Tribes of Tripura, List of 19 Tribal Communities, Significance

Tripura is one of India’s most culturally diverse northeastern states. The state has 19 notified tribal communities that have shaped its history, language, traditions and social life. Most Tribes of Tripura belong to the Tibeto-Burman linguistic and Indo-Mongoloid ethnic groups, while several immigrant communities trace their origins to Central India, the Chotanagpur Plateau, the Arakan region and the Himalayan belt. Agriculture, especially jhum cultivation, traditional village institutions, folk dances and community festivals remain central to the identity of these tribal societies.

Tribes of Tripura

The Tribes of Tripura display remarkable diversity in language, religion, livelihood and cultural practices while preserving strong traditional institutions. 

• Tripuri is the largest tribe, followed by Reang (Riang), Jamatia, Chakma, Halam and Mog. 
• Several communities speak Kok-Borok, whereas others use languages belonging to the Tibeto-Burman, Kuki-Chin, Austro-Asiatic or Indo-Aryan groups. 
• The state’s tribal areas fall under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which provides autonomous governance through District and Regional Councils for protecting tribal identity, customs and local administration.
• Tripura’s tribal communities collectively preserve distinctive folk dances including Garia, Lebang Boomani, Hozagiri, Bizu, Cheraw, Wangala, Hai-Hak, Sangraiaka, Chimithang, Padisha and Abhangma. 
• Traditional instruments such as Khamb, bamboo flute, Sarinda, Dotara, Lebang and Khengrong remain important elements of community celebrations.
• A proposed 125th Constitutional Amendment Bill seeks stronger financial powers, elected village councils, greater local planning authority, Finance Commission support and one-third reservation for women in village and municipal councils.

List of 19 Tribes of Tripura

The following are the major notified Tribes of Tripura along with their important characteristics, population, settlement pattern, language, livelihood, religion and cultural identity.

1. Tripuri

• The largest tribal community with 5,43,843 people (2001 Census), considered the original inhabitants of Tripura. 
• They speak Kok-Borok, mainly follow Hinduism with Shakti and Vaishnav traditions.
• They celebrate Garia, Kharchi and Ker festivals and perform Garia, Lebang, Mamita and Tangbiti dances.

2. Reang (Riang)

• The second largest tribal community with 1,65,103 people, traditionally associated with hill jhum cultivation and forest based livelihood. 
• They belong to the Indo-Mongoloid group, speak Kaubru with Kok-Borok affinity. 
• They follow Hindu traditions mixed with indigenous deity worship and are famous for the Hozagiri dance.

3. Jamatia

• The fourth largest tribe with 74,949 people, speaking Kok-Borok and belonging to the Mongoloid group. 
• Historically they formed an important section of the Tripura royal army, practise settled cultivation.
• They follow Hinduism and preserve customary laws through the traditional institution called Hoda Akra.

4. Chakma

• With a population of 61,793, Chakmas migrated through the Arakan Hills and Chittagong Hill Tracts before settling in Tripura. 
• They are known for agriculture, vegetable cultivation, fishing, elephant trapping, the Bizu festival, weaving traditions and their historical use of a script derived from Burmese alphabets.

5. Halam

• Numbering 47,261, Halams belong to the Kuki-Chin cultural group and consist of 16 major sub clans, including Kaloi, Rupini, Ranglong and Hrangkhawl. 
• They practise both jhum and settled cultivation, live in bamboo Tong houses and maintain customary village councils for dispute settlement.

6. Mog

• The Mog tribe has a population of 30,385 and traces its origin to the Arakan region. 
• They are followers of Buddhism and mainly live in Sabroom and Belonia. 
• They depend on jhum cultivation, celebrate Sangrai and Wah festivals and preserve rich Burmese inspired folk traditions and indigenous medicinal knowledge.

7. Munda

• The Munda community numbers 12,416 and migrated from the Chotanagpur region during the nineteenth century to work in tea gardens and brickfields. 
• They speak Mundari, maintain institutions such as Sarana, Akhra and Sasan and continue to observe traditional village rituals under the guidance of the Pahan priest.

8. Kuki

• The Kuki population is 11,674, including groups such as Darlong and Lushai. 
• They speak Kuki-Chin languages, traditionally depended on jhum cultivation, hunting and fruit cultivation, follow village administration under a chief called Lal and today many families practise Christianity.

9. Garo

• The Garo community has 11,180 people and migrated mainly from the Garo Hills, Kamrup, Goalpara and Mymensingh. 
• They are known for their matrilineal society, Wangala harvest festival, colourful dances accompanied by drums and buffalo horn instruments and gradual conversion to Christianity during the last five decades.

10. Noatia

• Numbering 6,655, Noatias are closely related to the Tripuri community but developed distinct cultural features after a long stay in the Arakan region. 
• They speak Kok-Borok, possess 11 major clans, celebrate Garia and Baisu festivals and are concentrated in South Tripura and Longtharai Valley.

11. Orang

• The Orang tribe has 6,223 people and migrated from Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal. 
• They mainly work in agriculture, tea plantations and brickfields, live in compact villages, perform the popular Jhumur dance and traditionally use village elders and priests to regulate social affairs.

12. Lushai (Mizo)

• The Lushai population is 4,777, mainly living in the Jampui Hills of North Tripura. 
• They belong to the Kuki-Chin group, practise jhum cultivation, have comparatively higher literacy, largely follow Christianity and are internationally recognised for the famous Cheraw bamboo dance.

13. Bhil

• The Bhil community numbers 2,336 and migrated from Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. 
• They work mainly in tea gardens, brickfields and agriculture, worship Hindu deities along with forest spirits, cremate their dead according to customary practices and maintain a vibrant tradition of music and dance.

14. Uchai

• With 2,103 people, the Uchai community traces its migration to the Arakan Hills. 
• They speak Kok-Borok, continue jhum cultivation, reside in clustered bamboo villages, follow Hindu beliefs alongside indigenous deities such as Garia and Ker and maintain strong family participation in agricultural work.

15. Santal

• The Santal population is 2,151, having migrated from West Bengal, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh for employment in tea gardens. 
• They follow Hindu traditions with Shakti worship, celebrate Holi through music and dance and continue to combine plantation work with agriculture and hunting.

16. Khasia

• The Khasia tribe has 630 people, mainly living in Kailashahar and Dharmanagar. 
• They belong to the Austro-Asiatic linguistic family, are known for their matrilineal social structure, cultivate the famous Khasia Pan (betel leaf) and today most families follow Christianity.

17. Chaimal

• Chaimal is one of Tripura’s smallest tribal communities with only 226 people. 
• They call themselves Saimar, speak a Kuki-Chin language closely related to Halam, practise both jhum and settled cultivation and mainly reside in Ambassa of Dhalai district.

18. Lepcha

• The Lepcha community comprises 105 people, mostly residing in Dhalai district. 
• They identify themselves as Rong, belong to the Mongoloid group, traditionally practised cattle rearing and horticulture and gradually shifted from nature worship to Buddhism while maintaining close links with Nepali communities.

19. Bhutia

• The smallest recorded Himalayan tribal community in Tripura has only 29 people. 
• Earlier valued for military service in the Tripura royal army, present members are mainly employed in government and paramilitary services while maintaining links with relatives outside the state.

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