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The Mishings are an ethnic group inhabiting the districts of Dhemaji, North Lakhimpur, Sonitpur, Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sibsagar, Jorhat and Golaghat of Assam. Nearly 20,000 live in and around Pasighat of East Siang, Lower Dibang Valley and Lohit districts of Arunachal Pradesh. They are the second largest tribe in Assam and one of the largest tribal group in North-East India. They were earlier called Miris. However the Constitution of India still refers them as Miris. Further steps are been taken for amending the nomenclature from 'Miri' to 'Mising' in the Indian Constitution by the students of Cotton College, a premier college of North East India.

The Mishings belong to a mixture of East Asian as well as Southeast Asian subrace of the Mongoloid race, similar to the mixture of the Mongoloid subraces inside political China as people from Southern China may look more like the South East Asian brown-skinned Mongoloids and more towards the Northern China more fair skinned Mongoloids dwell. It's not known exactly where they migrated from, but it is popularly believed that they were dwellers of the hills of present day Arunachal Pradesh. This explains the cultural and linguistic similarities they have with the people of the Adi (erstwhile Abor) tribe, and to some extent of the Hill Miri and Dafla tribes of Arunachal Pradesh. Somewhere around the 13th century, they started migrating towards the plains of Assam, most probably in search of fertile land. This exodus continued for at least 2-3 centuries.

As fate would have it, they found one of the most fertile river-beds (that of the mighty Brahmaputra) and settled on both banks along the length of the river, starting right from Sadiya in the east, to Jorhat in the west. They continued their practice of living in thatched houses raised on bamboo stilts, known as Chang ghar. It was a protection against flood waters during the rainy season, although the original logic behind raised houses was protection from wild beasts.

The yearly floods ensured that the Mishings lived a life of abject poverty and misery. Agriculture being their main occupation, floods affect them in more ways than one. Moreover, due to their affinity towards living close to river banks brings about Malaria and water-borne diseases. But 94% of them still continue to live along the banks of Brahmaputra and its tributaries, unfazed by the disasters striking them.

Their chief festival is Ali-Aye-Leegang, in the month of February, which marks the beginning of the sowing season. Most Mishings follow both the Donyi-Polo and Hinduism religions, and there are a few Christians who follow the Catholic or Baptist faith.

Language

The language of the Mishing people is also known as Mishing language. It belongs to the Tibeto-Burman family of languages, and is spoken by some 25,000 people.

Script:

Mishing language is written in modified Roman script (Govt. of Assam recognition on 30 October 1985).

Mishings are broadly divided into:

Dagdung (belonging to the North), and
Daktok (belonging to the South).

Typically, it is easy to identify if a person is Dagdung or Daktok from his surname. A further classification can be based on the "dialect" of the language. These groups are:

Pagro,
Mohying,
Sahyang,
Delu,
Dambuk
Oyan,
Samuguria,
Tamar, and
Samua.

The variations of Mishing spoken by these groups differ from each other in intonation, sentence formation, word usage etc., with the exception of Samugurias, who do not speak Mishing at all. They use Assamese instead.

Mishing surnames reflect the clan (opeen) they belong to. Over 51 clans have been identified so far.

This is a social setup that has been followed since time immemorial. Other clans (people having surnames besides Doley and Pegu) claim brotherhood (seegnam) alongside either Pegu or Doley. For example, Patirs,Pathori and Lagachus (among others) are regarded as brothers to Pegus, and to each other. Similarly, Kutums and Kulis (among others) and regarded as brothers to Doley.

This classification of "brotherhood" was made primarily for marital reasons. Clans belonging to the same brotherhood of Pegu are not to marry within the clan, and the same applies for the Doley brotherhood. However, there is yet another group of clans that can freely marry within either Pegu or Doley. Surnames like Morang, Payeng, Pangging,Taye, Mili etc. belong to this group. Marriage between two people having the same surname is taboo. It would amount to sacrilege if a Pegu were to marry another Pegu, or if a Doley another Doley.

References

Kashyap, Samudra Gupta (2000-07-10), More reconversion stories, this time from Assam "More reconversion stories, this time from Assam", The Indian Express, retrieved 2007-12-07 {{citation}}: Check |url= value (help)

M. Narimattam (1988). The Valley in Blossom: Neo-Vaishnavism and the Peoples of the Brahmaputra Valley. Spectrum Publications. p. 77.

External links

v t e Tribes of Arunachal Pradesh
Major tribes	Adi Mishmi
Scheduled tribes (Recognised by government)	Adi Aka (Hruso) Apa Tani Ashing Bori Chikum Dui Deori Digaro Mishmi Galo/Gallong Hill Miri Khamba Khamti Khamyang Bugun (Khowa) Lisu Padam Palibo Phake Memba Monpa Miji Mikir (Karbi) Minyong Miju Mishmi (Kaman) Mishing Nyishi Nocte Nga Ran Sherdukpen Singpho Sulung Takpa Tangsa Tutsa Wancho Zekhring
Other tribes (Not recognised by government)	Chugpa Lishipa

Categories:

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	The '''~~Misings~~''' are an ethnic group inhabiting the districts of		The '''Mishings''' are an ethnic group inhabiting the districts of
	], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ] of ]. Nearly 20,000 live in and around ] of ], ] and ] districts of ]. They are the second largest tribe in Assam and one of the largest tribal group in North-East India. They were earlier called ]. However the ] still refers them as ]. Further steps are been taken for amending the nomenclature from 'Miri' to 'Mising' in the Indian Constitution by the students of Cotton College, a premier college of North East India.		], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ] of ]. Nearly 20,000 live in and around ] of ], ] and ] districts of ]. They are the second largest tribe in Assam and one of the largest tribal group in North-East India. They were earlier called ]. However the ] still refers them as ]. Further steps are been taken for amending the nomenclature from 'Miri' to 'Mising' in the Indian Constitution by the students of Cotton College, a premier college of North East India.

	The '''~~Misings~~''' belong to a mixture of East Asian as well as Southeast Asian subrace of the ] race, similar to the mixture of the Mongoloid subraces inside political China as people from Southern China may look more like the South East Asian brown-skinned Mongoloids and more towards the Northern China more fair skinned Mongoloids dwell. It's not known exactly where they migrated from, but it is popularly believed that they were dwellers of the hills of present day ]. This explains the cultural and linguistic similarities they have with the people of the Adi (erstwhile ]) tribe, and to some extent of the ] and ] tribes of ]. Somewhere around the 13th century, they started migrating towards the plains of Assam, most probably in search of fertile land. This exodus continued for at least 2-3 centuries.		The '''Mishings''' belong to a mixture of East Asian as well as Southeast Asian subrace of the ] race, similar to the mixture of the Mongoloid subraces inside political China as people from Southern China may look more like the South East Asian brown-skinned Mongoloids and more towards the Northern China more fair skinned Mongoloids dwell. It's not known exactly where they migrated from, but it is popularly believed that they were dwellers of the hills of present day ]. This explains the cultural and linguistic similarities they have with the people of the Adi (erstwhile ]) tribe, and to some extent of the ] and ] tribes of ]. Somewhere around the 13th century, they started migrating towards the plains of Assam, most probably in search of fertile land. This exodus continued for at least 2-3 centuries.

	As fate would have it, they found one of the most fertile river-beds (that of the mighty ]) and settled on both banks along the length of the river, starting right from ] in the east, to ] in the west. They continued their practice of living in thatched houses raised on bamboo stilts, known as ]. It was a protection against flood waters during the rainy season, although the original logic behind raised houses was protection from wild beasts.		As fate would have it, they found one of the most fertile river-beds (that of the mighty ]) and settled on both banks along the length of the river, starting right from ] in the east, to ] in the west. They continued their practice of living in thatched houses raised on bamboo stilts, known as ]. It was a protection against flood waters during the rainy season, although the original logic behind raised houses was protection from wild beasts.

	The yearly floods ensured that the '''~~Misings~~''' lived a life of abject poverty and misery. ] being their main occupation, floods affect them in more ways than one. Moreover, due to their affinity towards living close to river banks brings about ] and ]. But 94% of them still continue to live along the banks of ] and its tributaries, unfazed by the disasters striking them.		The yearly floods ensured that the '''Mishings''' lived a life of abject poverty and misery. ] being their main occupation, floods affect them in more ways than one. Moreover, due to their affinity towards living close to river banks brings about ] and ]. But 94% of them still continue to live along the banks of ] and its tributaries, unfazed by the disasters striking them.

	Their chief festival is Ali-Aye-Leegang, in the month of February, which marks the beginning of the sowing season.<ref>{{cite book\|title=The Valley in Blossom: Neo-Vaishnavism and the Peoples of the Brahmaputra Valley\|author=M. Narimattam\|publisher=Spectrum Publications\|year=1988\|isbn=\|page=77}}</ref> Most '''~~Misings~~''' follow both the ] and ] religions, and there are a few Christians who follow the ] or ] faith.		Their chief festival is Ali-Aye-Leegang, in the month of February, which marks the beginning of the sowing season.<ref>{{cite book\|title=The Valley in Blossom: Neo-Vaishnavism and the Peoples of the Brahmaputra Valley\|author=M. Narimattam\|publisher=Spectrum Publications\|year=1988\|isbn=\|page=77}}</ref> Most '''Mishings''' follow both the ] and ] religions, and there are a few Christians who follow the ] or ] faith.

	==Language==		==Language==

	The language of the ~~Mising~~ people is also known as ]. It belongs to the ] family of languages, and is spoken by some 25,000 people.		The language of the Mishing people is also known as ]. It belongs to the ] family of languages, and is spoken by some 25,000 people.

	Script:		Script:

	~~Mising~~ language is written in modified Roman script (Govt. of Assam recognition on 30 October 1985).		Mishing language is written in modified Roman script (Govt. of Assam recognition on 30 October 1985).

	~~Misings~~ are broadly divided into:		Mishings are broadly divided into:
	*Dagdung (belonging to the North), and		*Dagdung (belonging to the North), and
	*Daktok (belonging to the South).		*Daktok (belonging to the South).
Line 35:		Line 35:
	*Samua.		*Samua.

	The variations of ~~Mising~~ spoken by these groups differ from each other in intonation, sentence formation, word usage etc., with the exception of Samugurias, who do not speak Mishing at all. They use Assamese instead.		The variations of Mishing spoken by these groups differ from each other in intonation, sentence formation, word usage etc., with the exception of Samugurias, who do not speak Mishing at all. They use Assamese instead.

	Mishing surnames reflect the clan (opeen) they belong to. Over 51 clans have been identified so far.		Mishing surnames reflect the clan (opeen) they belong to. Over 51 clans have been identified so far.