Biate people

Biate
Total population
50,000+
Regions with significant populations
India
Meghalaya · Assam · Manipur · Mizoram · Tripura
Languages
Biate
Religion
Christianity
Related ethnic groups
Chin · Kuki · Mizo

The Biates are an ethnic hill tribe of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and Manipur. Their language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman family.[1] Spread over many parts of North-East India, they have a unique identity with a rich and distinctive history, culture, dialect and religious heritages. They are one of the oldest hill tribes of North East India especially among the Chin-Kuki-Mizo people .[2] The term Biate comes from the word Bia-te. The word ‘Bia’ or ‘Biak’ means ‘speak’ or ‘worship’. ‘Te’ is a suffix denoting plurality. Hence, the two words combine to form the word Biate, which means worshipper.[3]

According to legends, while they were in Saitual, a group of people known as the Koilam or Kawilam from Rulchawm village of Mizoram (India) used to sacrifice human to appease a large python called Rulpui, believing that the snake had supernatural power. Thus, some writers are of the opinion that the word Biate originates from the term Rul-Bia-Te or Rul-Biak-Te, which means snake-worshippers in other dialects. However, this hypothesis is questionable, because the Biates, as a tribe, never fed or worshipped a snake except one.[3] The offering sacrifices by one village was also not as worshiping a God, but due to their fear and timidity and that too only for some time.[1] Some other tribes call them in different names. The Mizos call them ‘Biahte’, the Thadou call them Beite, other plain tribes call them ‘Baite’, the Dimasa Kacharis call them ‘Bedesa’ and the Khasis call them Hadem, which includes all the old-Kuki tribes of Meghalaya. Soppitt C. A. a renowned English writer account as ‘Bêtê’.[4][5]

  1. ^ a b Lalsim, R. (2005). Tribes of N.C.Hills, Assam. Assam: Cultural and Publicity Officer. pp. 61–105.
  2. ^ Lalsim, J. (1998). A Study of the Traditional Religious Beliefs and Practices of the Biates Before the Advent of Christian Religion in the 19th Century. A thesis (unpublished). Assam: Eastern theological College, Jorhat. p. 1.
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Thiaite was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Soppitt, C.A. (1893). A Short Account of the Kuki–Lushai Tribes of the North-East Frontier (Districts Cachar, Sylhet, Naga Hills, etc., and Dima Hasao) With An Outline Grammar of the Rangkhol-Lushai Language and a Comparison of Lushai With Other Dialects. (Reprint, 1976). Culcutta: Firma-KLM Pvt. Ltd.
  5. ^ "6th schedule" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-01-27. Retrieved 2019-06-08.