TUTSA
Location:
Tirap and Changlang Districts.
General Information:
The little known Tutsas are also called as Hatut.
As per oral literature of the Tutsas, their original
home is Rongkon Sansik in Myanmar and migrated through
the way called Hokmen Hoksan and crossing the Patkai
hill and first settled in the Tut or Tutnyu village in
the Barap river volley in Tirap district. Since then they
called themselves as ‘Tutsas’, mean the son of Tut. The
Tutsa village is situated on the top of hill and usually
thickly populated with cluster of houses huddled together.
Their pile houses (Nok) are rectangular, made of wood,
bamboo and cane and roofs are thatched with leaves (Tokopata).
Chieftainship is prevalent in their society and having two
distinct classes-the chief and his kinsmen form one class
while the commoners form the others. The traditional village
council of the Tutsas is known as Ngo Ngawang. Their society
is patrilineal and they have a dormitory system called as Pang.
The marriage is locally called as Jalasiet or Aekapmu. In general,
they practice monogamy form of marriage, tribe endogamy and
exogamy is the general rule of their marriage. Cross-cousin
marriage is also prevalent. There is a taboo to marry in same clan.
The Tutsa speak their own dialect
In general, the Tutsa dress consists of a loin cloth for man and
a skirt (Nyungan) for woman. The women are fond of necklaces of beads.
However, in festival the male wears variety of dresses like Longson Khupok
(hat decorated with tasks of boar and feather of hornbill) and Phokpa Lakhap
(armlet made of ivory), while the female wears Dola Naphok (ear ornament),
Sankah (a brass bangle) etc.
Agriculture is their mainstay of life and they practice shifting cultivation.
Their main food crops are Chah Cham (paddy), Sehmoi (millet), Pawang (maizej etc.
They use simple tools like Dao, Axe, Spear, Knife, Spade and
Sickle in their agricultural operation.
They are animist and performed various rites and ceremonies.
They believe in the existing of many malevolent and benevolent
gods and spirits. The Pongtu is their main festival related to agriculture
celebrated on 11th April in every year. But now a day most of them are
converted into Christianity.