Draft:Chakma Culture

The Chakma Culture is nestled in the verdant hills of the Chittagong Hill Tracts and Northeast India where the Chakma people inhabit a region steeped in history, cultural diversity, and natural beauty. For centuries, they have thrived amidst lush forests, flowing rivers, and fertile valleys, cultivating a rich cultural heritage that reflects their resilience, creativity, and spiritual depth.

The Chakma people are the most dominant group among indigenous groups of Bangladesh. In India their domination is in the Mizoram District of Lawngtlai and Changlang District of Arunachal Pradesh. However, CADC née Chakma Autonomous District Council of India is the only place where special protection was provided to protect their culture and traditions.

Exogamous Division

The Chakma people are divided into septs(Gozā). The word Gozā might have derived from Arakanese word Gongsā (Gong= leader + Sa=men/people/son). The introductions of septs was led by King Manikgiri or Merakya, the eldest son of King Moinzyang who was forced to flee from Moisagiri to Chandigang in the fourteenth century after the downfall of Chakma Kingdom in 1333 A.D. Currently there are 47 Gozās among the main stream Anakya Chakmas, 12 Gozās each among the Tongchangya and Daingnet Chakmas. In the beginning, the Gozā was a unit of an organization for certain purposes. Here are the Lists of the Gozās;

• Anakya Chakma

1. Anghu/Aungwu
2. Baburo
3. Bangsha/Bungsha
4. Bar Chege
5. Boga
6. Barbwa/Barua
7. Bungo(Bar)
8. Bungo(Guro)
9. Chadaga/Chadanga
10. Sharjya/Sharzya
11. Chachtha
12. Chege
13. Chekkova
14. Dhachchya/Darzya
15. Dhamai/Dheveng
16. Haiya
17. Hedaga
18. Kambhei/Kambhe(Bar)
19. Kambhe(Guro)
20. Khyangya/Khyangjoi/Khengye
21. Khyang Chege
22. Kingha
23. Kudugo
24. Kurokhuttya/Narhan
25. Lakchara
26. Larmmaa
27. Lebha
28. Mhulheemha
29. Mhulheemha Chege
30. Narhan
31. Nua Teyha
32. Padugo
33. Pedangchhari(Tonnya)
34. Phaksa(Bar)
35. Phaksa(Guro)
36. Phedungsa Tonnya
37. Phema
38. Pomha
39. Pungho/Pumha/Pamha
40. Pwa
41. Rangi
42. Sekkaba
43. Teiyaa
44. Tadek
45. Tonnya
46. Uchchari
47. Wangza

• Tonchangya Chakma

1. Anghu
2. Dhonnya
3. Elhang
4. Hongya
5. Karbho
6. Lhabhoisa
7. Lhambasa/Lhapoisa
8. Melhang
9. Moh/Mwa
10. Monglha
11. Wa
12. Watong

• Daingnet Chakma

1. Doinya
2. Kaba
3. Labwe
4. Longba
5. Melang
6. Mong
7. Mongla
8. Ongnyo

Spiritual Values

Most of the Spiritual values were derived from Luriism(Ancient Animist Tradition), Hinduism and Buddhism, due to which the concept of reincarnation and rebirth is a central believe among them.

Religion

While most of the Chakmas identify themselves as Buddhists by religion, but their actual practices do not make them identical with the thought of Buddhism.

However, the Chakmas were traditionally Hindu before 1856. Their Hinduism was of orthodox nature as stated in the Puranas. But the name of some gods, goddesses and other characters differs from the present Hinduism and its literature. As per Bijak, many Chakma rulers were ardent follower of Hinduism. They practised animal sacrifice and other form of god worship.

Literature

The Chakmas have their own written literature and folklores. It may be divided into oral and written. Among the oral literature Geingkhulee(Ballads), Palhas(Traditional Stories), Ubho Geet, Patchzan(the fairy tales), Ulee(lullabies), Banha(Riddles), Dagha Kadha(the proverbs), Thenga Bahngageet(The folk song), Khoza. In the written form, there are the Agar Tara(the written scriptures), Tallik(Medical Formulas), Mandar(Magical Chants), Pujo Bijak(methods of a puja), Kobida(Poems), Barha Mhach(Composition on unsuccessful Love stores), Lamhas(hymns), Jabin Parichay(descriptions of vital points of a body), Mogham Parichay(descriptions of haunted places), Nari Kalpa(description of pulses and nerves), Phughiri Kalam(the art of meditation and Yoga), Sinan(mantras for chanting water for bath, Ang, Dhamasik, Tabit, etc.

Fashion & Clothing

The Chakma women wear an ankle length cloth around the waist which is called a PINON. A PINON must have a SAABUGIH, which is an intricately designed pattern running across the length when worn, failing which the cloth cannot be called a PINON. They also drape a much more intricately designed cloth above the waist called a HAADI. The Chakma women also wear traditional silver ornaments.

Chakma women are excellent weavers and creative designers, who weave their own traditional dresses, using the Chakma traditional handloom called BEIN. The equipments that make up the chakma traditional handlooms is collectively known as SOZPODOR. Usually the chakma women design a number of intricate patterns on a piece of cloth which is called AALAM. This is subsequently used as a reference, and patterns from the AALAM are combined, mixed and matched to create beautiful designs on their traditional dresses.

Earlier the Chakmas would grow cotton in their jhums alongside rice, maize, fruits, spices and vegetables. A part of the cotton would be paid as taxes to the Chakma King who would then pay the cotton in tribute to the Mughal Emperor and later to the British Empire. British historians record that this cotton was of the finest quality. The Chakma women use the remaining cotton to weave their dresses. This cotton would be softened, made into yarn and dyed using traditional methods that use roots and herbs before being woven into beautifully designed clothes the Chakmas wear. However with the availability of pre-dyed yarn in the markets today, the Chakmas no longer make and dye their yarn except on rare occassions such as the Kathina Chivara Dana.

Arts

There are many forms of arts in Chakma Society. As mentioned earlier their are many oral literatures which also acts a musical performances. Chakmas are excellent at weaving their own clothes and handmade bamboo crafts.

Chakma Weaving

The traditional form of weaving by Chakmas is known as Bein. The Chakmas grow cotton which later on is processed and yarned into threads. Chakmas weave their clothes using traditional instruments.

Chakma Bamboo Crafts

The chakma men are excellent craftsmen, creating their items of everyday use mostly out of bamboos and sometimes from wood. Bamboo plays an extremely important role in the life of the Chakmas, without which their life would never be as coulourful. Bamboo pieces are sliced into thin long slices called BETH, which is made into a number of household objects including TOLOI (mat), BAREING, HALLWONG, AHRI (different types of baskets), MEZANG, HUROH-BAH, ODHOK, LUDHUNG and a lot more items. Traditional Chakma houses are also made almost entirely of bamboo.