Halam subtribes

In news- People from the Halam sub-tribe, who had taken shelter in Assam after confrontations with Bru refugees in north Tripura, have returned to their village Damcherra in North Tripura district.

A brief note on the issue

At least 700 people of Halam sub-tribes were displaced after rioters torched several houses at Damcherra area of north Tripura district.
The displaced people crossed the Longai river to reach Karimganj of Assam. Karimganj district administration provided them shelter and distributed relief materials.

About Halam sub-tribe

Halam communities of Tripura belong to the Kuki-Chin tribes of Tibeto-Burmese ethnic group.
Halams are also known as Mila Kuki, though they are not at all Kukis in terms of language, culture and living style.
It is believed that the name Halam was created by Tipra Maharaja.
However their verbal tradition says that they called themselves as “Riam”, which literally means “Human being” and they also call themselves “Riamrai, Reivon, Longvon, Manyâ etc.
Halam Community consists of some sub-tribes, namely; Koloi, Korbong, Kaipeng, Bong, Sakachep, Thangachep, Dab or Nabin Bongcher, Molsom, Rupini, Rangkhowl, Chorai, Lankai, Kaireng(Darlong), Ranglong, Marchafang & Saihmar.
Their language is also more or less similar to that of the Tibeto-Burman family.
As per 2011 Census their total population is 57,210 and distributed throughout the State.
Halams live in typical “Tong Ghar” specially made of bamboos and Changrass (thatch).
Apart from plain land cultivation, they still practice Jhum cultivation and depand on both the activities, apart from other substitute works.
Koloi, Rupini, Molsom, Ranglong, Lankai have their colourful dances and also have specific dances related to Jhum culture.
Hi-Hook dance of the Halams is the most popular among all.
Rai Balmani Festival is now-a-days is celebrated with great significance by the Koloi clan of Halams.

Bru-Reang refugees

The Brus–spread across Tripura, Mizoram and parts of southern Assam–are the most populous tribe in Tripura.
They are one of the 21 scheduled tribes of the Indian state of Tripura.
Also known as Reangs in the state, they are ethnically different from the Mizos.
They speak the Reang dialect of Kokborok language which is of Tibeto-Burmese origin and is locally referred to as Kau Bru.
While Mizoram has as many as 40,000 Brus living in the state, in Tripura, their numbers stand at approximately 32,000.
In Tripura, they are recognised as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).
They are primarily an agrarian tribe. In the past, they mostly practised the Huk or Jhum cultivation like most other Tripuri tribes.