Tribal Dances of
Tripura
Tribal Dances
of TripuraDances of
Tripuri Community:
Garia Dance - The life
and culture of Tripuris
revolve around Jhum
(shifting) cultivation.
When the sowing of seeds
at plot of land selected
for Jhum, is over by
the middle of April,
they pray to God ‘Garia’
for a happy harvest.
The celebration-attached
to Garia Puja continue
for Seven days when
they seek to entertain
their beloved deity
with song and dance.
Lebong-Boomani
Dance - After
the Garia festival is
over, the Tripuris have
a time to rest awaiting
the monsoon. During
this period, flocks
of charming colorful
insects called ‘Lebang’
use to visit to hills
slopes in search of
seeds sewn on it. The
annul visit of the insects
render the tribal youths
to indulge in merry
making. While the male
folk make a peculiar
rhythmic sound with
the help of two bamboo
chips in their hand,
the women folk run tottering
the hills slopes to
catch hold of these
insects called ‘Lebang’.
The rhythm of the sound
made by the bamboo chips
attracts the insects
from there hiding places
and the women in the
groups catch them.
With the change of
time jhuming on hill
slopes are gradually
diminishing. But the
cultural life that developed
centering 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 the both the dances,
Tripuris use the musical
instruments like khamb
made of bamboo, flute,
sarinda, lebang made
of bamboo and bamboo
cymbal.
Tripuri women generally
put on indigenous ornaments
like chain made of silver
with coin, bangle made
of silver, ear and nose
rings made of bronze.
They preferred as ornaments.
Reang Community –
Next to the Tripuris,
the Reangs constitute
the second biggest group
among the tribal population.
It is generally believed
this particular community
migrated to Tripura
from somewhere in the
Chittagong hill tracts
in the middle of the
fifteen century. The
Reangs are very disciplined
community. The head
of the community enjoys
the title ‘Rai’
word is supreme in all
matters of internal
disputes and hence to
be obeyed by all belonging
to the said community.
They generally avoid
normal court for justice.
The Reangs are very
backward both educationally
and economically and
therefore they are still
considered to be the
primitive group
Dance of Reang
Community:
Hozagiri Dance –
While the theme of the
dance remains almost
to be the same as of
other tribes, the dance
form of the Reang community
is quite different from
others. The movements
of hands or even the
upper part of the body
is somewhat restricted,
where as the movement
beginning from their
waist down to their
feet creates a wonderful
wave.
Standing on a earthen
pitcher with a bottle
on the head and a lighted
lamp on it, when the
Reang belle dance twisting
rhythmically the lower
part of the body, the
dance bewilders the
onlookers.
The Reangs also used
the musical instrument
like khamb, flute made
of bamboo and bamboo
cymbal.
The Reang women prefer
to put on black Pachra
and Rea. Reang women
put on coins ring which
generally covers their
upper region. They also
put on ring made of
coin in their ears.
They are fond of fragrant
flowers as ornaments
to metal things.
Chakma community - People
of chakma Community
in Tripura are found
normally in the Sub-Division
of Kailaspur, Amarpur,
Sabroom, Udaiur, Belonia
and Kanchanpur. They
are followers of Buddhism.
Although the Chakama
are divided into several
groups and sub-sections.
No major difference
is noticed in the manner
and customs in different
groups. The Chakma chiefs
are generally called
‘Dewans’
and they exercise great
authority and influence
within the community
all-internal matters.
The Chamka women, like
all other tribal women
are experts in weaving.
The chamkas are very
neat and clean in their
domestic life.
Dance of Chakma
Community:
Bizu dance – This
particular form of dance
is characteristic of
the Chakma community.
Bizu means Chaitra-
Sanskriti. Chaitra Sanskriti
denotes end of the Bengali
calender year. It is
during this period when
the chakmas sing and
dance to bid good-bye
to the year just being
ended and welcome the
New Year. The dance
is beautifully orchestrated
with the rhythem playing
of what is known as
“Khenggarang”
and “dhukuk”
sorts of flutes.
The Chakma women are
fond of flower, which
they often use in their
hair. They also use
metal ornaments.
Halam (Malsum)
Community -
Malsum is one of the
12 groups belonging
to the Halam Community
of Tripura. Halam, again,
originally hailed from
one of the branches
of the ‘Kukis’
had lived in the Tripura
even before the Tripuris
came into conquer the
land. Those of the ‘Kukis’
who had submitted to
the Tripura “Raja”
came to be Known as
Halams originally the
tribal was divided into
12 sub groups or ‘Dafas’
but in course of time
these sub groups have
further split into sections
and as many as new sixteen
clans are found to be
making up for the whole
Halam community. Malsum
belongs to one of these
12 groups.
The Halams are as followers
of the ‘sakta’
cult, but the influence
of vaisnavism is quite
marked, particularly,
in two sections of the
community. They believe
in the existence of
sprit too. Their worship
is solemnized with offerings
and sacrifice so that
nothing calamitous befalls
the community in the
form of crop failure
or epidemic or any other
natural, disaster. During
the festivals, they
sit together to settle
all internal disputes,
try cases or crime and
inflict punishment on
the offenders, which
make the Puja a useful
social gathering in
keeping peace and harmony
within the community.
Dance of Halam
(Malsum) Community:
Hai-Hak dance - Like
other tribal community
of this state the social
and economic life of
the Halam community
also revolve around
jhum cultivation. At
the end of the harvesting
season the Malsum traditionally
adore goddess Laxmi.
They enjoy this festive
occasion for their famous
Hai Hak dance. It is
also a community dance
with exquisite beauty.
Rhythms of the dance
reflect the tradition
inherited from distant
past.
Garo Community - The
people of Garo community
live in the south and
Dhalai District of Tripura.
Originally they use
to live in Tong Ghar
made of bamboo to save
themselves from wild
animals the other tribal
of Tripura. But they
now prefer houses made
of mud wall with ‘Chan’
grass of roof. They
are believed to have
migrated to Tripuras
from Garo Hills. The
life style of the Garo
living in Tripura is
almost like the other
tribal. The head of
the community is known
as Sangnakma and the
priest of the community
is known as kamal.
They put on the dress
as good as that of the
Khasis.
Dance of Garo
Community:
Wangala Dance - After
the happy harvest ‘Wangala(1st
rice eating ceremony)
is performed in every
houses. The Sangnakma,
head of the communities
visits every house and
cuts a pumpkin as a
part of worship. This
pumpkin is sacrificed
on this occasion.
Thereafter the women
dance to the beat of
‘Dama’ and
‘Aaduri’
made of buffalo horn.
The dance projects he
rehearsals for war.
Lusai Community - The
Lusai communities were
originally inhabitant
of the hills lying with
eastern and north- east
of Tripura and also
to the adjoining hilly
areas. They have settled
down on Jampui Hills
situated on the North-
east boundary of the
state under Kanchanpur
Sub- Division in North
Tripura District. There
number is very insignificant
to the total population
of the state. Their
social life and customs
have been of objects
of great attraction
to others. The principle
means of livelihood
of the Lusai still remain
to be jhum cultivation.
Of course, this can
be considered chiefly
to the dearth of plain
land in the hills,.
They prefer in high
altitude of the hills.
Dance of Lusai
Community:
Welcome Dance - The
Lusai girls are well
dressed they generally
were their colorful
cloth. They perform
welcome dance where
young girls of the entire
community take part.
Their dress is so colorful
that the ornaments are
not very much required
except fragrant flowers.
Darlong Community -
The Darlong are the
sub caste of the Lusai
community. They live
mostly in Kailashahar
subdivision in North
Tripura District. Their
main livelihood is cultivation
of pineapple, orange
and cotton.
Dance of Darlong
Community:
Cheraw Dance - Darlong
reposes faith in after
life. They believe that
man is destined to go
heaven after death.
Incidentally, they think
that if a pregnant woman,
she feels it very difficult
with all her physical
strains, to track the
long journey to heaven.
Hence at the last stage
of her pregnancy –
in fact just at the
time or immediately
prior to delivery all
her relatives perform
this ‘Cheraw’
dance in a group throughout
the day and night so
as to instill confidence
in the mind of that
woman. They are firm
in their belief that
even if the dies at
this juncture, it will
be possible for her
to go heaven with the
courage and confidence
together with joy gained
through the sound of
bamboo as well as the
rhythm of the dance
produced till her death.
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