| Mongoloid races
Numerous mongoloid races inhabit the hills and plains of Assam. One among
them is the Nagas, who now have their own state, Nagaland. Another race
is the Mikirs, who live in the Karbi Anglong (formerly the Mikir hills)
district of Assam.
The Bodos or Boros are the most noteworthy Mongoloid
people in eastern India. The Bodo language which falls under the Tibeto-Burman
Sub-family of the Sino-Tibetan languages has greatly influenced the Assamese
language in its development. They first settled in the Brahmaputra valley
and then slowly spread to various other places.
The Mizos or Lushais of
Mizoram, formerly a district of the state are migrants from the chin hills
and speak a Kuki-Chin tongue of the Tibeto-Burman sub-family of the Sino-Tibetan
languages. The Lalungs are another Mongoloid group that live in the Nowgong
district.The Chutiyas, a tribe later Hindus and speaking a Bodo
tongue, are mainly confined to the extreme north-east of the state, above
the Subansiri river and in the Sadiya area just below the Arunachal (NEFA)
hills.
The Miris or Mishings, are another colourful Mongoloid tribe who,
like the Chutiyas inhabit the riverine areas of Lakhimpur, Sibsagar and
Darrang districts. The Koches ,whose dynasties ruled north Bengal and
west Assamese till the 17th century, are described as western Bodos of
Mongoloid stock as against Eastern Bodos, the Chutiyas and the Kacharis.
They have adopted Hinduism and the Assamese language. The Koches are scattered
all over the Brahmaputra valley. The Morans or Mataks are another
mongoloid people who ruled in the extreme east prior to the Ahoms. They
are largely concentrated in the eastern most parts of Lakhimpur district,
in the territory lying between Dilrugarh and Saikhowaghat, south of the
Brahmaputra, near Sadiya. The Morans are to be found in part of the districts
of Darrang and the Sibsagar also.
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