The Khasi are a tribe in Meghalaya, India and in parts of Bangladesh, who call themselves Hynniew trep (which means "the seven huts" in the Khasi language). They comprise almost fifty percent of the population of Meghalaya, the remainder of whom are mostly Garo. Most Khasi are Presbyterian or Roman Catholic, although there is a tiny Unitarian presence, as well. Some Khasi reside in the hilly areas of Sylhet, Bangladesh. The Khasi tribes are usually dependent upon jhoom cultivation in which the vegetation is left to grow totally under the care of nature. In Bangladesh, one of the main products produced by the Khasi using jhoom cultivation is betel leaf. Meghalaya   is a small state in north-eastern India. ... Assam   (Assamese: অসম Ôxôm) is a north eastern state of India with its capital at Dispur, a part of Guwahati. ... West Bengal   (Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ, Poshchimbôŋgo) is a state in eastern India. ... Mizoram   is one of the Seven Sister States in northeastern India on the border with Myanmar. ... Maharashtra (Marathi: महाराष्ट्र , IPA:  , English: ) is Indias 3rd largest state in terms of area and second largest in terms of population after Uttar Pradesh. ... Tripura   (Bengali: ত্রিপুরা, Hindi: त्रिपुरा) is a state in North East India. ... Tamil Nadu (தமிழ் நாடு, Land of the Tamils) is a state at the southern tip of India. ... Arunachal Pradesh   (Hindi: Aruṇācal PradeÅ›; Chinese: 藏南 Zangnan or South Tibet) is one of the seven northeastern states of India. ... Khasi is an Austroasiatic language spoken in the four districts of Meghalaya state in India, namely East Khasi Hills district, West Khasi Hills district, Jaiñtia Hills district and Ri Bhoi district. ... Hindi (हिन्दी) is a language spoken mainly in North and Central India. ... The article describes the languages spoken in the Republic of India. ... Presbyterianism is a form of church government which is most prevalent within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The Roman Catholic Church... In its most general sense, the term Animism refers to belief in souls (anima is Latin for soul): in this sense, animism is present in nearly all religions, including religions such as Christianity that see souls as distinct from bodies and as limited to humans. ... The Khmer people are the predominant ethnic group in Cambodia, accounting for approximately 90% of the 13. ... The Deang (德昂族 : Déáng Zú) (also spelled Deang) people are an ethnic group. ... The Va nationality (also spelled Wa; Chinese: 佤族 WÇŽzú; own names: Va, Ava, Parauk, i. ... Categories: Vietnamese people | Ethnicity stubs ... Nicobarese is an isolated group of six closely related Mon-Khmer languages spoken in the Nicobar Islands of India. ... The Mon-Khmer languages are the autochthonous languages of Indo-China. ... Meghalaya   is a small state in north-eastern India. ... Khasi is an Austroasiatic language spoken in the four districts of Meghalaya state in India, namely East Khasi Hills district, West Khasi Hills district, Jaiñtia Hills district and Ri Bhoi district. ... The Garos are a tribe in Meghalaya, India who call themselves Achik. ... Presbyterianism is a form of church government which is most prevalent within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The Roman Catholic Church... Historic Unitarianism believed in the oneness of God as opposed to traditional Christian belief in the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). ... Shah Jalal Mazar (Tomb) Sylhet (Sylheti: Silôţ; Bengali: সিলেট, SileÅ£, formerly Srihôţţo) is a major city in north-eastern Bangladesh. ... Binomial name Piper betle L. The Betel (Piper betle) is a spice whose leaves have medicinal properties. ...

Residences

The Khasis mainly reside in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills in the state of Meghalaya. The Khasis inhabit the Khasi Hills proper, and the Syntengs, or Pnars, the Jaintia Hills. The Lynngams inhabit the western portion of the Khasi Hills proper. The people known as Bhois live in the low hills to the north and north-east of the district. The Wars inhabit the precipitous slopes and deep valleys to the south of the district.^[1] Meghalaya   is a small state in north-eastern India. ...

Physical variation

A Khasi man

Khasi from different regions have small, but noted differences. They are descendants of Mon-Khmer speakers who migrated from Yunnan to Meghalaya, and thus they are of East Asian origin. Most Khasi have brown to light yellow skin, epicanthic folds, high nasal bridges and aquiline noses, but looks ranging from those of typical East Asians to Central Asians or even Persians are not uncommon. The Khasi are a relatively early and isolated branch of Mon-Khmer people and they have preserved features common to Nicobarese and Yunnanese. They are similar in appearance to their northern Mon-Khmer relatives, most notably the Palaung and Wa. Image File history File links Cachimbo-_Khasi. ... Image File history File links Cachimbo-_Khasi. ... The Mon-Khmer languages are the autochthonous languages of Indo-China. ...   (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ; literally south of the clouds) is a province of the Peoples Republic of China, located in the far southwestern corner of the country. ... Meghalaya   is a small state in north-eastern India. ... Nicobarese is an isolated group of six closely related Mon-Khmer languages spoken in the Nicobar Islands of India. ... The Deang (德昂族 : Déáng Zú) (also spelled Deang) people are an ethnic group. ... The Va nationality (also spelled Wa; Chinese: 佤族 WÇŽzú; own names: Va, Ava, Parauk, i. ...

Dress

Thef traditional Khasi male dress is Jymphong or a longish sleeveless coat without collar, fastened by thongs in front. Now, the Khasis have adopted the western dress. On ceremonial occasions, they appear in ‘Jymphong’ and dhoti with an ornamental waist-band.

The Khasi traditional female dress is rather elaborate with several pieces of cloth, giving the body a cylindrical shape. On ceremonial occasions, they wear a crown of silver or gold on the head. A spike or peak is fixed to the back of the crown, corresponding to the feathers worn by the menfolk.

Social structure

The Khasis have a matrilineal society. Descent is traced through the mother, but the father plays an important role in the material and mental life of the family. According to Khasi laws, a woman cannot be forced into marriage, she owns the children and properties. A woman may end a marriage at her will with no objection from her husband. The Khasi have an unusual dedication toward matrilineal customs, most notably similar to the Minangkabaus. Matrilineality is a system in which one belongs to ones mothers lineage. ... The Minangkabau ethnic group (also known as Minang or Padang) is indigenous to the highlands of West Sumatra, in Indonesia. ...

References

1. ^ The Khasis — Peter Gurdon

• http://www.joshuaproject.net/peopctry.php?rog3=IN&rop3=104918

See also

• Mon-Khmer

The Mon-Khmer languages are the autochthonous languages of Indo-China. ...

External links

• The Khasi Project
• The Khasis by Gurdon, P. R. T.
• Government of Meghalaya Portal