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Meghalaya is the home of the Tribals especially the Khasis, Jaintias,
Mikirs and Cacharis, who are said to have inhabited this region before the start
of the Christian era.
These tribes evolved out of the migration into north east
by the migrants who belonged to the Indo-Chinese linguistic family, the
Mon-Khmer and Tibeto-Burman. The Khasis came from the Khasis and Jaintias. The
Tibeto-Burman sub-family were the Naga, Kukichin and Bodo. The Bodos were later
divided into small linguistic groups such as Garo, Kachari, Mechs, Dimasa,
Tippea, Lalung, Rabha, Chutiyas. The British occupied the Garo Hills in 1872.
The tribal district council was established. The tradition among the tribals
was kingship. The earliest Jaintia Raja is said to have ruled from 1500AD. They
were influenced by the Hindu culture. The British influence in Meghalaya
extended to the improvement of the landscape, development of roads. The works
for progress and development of this region is still continuing after
independence and formation of Meghalaya into a state.
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