranged in which the gifts received from different houses are offered to “God Godaiya”. A major rule in the rituals is that if someone participates in the dance in a year, he is to do the same in three consecutive years. It is believed that failure to do so will lead to god's discontent.
Songs and Dances:
Garia Dance: The life and culture of Tripuras revolve around shifting cultivation. When the sowing of seeds at a plot of land selected for Jhum is over by middle of April, they pray to the “God Garia” for a happy harvest. The celebrations attached to the Garia Puja continue for seven days when they seek to entertain their beloved deity with song and dance.
Lebang Boomani Dance: After the Garia festival is over, the Tripuras have a time to rest awaiting the monsoon. During this period, folks of charming colourful insects called “Lebang” use to visit hill slopes in search of seeds sewn on it. The annual visit of the insects renders the tribal youths to indulge in merry-making. While the men-folk make a peculiar rhythmic sound with the help of two bamboo chips in their hand, the women folk run tottering the hill slopes to catch hold of these insects. The rhythm of the sound made by the bamboo chips attracts the insects from their hiding places and the women in-groups catch them. With the change of time jhuming on hill slopes are gradually diminishing. But the cultural life that developed centre round the jhum delved deep into the society. It still exists in the state's hills and dales as a reminiscence of the life, which the tribal of today cherish in memory, and preserve as treasure.
In both the dances Tripuras use the musical instruments, such as Khamb, Flute, Sarinda and Lebang are made of bamboo and bamboo cymbal. Tripura women generally put on indigenous ornaments like chain made of silver with coin; and ear and nose rings made of bronze. They prefer flower as their ornaments used during the singing and dancing.
Birth Ritual:
When a new baby takes birth in a Tripura family, the mother is to observe days of impurity and she is not allowed to cook. After some days of the birth, when the navel is dried, a ceremonial feast is organised to give a name to the new born.
Death Ritual:
Tripuras burn the body after the dead . When the fire extinguishes the ashes, unburned bones are collected and thrown in the river or a pond. The funeral ceremony is called “Shraddha”, which is take placed after 13 days of death. In case someone dies of diseases like cholera, pox or leprosy, they do not burn. Instead of burning they buried. If a baby died before the growth of teeth than they wrap with white cloths and arranged in a bamboo basket and is hung in a branch of a tree in the forest.