-: Questions :-

A. Short Questions:

Q1. Name the term used by the Garos for bachelor dormitory.
Answer: The term used by the Garos for a bachelor’s dormitory is Nokpante.

Q2. Name one of the important agricultural festivals of the Garos.
Answer: Wangala is the main and major agriculture-based festival of the Garo people.

Q3. What is the primary source of livelihood of the Garos?
Answer: The primary source of livelihood for the Garos is agriculture, and they also practice Jhum and shifting cultivation.

Q4. What is the primary source of livelihood of the Mishings?
Answer: Agriculture is the primary occupation of the Mishings.

Q5. Ali-Ai-Ligang is celebrated by which community?
Answer: Ali-Aye-Ligang is celebrated by the Mishings.

Q6. In which tribal group ‘Buliang’ is an important social institution?
Answer: Buliang is the traditional village council of the Apatani tribe.

Q7. Name the bachelor dormitory of the Ao Naga.
Answer: The male youth dormitory of the Ao Naga is known as Morung, or in the Ao language, arichu.

Q8. Name the state Apatanis live in.
Answer: The Apatanis are found residing in the Ziro valley in the Lower Subansiri District of Arunachal Pradesh.

Q9. Name one matrilocal community of North East India.
Answer: The text does not explicitly use the term ‘matrilocal’ but mentions that the Garos and Khasi-Jaintias primarily follow a matrilineal system. The Garo have the Nokrom system where the son-in-law resides permanently in the house of the parents-in-law, which describes matrilocal residence.

B. Essay Type Questions:

Q1. Write down the name of the four states of N.E. India with examples of one tribal community of each state.
Answer: Four states of North-East India and one tribal community from each are:

1. Arunachal Pradesh: Adi (Abor), Aka (Hruso), Apatani, Nyishi, etc.
2. Assam: Bodo, Kachari, Karbi, Miri, Mishimi, Rabha, etc.
3. Manipur: Meities (valley) and major tribes like Aimol, Anal, Angami, Tanghul, etc.
4. Meghalaya: Garo, Khasi, or Jaintia.

Q2. Who are Mishings? Discuss the agricultural practices of the Mishings.
Answer: The Mishings are an Indo-Mongoloid tribe originally from the hills who settled in the plains of Assam. They belong to the Tibeto-Burman linguistic family. They are concentrated in districts like Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, and Majuli.

Agriculture is the main occupation of the Mishing community. They practice plain or plough cultivation and grow crops like Ahu rice, mustard seeds, black pulse, and vegetables. They use ploughs, bullocks, tractors, and fertilizers in farming. Women mainly do transplantation and weeding, while men handle ploughing and carrying paddy; threshing is done by women or sometimes by men with buffaloes. Their farming is linked with festivals such as Ali-Aye-Ligang, the ceremonial sowing of paddy, and Sorag Puja in October for plant protection.

Q3. Name three tribal communities of Nagaland. Discuss the role of ‘Morung’ in Ao-Naga Society.
Answer: Tribal Communities of nagaland are Rengma, Lotha, Tangkhul (other examples: Zeme, Sema).

Role of Morung in Ao-Naga society are :

1. Socialization & Education: Male youth dormitory where boys learned social practices, customs, folk music, dance, tales, wood carving, weaving.
2. Social Centre: Hub for unmarried male members after puberty.
3. Defense & Security: Constructed at village entrances or strategic points for guarding.
4. Communication: Announcements made using log drums (tongten or chong kong).
5. Dispute Resolution: Morung committee, led by ungor (headman), resolves youth disputes.

Q4. Write about the age-grade system of the Ao-Nagas.
Answer: The Ao-Nagas follow a traditional age-grade system known as Putu Menden or Saman Menchen, which forms the basis of their village administration. The term Putu refers to a generation or a group of people belonging to a certain age group, and each generation lasts for about thirty years. The term Menden means a seat of governance. The Putu Menden acts as the supreme decision-making body of the village, responsible for maintaining law, order, and customary practices. It rules the village for a generation of thirty years before transferring authority to the next group. The council consists of clan representatives called tatars, who are respected leaders entitled to a share of meat during feasts.

Q5. Write a short note on the social organization of the Apatanis.
Answer: The Apatanis are divided into two main groups, Mita or Guth and Mura or Guchi, which are further divided into exogamous clans and sub-clans. Their villages are organized into wards called lemba, with a naga or ritual centre at the core. Marriage is endogamous within divisions and exogamous among clans. Monogamy is common, though polygyny also exists, and they follow a patrilocal residence system after marriage.

Property among the Apatanis is inherited through the male line. Sons inherit land and family property, while daughters receive movable items such as clothes and ornaments. The traditional village council, known as Buliang, manages community matters and includes elders, negotiators, and young assistants who help in maintaining peace and social order within the village.