Project Biate

As our first project we are working with the Biate tribe of Assam.
Biate are one of the oldest hill tribes residing primarily in Assam and Meghalaya. While scattered populations are also found in Mizoram, Tripura and Manipur. In Assam, they are a minority tribe who reside in hamlets all across the Kharthong hills of Dima Hasao. The tribe has been demanding recognition by the Assam government for decades. Their language (belonging to the Tibeto-Burma family) is endangered and has altered over decades. The elders believe that the younger generation can no longer understand and speak the language spoken by their ancestors as it has changed over time.
Some Biate folklore suggests that their ancestors fled China during the construction of the Great Wall. But since there are no written records of their history, not much is known about the tribe. Not many in the younger generation are aware of their history. Since their conversion to Christianity, the culture has experienced great dilution and crucial cultural knowledge is disappearing very fast. The current elders are the last generation of Biate who remember their melodies, their dances, rituals and history.
Biate elders expressed grave concerns about their fading culture and music.
So we decided to do something about it.