 People of Dima Hasao District have adopted a variety of cultures, traditions and practices. Dima Hasao District houses a number of tribes and races and consequently a plethora of cultures, rituals, practices and dialects. Population of non tribal people is also considerable in the district which comprises of mostly traders and government employees dwelling in urban and semi urban areas. Tribal population of the district have prominent cultures and lifestyles which make them unique in their own way.
Dimasa Kacharis Tribe Kacharis are the most significant tribe not only of the district but also of the complete north east India. Legend says that they are the oldest inhabitants of Brahmaputra River valley. These people belong to Indo-Mongoloid or Kirata group which includes many other allied tribes like Bodos. Their anatomical features are of typical of Mongoloid type which is characterized by high cheek bones, slit eyes, little body hair and scant beard. They like to be called as the sons of the river or Dimasa. 
Zeme Nagas Tribe
They are considered to be a sub tribe of the Kacha Nagas. The tribe is also prevalent in the whole of Manipur and Nagaland. The population of Zeme Nagas is also significant. Hmar Tribes This tribe is believed to have migrated from China. Previously they settled in Burma and later spread their settlements in the states like Manipur, Mizoram and Assam including Dima Hasao district. They are also the Mongoloid descendents. Exogamy is strictly prohibited in the tribe. They are open towards both love and arrange marriages. Hrongkhols Tribe The Hrongkhols are considered as a branch of Kuki tribe. Their population in the districted in scattered. Their main occupation is agriculture and Jhum cultivation is widely practiced among the people of this tribe. They build excellent houses using bamboo and wooden slit. 
Kukis Tribe
The people belonging to this tribe are believed to have travelled from Central Asia to India through Burma. In Burma, they are known as Chin. Biates Tribe Biates are the representatives of the Lushai-Kuki-Chin group. They had migrated from central China to India and initially settled in Mizoram. In early 19th century, the people of this tribe moved to Dima Hasao district for settlement. Dialects of Dima Hasao District Main dialects of the district are Hrangkhol, Khasi, Dimasa, zeme and Kuki. Owing to the presence of a number of tribes, the natives of the district use several dialects for communication. Tribal languages of the district include Karbi, Khelma, Hmar, Biate etc. Apart from tribal languages Assamese, Bengali and Indo-Aryan languages including Haflong Hindi are also common. Festivals of Dima Hasao District Since the main occupation of the district is agriculture, the festivals celebrated here are mostly related to agriculture only. Through years, the tribal people have preserved their beliefs, rituals and practices through these festivals. Some of the festivals have been associated with Hinduism and are widely practiced till date. The festivals of the district are categorized as community and local festivals. Local festivals are confined within separate villages and participation of other villages is prohibited. Important local festivals in the district include Hor-ni Gerba, Maisalai Gerba, Rajini Gerba, Khorongfang Gerba and many more. Main community festivals celebrated in the district are Misengba and Bishu. |
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