Dances
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.
