Indigenous Life Of Bangladesh.

[Md.Kabirul Islam]

Bangladesh has been the dwelling place of different ethnic groups.In fact,35 smaller groups of indegenous people covering about 2 percent of the total population have been livingin different pockets of the hilly zones & small areas of the plain lands of the country.their historical background,economic activities,social structure,religious beliefs & festivals make them distinctive.
Mro are one of the famous tribes of aborigines of Arakan & two Mru kings ruled Arakan in the 10th century AD.

Mru live in Lama,Ruma,Alikadam & Thanchi upazilas near Chimbuk Mountain of bandarban district.In 1991,the Mru population in Bangladesh was 22,178 & constituted the forth largest tribe in the Chittagong Hill tracts.Mru are patriarchal.Sons inherit the property.They have different clans & many sub-clans.Most Mru are now a days converted.In general,however ,they are still animists & they worship nature.They revere Tharai as the creator of this universe.They have many superstitions.They believe in signs & omens & their immediate undertakings are affected by these beliefs.Sungteung is another deity Mru pay homage to,although this puja has little importance in soceity.Before the harvest,the Mru observe a pujacalled Kumlang,in which they ceremonially kill a cow.The young men & wonen are dance,sing,eat & drink homemade wine during this ceremoney.

The main profession of Mru is Jhum cultivation & lumbering wood from the jungle.The women work harder then the men.Mru love songs & dance.They use homemade musical instruments,which are made of bamboo.They eat the tiger,dog,goat,pig,cow & many other animals.

Mru men wear length & women wear wanglai.These are all locally made.Mru build houses on machangs on hilltops.Their houses are bigger than the other tribes.Mru burn the body after dead.