Galo
Encyclopedia
The Galos constitute a tribe inhabiting the West Siang
, southwestern side of East Siang
, southeastern side of Upper Subansiri
, as well as in some small pockets in Itanagar
and Lower Dibang Valley, Changlang
districts of Arunachal Pradesh
, Northeast India. They were earlier known variously as Duba, Doba, Dobah Abor, Gallong Abor, Galong, etc.
The Galo community has been listed as a scheduled tribe with the term Galong since 1950. Now effort has been made to get the change of this term to Galo.
, southwestern side of East Siang
, southeastern side of Upper Subansiri
, as well as in some small pockets in Lower Dibang Valley and Changlang
Districts of Arunachal Pradesh
. Normally, they practice monogamy but polygamy is also practiced by rich and affluent people as a symbol of one's prosperity and prestige. Traditionally Galos practice shifting cultivation
since olden days. But, after 1960s and 1970s, Wet rice and terrace cultivation was introduced with the efforts of the Govt. officials under IRDP (Integrated Rice Development) Programme in the hilly areas and foothills also. Since, then Wet Rice Cultivation is dominant, though jhumming cultivation is also still practiced, especially in remote villages away from urban townships. Galos are socio-economically dominant in their area. Around 95% of Galo children learn Galo as a first language, although most are also bilingual and borrow frequently from Assamese
, Hindi
and English
. Donyi-Polo
religious traditions persist to a degree in most Galo areas(this should not however be confused with the institutionalized form of 'Donyi-Poloism', which to many Galos is merely an adaption of 'alien' religion), although Christianity
is on the rise in recent years especially in the foothill areas. Galos are often referred to by non-Galo(especially the Minyong-Padam group) as Gallong – an archaic pronunciation reflecting an earlier stage of the Galo language
prior to its loss of the velar nasal
in coda
s – and also as Adi
– a generic term for a loose grouping of several central and eastern Tani tribes speaking several distinct languages. In most Tani languages
, Adi (Galo adìi) means simply ‘hill (people)’.
, the Galo follow a unique method to name their children. The last syllable of the father's name is used as the first syllable of the child's name. For instance, if the father's name is Tani, then the children may be named as Nito, Niya and Nishi. Now this may continue as Tani---Nito---Topo---Polo---Loshi---Hiko---Kopak---Paktu---Tuni---Nigo---Goaa---Aalo for the Pugo people of Aalo area AND Abo(Tani
)---Nito---Topo---Pone---Neur---Urchi---Chikar---Karko---(Kori-Riba, Rike, Rihar (Basar), Riram, Rina) (Kokar-Karbi, Karbak), (Koge-Geyie, Gerum), (Koie-Ering) etc. of Laare people of Basar area and so on. In fact this is how the name Aalo (Along) - headquarters of West Siang
district - has come about. It might be noted that since it is a patriarchal system, children are not named after their mother. This unique method has been practiced since time immemorial. Since the Galo people had no written language of their own, this method of naming helped them in remembering their origins. It is believed that there were two kinds of Tani's, first one who do not have structural description and said, that was the first living thing on this earth which came out from water or sea, but that was not a human being, (like modern science believed in Blue-Green algae). After many centuries of evolution only Tani the Human being came to this earth.
branch. It is genetically closest to Nyishi/Nishi
, Tagin, Bokar or Lhoba
of Tibet
, China
, Pailibo/Libo
, Ramo
, Hills Miri and Nah
and is to some degree mutually intelligible with them (depending on the dialects in question). However, due to a very long period of close contacts with and frequent bilingualism in the Eastern Tani
language Minyong
Adi
- whose villages directly abut the Galo in several areas - Galo and Minyong languages have to some degree structurally converged. A mistaken belief has thus come about to the effect that Galo is a dialect of Adi language. In fact, although certain Adi and Galo tribespeople are in practice able to converse without great difficulty, this has mostly to do with the specific language experiences of the individuals involved. In their pure forms, Adi and Galo languages are mutually unintelligible and descend from distinct ancestors within opposite branches of the Tani subgroup.
West Siang
West Siang is an administrative district in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in India.-History:In 1989 territory was given from West Siang to East Siang district -- since 1999 this territory has been in the new Upper Siang district.-Geography:...
, southwestern side of East Siang
East Siang
East Siang is an administrative district in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in India.-History:In 1989 territory was transferred from West Siang district to East Siang. A decade later, in 1999, the district was bifurcated to make Upper Siang district....
, southeastern side of Upper Subansiri
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:...
, as well as in some small pockets in Itanagar
Itanagar
Itanagar is the capital of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. Itanagar is situated at the foothills of Himalayas. It comes administratively under Papum Pare district....
and Lower Dibang Valley, Changlang
Changlang
Changlang is a census town and headquarters of the Changlang district in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. Its native people includes Tangsa Naga, Lisu, Nocte, Singpho and many more....
districts 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...
, Northeast India. They were earlier known variously as Duba, Doba, Dobah Abor, Gallong Abor, Galong, etc.
The Galo community has been listed as a scheduled tribe with the term Galong since 1950. Now effort has been made to get the change of this term to Galo.
Demographics
The Galo population estimated at 80,597 (2001 census) makes them the one of the most populous tribe of Arunachal Pradesh . Galo people are found primarily in West SiangWest Siang
West Siang is an administrative district in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in India.-History:In 1989 territory was given from West Siang to East Siang district -- since 1999 this territory has been in the new Upper Siang district.-Geography:...
, southwestern side of East Siang
East Siang
East Siang is an administrative district in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in India.-History:In 1989 territory was transferred from West Siang district to East Siang. A decade later, in 1999, the district was bifurcated to make Upper Siang district....
, southeastern side of Upper Subansiri
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:...
, as well as in some small pockets in Lower Dibang Valley and Changlang
Changlang
Changlang is a census town and headquarters of the Changlang district in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. Its native people includes Tangsa Naga, Lisu, Nocte, Singpho and many more....
Districts 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...
. Normally, they practice monogamy but polygamy is also practiced by rich and affluent people as a symbol of one's prosperity and prestige. Traditionally Galos practice shifting cultivation
Shifting cultivation
Shifting cultivation is an agricultural system in which plots of land are cultivated temporarily, then abandoned. This system often involves clearing of a piece of land followed by several years of wood harvesting or farming, until the soil loses fertility...
since olden days. But, after 1960s and 1970s, Wet rice and terrace cultivation was introduced with the efforts of the Govt. officials under IRDP (Integrated Rice Development) Programme in the hilly areas and foothills also. Since, then Wet Rice Cultivation is dominant, though jhumming cultivation is also still practiced, especially in remote villages away from urban townships. Galos are socio-economically dominant in their area. Around 95% of Galo children learn Galo as a first language, although most are also bilingual and borrow frequently from Assamese
Assamese language
Assamese is the easternmost Indo-Aryan language. It is used mainly in the state of Assam in North-East India. It is also the official language of Assam. It is also spoken in parts of Arunachal Pradesh and other northeast Indian states. Nagamese, an Assamese-based Creole language is widely used in...
, Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. Donyi-Polo
Donyi-Polo
Donyi-Polo is an animist religion, literally meaning "Sun-Moon" . It is followed by many of the tribal groups of Arunachal Pradesh, India like the Galos, Adis, Apatanis, Nishis, Hill Miris, Mishings...
religious traditions persist to a degree in most Galo areas(this should not however be confused with the institutionalized form of 'Donyi-Poloism', which to many Galos is merely an adaption of 'alien' religion), although Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
is on the rise in recent years especially in the foothill areas. Galos are often referred to by non-Galo(especially the Minyong-Padam group) as Gallong – an archaic pronunciation reflecting an earlier stage of the Galo language
Gallong language
The Gallong or Galo language is a Tibeto-Burman language of the Tani group, spoken by the Galo people. Its precise position within Tani is not yet certain, due primarily to its central location in the Tani area and the strong effects of intra-Tani contacts on the development of Tani languages...
prior to its loss of the velar nasal
Velar nasal
The velar nasal is the sound of ng in English sing. It is a type of consonantal sound, used in some spoken languages. The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet that represents this sound is , and the equivalent X-SAMPA symbol is N....
in coda
Syllable coda
In phonology, a syllable coda comprises the consonant sounds of a syllable that follow the nucleus, which is usually a vowel. The combination of a nucleus and a coda is called a rime. Some syllables consist only of a nucleus with no coda...
s – and also as Adi
Adi
Adi may refer to:Peoples and places:*Banu Adi, a clan of the Quraish tribe of Mecca*Adi people, a tribe living in Arunachal Pradesh, India**Adi language, the Tibeto-Burman language spoken by the Adi...
– a generic term for a loose grouping of several central and eastern Tani tribes speaking several distinct languages. In most Tani languages
Tani languages
Tani, Miric, Adi–Galo–Mishing–Nishi , or Abor–Miri–Dafla is a compact family of Tibeto-Burman languages situated at the eastern end of the Himalayas, in an area skirted on four sides by Tibet, Assam, Bhutan, and Burma....
, Adi (Galo adìi) means simply ‘hill (people)’.
Naming of children
Among the various tribes inhabiting the hills of Arunachal PradeshArunachal 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...
, the Galo follow a unique method to name their children. The last syllable of the father's name is used as the first syllable of the child's name. For instance, if the father's name is Tani, then the children may be named as Nito, Niya and Nishi. Now this may continue as Tani---Nito---Topo---Polo---Loshi---Hiko---Kopak---Paktu---Tuni---Nigo---Goaa---Aalo for the Pugo people of Aalo area AND Abo(Tani
Tani
Tani may refer to:*Abotani a tribal group in Arunachal Pradesh, India*The Tani languages*Tani is a district in Khost Province, Afghanistan...
)---Nito---Topo---Pone---Neur---Urchi---Chikar---Karko---(Kori-Riba, Rike, Rihar (Basar), Riram, Rina) (Kokar-Karbi, Karbak), (Koge-Geyie, Gerum), (Koie-Ering) etc. of Laare people of Basar area and so on. In fact this is how the name Aalo (Along) - headquarters of West Siang
West Siang
West Siang is an administrative district in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in India.-History:In 1989 territory was given from West Siang to East Siang district -- since 1999 this territory has been in the new Upper Siang district.-Geography:...
district - has come about. It might be noted that since it is a patriarchal system, children are not named after their mother. This unique method has been practiced since time immemorial. Since the Galo people had no written language of their own, this method of naming helped them in remembering their origins. It is believed that there were two kinds of Tani's, first one who do not have structural description and said, that was the first living thing on this earth which came out from water or sea, but that was not a human being, (like modern science believed in Blue-Green algae). After many centuries of evolution only Tani the Human being came to this earth.
Language
Galo is a Tibeto-Burman language of the Western TaniTani languages
Tani, Miric, Adi–Galo–Mishing–Nishi , or Abor–Miri–Dafla is a compact family of Tibeto-Burman languages situated at the eastern end of the Himalayas, in an area skirted on four sides by Tibet, Assam, Bhutan, and Burma....
branch. It is genetically closest to Nyishi/Nishi
Nishi
Nishi may refer to:* Nishi was a heroine/actress of Indian Hindi old films in 1960's and 70's, her some of the films were Insaan Jaag utha Bin Badal Barsaat,Hercules,Lutera,Main suhagan hoon,Tu nahi aur Sahi,Ganwaar...
, Tagin, Bokar or Lhoba
Lhoba
Lhoba is a term of obscure origin which has come to apply to a diverse amalgamation of Tibeto-Burman tribespeople living in and around "Pemako" , including Mainling, Medog, Zayü counties of Nyingchi Prefecture and Lhünzê County of Shannan Prefecture...
of Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Pailibo/Libo
Libo
Libo, in ancient Rome, is the name of a family belonging to the Scribonian gens. It is chiefly interesting for its connexion with the Puteal Scribonianum in the Forum at Rome....
, Ramo
Ramo
A ramo was a warrior-leader among certain tribes on Malaita in the Solomon Islands. A ramo was recognized when he had killed an adversary in personal combat, and established an intimidating reputation...
, Hills Miri and Nah
Nah
Nah, nah, or NaH may refer to:*Nah, Iran, a city in South Khorasan Province, Iran* Sodium hydride, whose chemical formula is NaH* The language code nah, which stands for Nahuatl...
and is to some degree mutually intelligible with them (depending on the dialects in question). However, due to a very long period of close contacts with and frequent bilingualism in the Eastern Tani
Tani languages
Tani, Miric, Adi–Galo–Mishing–Nishi , or Abor–Miri–Dafla is a compact family of Tibeto-Burman languages situated at the eastern end of the Himalayas, in an area skirted on four sides by Tibet, Assam, Bhutan, and Burma....
language Minyong
Minyong
The Minyong are a tribe of the Adi people, a tribal people living in Arunachal Pradesh, India. The Minyong are found in East Siang, Upper Siang and West Siang district. They have originated from Riga Village. Their villages are mostly found on the right and left bank of river Siang , starting from...
Adi
Adi
Adi may refer to:Peoples and places:*Banu Adi, a clan of the Quraish tribe of Mecca*Adi people, a tribe living in Arunachal Pradesh, India**Adi language, the Tibeto-Burman language spoken by the Adi...
- whose villages directly abut the Galo in several areas - Galo and Minyong languages have to some degree structurally converged. A mistaken belief has thus come about to the effect that Galo is a dialect of Adi language. In fact, although certain Adi and Galo tribespeople are in practice able to converse without great difficulty, this has mostly to do with the specific language experiences of the individuals involved. In their pure forms, Adi and Galo languages are mutually unintelligible and descend from distinct ancestors within opposite branches of the Tani subgroup.