Discourses From the East
Editors’ Note: This article connects the continuity of Karbi weaving traditions with the belief systems in Karbi cosmology that help sustain them. It traces the Indigenous knowledge passed orally across generations and expressed in textiles through distinct clan based designs and motifs. The author also explains the structure of the loin loom, or Atherang, and its place in this knowledge system.
The article then turns to Karbi communities around Kaziranga, especially Labangso and Kohora, where women continue to produce handmade textiles while facing unstable demand, middlemen, and low returns. It highlights local efforts to support weavers, improve prices, and create new markets for handmade products, illustrated through a weaver’s account of fluctuating rates. The article closes by noting how weaving endures as cultural memory, sustained by women who carry this knowledge despite economic and extractive pressures.
Karbi, Pindeng-Sumpot, Sintu lapen Serdihun
Karbi akhei aphan det kachari aron Article 342 ateng pen Schedule Tribe pusi hokpon lo. Karbi atum methang ajutang, lammet-lamchong, porom-puthi, bisar-kinder aron do pame. Lason si Karbi atum a pindeng-sumpot ta choklim, laso angbong pen Karbi atum kiphir-kethak jasemet ke so-arlo atumsi keong. Karbi atum Pholo (cotton) lapen Honki ahon pensi kephir-kethak’i, lapen kethak’iji ason lake ‘Kachingvur Atherang’ pusi kipu. Karbi atum pindeng- sumpot kachingthang nangji sopinso lapen so-arlo aphan kaprek-kaprek kethak do, laan chot kali risomar, okorjang, sarmar, sarpimar lapen hamphang along arpu kedotang atum aphan aphan ta kethakpon do. Karbi atum kekroi lake Songsar Recho asopi Sintu is Pholo kevancheng lapen Karbi akhei aphan honkejeng kethan tekang cheng pusi kekroi do. Serdihun Timungpi henlo Karbi apindeng kethakcheng pusi Karbi atum kekroi hako penta do.
Therang, Ason Amung lapen Kertang
Karbi atum ako penta pe-ri kaselam’i ason aphan Therang pusi kipu. Karbi atum atherang along kacherap son 13 do lasonsi : THERANG, THENING, THEPUNG, UVEK, THELANG, BARLIM, INGTHI, HI’I, HARPI, HONTHAR LANGPONG, THEHU, DANG, LANGVET. La athak son krekethom angbong pen HARPI aphan isi akekroi do, Kiphir kethak ahut HARPI kejor ahut risomar/okorjang aphan roklok lote hemepi/hemepo pen chepachor nangkok apot pusi isi a kertang do. Adunthu HI’I asai lapen THELANGPONG asai ke patangte aprangke che’o tekangno pusi kekroi do.
Karbi apindeng lapen ason amung
Karbi akhei along kachingthang ape ari risomar, okorajng, sarmar, sarpimar lapen hamphang along aman apeng kedo abangphu aphan anta kachingthang nangji thakrep do. Risomar atum: Choi hongthor(Akelok), Seleng, Poho Akelok, Chepan aki ik, Jamborong, Lek pengkhara heihui henlo. Sarmar atum: Choi miri, Jamborong Miri, Poho ke er heihui lapen do o lang. So arlo atum: Pini, Pekok, Vamkok, Piba, So arlo aseleng, Pe sarpi, Pe Khonjari, Pe loru, Pelu heihui lapen dopik lang.
Also Read: Karbi lapen Karbi alam : The Karbi Ethnic Group and the Karbi Language
Amang lapen Alir
Karbi atum kachingthang ape-ari amang heihui methang salajong dovet, lapen amang heihui ke Vo, Lang’ok, Mir, Thengpi arong heihui pensi kapachingbar. Alir amen lake lapuson henlo: OK’ALIP, RU ALIP, OK AMEK, SUWAT ATHE, LONGLEPHARCHE ATHE, PLIMPLAM ABO, CHAINONG ASONI, METHAN ASONI, PHONGRONG ANGSU/PHONGRONG ANGPHAR, VOSO AMEK, VO AK ANGHO, VOSARU AMEK, VORAM, HIJAP, CHOIRCHET, INGNAR, KOVE ARONG, NUDENG, LONG ALING, LONGLE ANGPHAR, JAMBILI ATHON, CHIRI heihui henlo. Karbi a pindeng sumpot along alir cham kipiji aphan kethak atum hako penta kethom alir si enponbom lake AKE’ER, AKI’IK lapen AKE’ET, la sonthom henlo Karbi atum alir/cham binong.
Kajir Arong ( Kajiranga) along Karbi atum
Kajir Arong along Karbi atum penang an do. Lasonsi alanglitum kedo kethak aprang pen non kacheprek kethepik kalilang. Kohora along Phumen Engti arong along don 68 do, laso arong Karbi atum kachotiki choholo kai ateng ason si dolang. Nampi-namdur, thengpi thengso pensi dorappet bomlang. Labangso arong along kedo soarlo atum pirthak kethek atum penang an do. Alanglitum kethak ape ari heihui anam mesen pensi longponbom. Kedamtang apor ahut lapuan mesen anam longponpe athe kejorji adim kechelongthekthe ajok ‘Middle man’ aphansi kethaktang a Pini, pekok, vamkok heihui ta chojordun nangkoktiti, lapen koanma anam kelong nangji chelongle.
Also Read: Oil Palm in the Hills: Lessons from Mizoram and Southeast Asia for Karbi Anglong’s Future
Aaranyak ahin pen laso arong along kedo so arlo atum kiphir kethak atum aphan penang an akerap pilo, Akejoi pen hon keron pen chenglok, kejor nangji adim konatma avarsai vanpilo. ‘Pirbi’ lake hamphang along isi abeha, ladak risaine mate handmade ahormu heihui si kejor, ladak ‘Local Product’ heihei rong along katiki kaselam ason kachoklemvek atum alongpensi kacho en dunsi kejorpi. Pirbi pu akulat Kohora along ta do. Labangso akulat along kachotiki, keklem vek atum anam mesen pensi chojor dam long lo.
“Aprang ke netum lapuan anam mesen longle, epak a Pini ta 800-900 lasonsi longchot titi, bonta nonke 1200-1300 longlo, nonke asap ale dochet lo” Preety Tokbipi, Pirthak kethak abangphi.
Karbi atum apindeng sumpot Karbi machinery pen kaselam pen amang huihui kaselamponthap penang an theklonglo, laso ajok Karbi atum ahokpet amang virbom lo. Jasemet Karbi Anglong pen angtan pen kevan ape ri longri arlo kejor kelan huihui dopik tanglo. Amang ke enjam lapen selam jam ajok kedamtang aporta Karbi Cultural Society ahin penta pe ri akulat atum pen kachingki kachethan pado lo.
(This story has been produced under Aaranyak Media Fellowship 2025 supported by IUCN & KfW)
Sar-im Tisso works across field reporting, multimedia storytelling, and community based documentation, and is currently with Northeast Live TV along with contributing to other media outlets.