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Long Secluded: Cultural Evolution in Mizoram
| Article
# : |
10798 |
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Section : |
CULTURE
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| Issue
Date : |
3 / 1993 |
2,797 Words |
| Author
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Lalit Gambhir
Lalit Gambhir is a free-lance photojournalist affiliated with
The World & I Photo Agency. Based in New Delhi, he engaged in
field research in Manipur during September and October 1990. |
Mizoram, "the land of highlanders," is a mountain region in northeast India formerly known as the Lushai Hills. It is landlocked territory sandwiched between Burma in the east of the Bangladesh in the south; at its northern boundary, it is linked with Assam and Manipur. Mizoram is a region of blue mountains, narrow valleys, tropical forests, quiet hamlets, and bustling towns.
One of the "Seven Sisters"--comprising the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, and Tripura--Mizoram is characterized by a diverse social mosaic distinct from that of the rest of India. Dance, music, land dialects are common threads that run throughout the cultural fabric of the region.
More than one hundred tribal communities live in the Seven Sisters; those that live in Mizoram are commonly known as Mizos. These tribes have thrived in the seclusion of this remote, inaccessible area, protected by its hilly terrain. Geographic barriers have limited communication with the outside world and between the tribes themselves. In fact, neighboring peoples sometimes find each other's dialects incomprehensible.
Through economic activities and festivals, the Mizo tribes nevertheless have maintained a natural continuity of ethnic traditions, customs, occupational patterns, and social structures. In fact, certain rigidity exists in their social and religious customs because of their seclusion and devotion to keeping their heritage intact. This has allowed Mizo culture to evolve during an age of influences while remaining genuinely ethnic. The peoples of Mizoram are perhaps the best representatives of northeast India's vibrant cultures.
One example of the Mizos' devotion to heritage is their color emblems. Each tribe has its own. Vegetable dyes are used, and original shades--sunset red, deep sky blue, jungle green, dark black--dominate. The height of the surrounding hills seems to influence the color emblem; hues employed by tribes living on the plains are more mixed and faded.
Despite the Mizos' ethnic awareness, their cultural evolution and remnants of other cultural influences are visible. Traces of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam are evident, as are hints of Mongol, Tibeto-Burman, Dravidian, and Aryan cultural origins. More notably, because of the dedicated efforts of missionaries, approximately 90 percent of the population is Christian.
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