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Other Spellings / Synonyms:
Sajolang, Damai
Religion: Mijis follow animistic Donyi-Polo faith known as
Phong kelum. This faith has some Buddhist influence, notably in
their rites. A few Mijis have adopted Christianity.
Chief Deity: The Mijis believe in many gods. Jang-Langnui is
the most powerful of all of them.
Language: Sajalong. Mijis also speak Aka, Nisi, Moinba,
Assamese, English or Hindi
Regional Spread: West Kameng and East Kameng in Arunachal
Pradesh, lower parts of the sub-Himalayan hills bordering Assam
Traditional Occupation: Swidden Agriculture
Population: 5,000 approximately
Marriage Preference: Prefer marriage in their own community
About Miji People:
Mijis are a Scheduled Tribe in India having combined ancestry of
their Tibetan and Assamese counterparts. They live isolated from the
rest of the world and sustain their livelihood through swidden
agriculture.
Traditional Miji women wear an ankle-length white garment with
another additional external beautifully decorated red jacket. Large
silver ring-shaped earrings and colored necklaces, usually made of
jade are their principal ornaments. Khan is the most celebrated
festival of the Mijis. It is an occasion for the reunion among the
local community. Of late, Miji people have adapted the Roman script
for writing their language, because they did not have an indigenous
script of their own. |