Miju Mishmi

The Miju Mishmi, also known as Kaman or Kammaan, are one of the three tribes of the Mishmi people of Tibet and Arunachal Pradesh. Members of this tribe are located in Anjaw and Lohit districts. The Miju clans claim to have come from the Kachin country of Burma. They speak languages of the Midzu branch of Tibeto-Burman.

The origin of the tribe is unknown, since the tribe does not have written records and relies on stories handed over by the older generations. There have been several opinions put by early Indian historians but none of the facts provided by those historians are reliable.

The men wear a narrow waist cloth which is brought up between the legs and hangs down in an embroidered flap in front. Over this is worn a sleeveless coat reaching halfway down the thighs, the lower half of which is embroidered. The coats and the waist cloth are both woven on an ordinary Indonesian tension loom.

British India silver coins and Yunnan silver coins are used for necklaces and cane rings are sometimes worn below the knee. The hair is worn long and often tied up in a small puggaree.

Women wear long black skirts reaching almost to the ankle, with a little red embroidery round the edges. A gaily embroidered and very abbreviated bodice leaves the waist bare. A dark shawl is usually thrown over the shoulders. The adornment and patterns on the skirt and shawl have gotten much more intricate and complicated over the time. Thin silver forehead plates and large ear plugs are characteristic, and rich girls often wear numerous silver hoops round the neck.

Members of the Mishmi ethnic group in Dibrugarh (Assam), in 1922

Kamans practice animism. Almost every body of nature like the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers are revered as gods. The deities worshipped are Amik (Sun), Matai (Creator) Buroo (God abiding with rivers) Shyuto (God of the mountains)Teemik (God of water springs) Kangam etc. There are hosts of other malevolent and benevolent deities apart from these who are believed to be protectors or causes of various ailments and problems. All these deities are propitiated from time to time to keep the family and community safe from problems. Tamladu - Taka is celebrated every year around the second week of February to propitiate the hosts of deities for the welfare of village and community. Apart from "Taka" there are many other religious ceremonies associated with the deities. There is "Tulu" for sending the dead spirit to "Kamoulaam" or the domain of the dead, then there is "Apoung" which is conducted to propitiate the host of deities and the dead spirits of the family as well. "Tanoh,Thung and Changrang" are conducted for the welfare of the family society or whatever the chief priest (Kambring) prescribes.

...
Wikipedia