Dirang Monpa

Dirang Monpa Documentation

Introduction

The Dirang Monpas are one of the major divisions of the greater Monpa Tribe. It belongs to Tibeto - Burman language family. The tribe is called Dirang Monpa tribe. They belong to the Tsangla sub-culture of the greater Monpa culture. Basically they are Tibetan Buddhist. They believe themselves to be the original inhabitants of the Dirang circle of the West Kameng district. Monpas are the inhabitants of the high altitude Tawang district and the mountain passes of Bomdila in West Kameng district. The 1991 census recorded the population of the Dirang Monpas as 5,050. It comprises a number of dialects of varying degrees of differences.

Types of Monpa

Monpa (But), Monpa (Chugpa), Monpa (Dirang), Monpa (Kalaktang), Monpa (Lishpa) and Monpa (Tawang).

Culture / Belief

The Dirang Monpas consider the caste Hindus superior to them, while the Lish Monpas, But Monpas and Mijis are considered inferior. (K.S Singh 1995) Marrying into other groups of the Monpas is permitted and encouraged.

When there is a death, the body is carried to a nearby river and thrown into the water after being cut into 108 pieces (Tibetan Buddhists consider 108 to be an auspicious number). If a person dies in an accident his / her body is buried.

Food habit

The community’s diet consists of cereals, fish, meat, vegetables and chhung (local drink brewed from maize, rice, millet, wheat and blackwheat). They take tea in a typical Tibetan manner, mixed with butter and salt. They consumes milk products like churpi (cheese) and butter. They eat beaf, pork, mutton, fowls, yaks, mithuns and deer.

Occupation

Agriculture is the primary occupation. The people practice both jhum(shifting cultivation) and settled cultivation. They domesticate yaks, cows, sheeps, pigs etc. The cattle’s and yak are reared for milk and meat, while the sheep are reared for wool and meat.