From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Miji, also known by the names of Sajolang and Damai, inhabit in the districts of West Kameng and East Kameng in Arunachal Pradesh. Their population of 5,000 are found near the lower parts of the sub-Himalayan hills bordering Assam.

Combining ancestry of their Tibetan and Assamese counterparts, most Assamese possess a reddish-red and fair complexion. Isolated from the rest of the world, they sustain their livehood through Swidden agriculture.

Yet simple, the dress of the Miji reflects elegant styles. The women wear an ankle-length white garment with another additional external beautifully decorated red jacket. Large silver ring-shaped earrings and coloured necklaces, usually made of jade serves as the principal ornaments for the women. A fillet of silver chains may also be worn around the head by the richer women, and pine-resin is sometimes extracted to manufacture indigenous cosmetics.

The Miji are followers of the Animistic Donyi-Polo faith, known as Phong kelum, with some Buddhist influence, notably in their rites. Of late, they have subtly adapted the Roman script for writing their language, because they did not have an indigenous script of their own. A few have adopted Christianity.

Khan is the most celebrated festival of the Mijis. It is an occasion for the reunion among the local community. The significance of the festival lies in a ceremony whereby the priest ties a piece of wool around everybody’s neck. The belief is that the enchanted thread will bring good luck to each one of them.

• DHAR Bibhash - Planning for tribal development : A study of Miji -- Extr. de : Sequences in development in North East India (a study of tradition, continuity and change) / J.B. Bhattacharjee (Ed.), New Delhi : Omsons Publ., 1989, p. 120-123.
• FutureGenerations, India, Arunachal Pradesh, In Depth

• Old photos of the Miji tribe
• Ethnologue profile
• WebIndia123 reference