Nga people
Encyclopedia
The Na or Nga people is a small tribal group residing in the higher reaches, below the great Himalayan ranges in Upper Subansiri
district of Arunachal Pradesh
, India
. Within the district, they are found in the villages within Taksing circle: Gumsing, Taying, Esnaya, Lingbing, Tongla, Yeja, Reding, Redi, Dadu villages. As of 2000, the tribal population stood at 1,500. However, the Nga are classified together with the Tagin in all official censuses, who are ethnically related to them.
The Nga were believed to have migrated South from the north in Tibet following racial persecution from the Tibetans, but later engaged in trade with the Tibetans
after the Nishi served as a mediator between the two groups until recent times. However, relations with their neighbors were often unstable; for instance, the shift of preference of their northern Tibetan trading partners in a 1906 incident resulted in a massacre which claimed many lives from their tribal group.
The Nga are adherents of Tibetan Buddhism
but are also influenced by pre-Buddhist Shaman practices. Both Buddhist Lamas and traditional Shamans, known as Nyibu in the native tongue, are employed for religious occasions.
Like most tribes living in higher elevations, they build permanent houses made of stone and cultivate the usable land. One can see villages with terraced fields growing maize, millet, barley, etc. They breed domestic animals including yaks and sheep, and their clothes are made of spun wool.
The Nga are more closely related to the Tagin both ethnically and linguistically than to Tibetans, but they claim to be a separate group, like the Mara
who live in Limeking. However, both tribes acknowledge that they share a common ancestry with the Tagin.
Upper Subansiri
Upper Subansiri is an administrative district in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in India.-History:The district was formed when Subansiri district was bifurcated into Upper and Lower Subansiri districts in 1987.-Geography:...
district of Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh is a state of India, located in the far northeast. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south, and shares international borders with Burma in the east, Bhutan in the west, and the People's Republic of China in the north. The majority of the territory is claimed by...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Within the district, they are found in the villages within Taksing circle: Gumsing, Taying, Esnaya, Lingbing, Tongla, Yeja, Reding, Redi, Dadu villages. As of 2000, the tribal population stood at 1,500. However, the Nga are classified together with the Tagin in all official censuses, who are ethnically related to them.
The Nga were believed to have migrated South from the north in Tibet following racial persecution from the Tibetans, but later engaged in trade with the Tibetans
Tibetan people
The Tibetan people are an ethnic group that is native to Tibet, which is mostly in the People's Republic of China. They number 5.4 million and are the 10th largest ethnic group in the country. Significant Tibetan minorities also live in India, Nepal, and Bhutan...
after the Nishi served as a mediator between the two groups until recent times. However, relations with their neighbors were often unstable; for instance, the shift of preference of their northern Tibetan trading partners in a 1906 incident resulted in a massacre which claimed many lives from their tribal group.
The Nga are adherents of Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India . It is the state religion of Bhutan...
but are also influenced by pre-Buddhist Shaman practices. Both Buddhist Lamas and traditional Shamans, known as Nyibu in the native tongue, are employed for religious occasions.
Like most tribes living in higher elevations, they build permanent houses made of stone and cultivate the usable land. One can see villages with terraced fields growing maize, millet, barley, etc. They breed domestic animals including yaks and sheep, and their clothes are made of spun wool.
The Nga are more closely related to the Tagin both ethnically and linguistically than to Tibetans, but they claim to be a separate group, like the Mara
Mara (Tagin)
Mara refers to a tribe in Arunachal Pradesh. The Mara are ethnically Tagin although they claim to be a separate group, just like the Nga to the north, but they acknowledge a common ancestry. Like the Nga, the Mara also engage in barter trade with the Tibetans in the north prior to the closure of...
who live in Limeking. However, both tribes acknowledge that they share a common ancestry with the Tagin.