Lalung Tribe

The Lalung tribes are the residents of Assam valley. Numerous Lalung tribes are also found in several other places of India, like Meghalaya. They are originated from the Bodo race. They also live in the hilly and plain areas as well.

Marriage is allowed in the Lalung tribe in other clans. Basically the tribal community is matrilineal. The Lalung tribal community is that the whole of the Lalung society can again be segregated into two major sub groups. One group constitutes of those Lalung tribes who reside in the mountainous areas and the other Lalung sun group constitutes of those who survive on the plains. Both of these Lalung groups have got unique traits, customs and tradition. The Lalung people who reside in the plain areas also speak Bodo language while many of the tribal people of hilly areas are considered as bilingual.

There is legend that is popular in the Lalung community. It has been assumed that the forefathers of theses Lalung tribes have transmigrated from foreign countries like Tibet and then ascended the way of the south of the Brahmaputra River ultimately reaching to the mountains of the state of Assam. Much later, as it has been presumed, during the middle of sixteen hundred and onwards these Lalung tribes have descended down to the plain lands.

Among the Lalung community there is a practice of farming which is called `slash and burn` method. They practice cultivation and grow mustard, sesame, chilies and ginger. The staple food of the Lalung people is rice. They also consume brewed rice-beer during some religious festivals. Their making of houses expresses great artistry. They make the walls of their houses with bamboo and reeds and some of the houses have sheet roofing. Apart from house making the Lalung people are also adept in weaving specially the women of this community are expert weavers.

The costumes of the Lalung people are more or less similar to the costumes of the Assamese people. The traditional dresses of this community include wrap around which is a long cloth and a shirt. Some of the elderly people also wear turban.

The Lalung are the followers of “poly-demonism” cult. They are known as Tantrayana Buddhists. Apart from this religion, recently Hinduism also has taken place in their list of religions.