| Submission declined on 25 August 2025 by DoubleGrazing (talk). This submission is not adequately supported by reliable sources. Reliable sources are required so that information can be verified. If you need help with referencing, please see Referencing for beginners and Citing sources.
Where to get help
How to improve a draft
You can also browse Wikipedia:Featured articles and Wikipedia:Good articles to find examples of Wikipedia's best writing on topics similar to your proposed article. Improving your odds of a speedy review To improve your odds of a faster review, tag your draft with relevant WikiProject tags using the button below. This will let reviewers know a new draft has been submitted in their area of interest. For instance, if you wrote about a female astronomer, you would want to add the Biography, Astronomy, and Women scientists tags. Editor resources
|  |
Man (Tai-speaking) Tribe
The Man (Tai-speaking) tribe is an indigenous community of Assam, India, belonging to the greater Tai ethnolinguistic family. The tribe is known by various regional names such as Tai Khamti, Tai Turung, Tai Aiton, Tai Phake, and Tai Khamyang, but these are not separate tribes. They are sub-regional groups of the same people, collectively identified as the Man or Tai-speaking tribe. The differences among these groups are primarily linguistic variations caused by geographical separation, while their script, cultural traditions, and ethnic identity remain unified.
The Man (Tai-speaking) tribe speaks the Tai language, written in the Tai script, distinguishing it as a language rather than a dialect. The community preserves elements of Tai culture, religion, and social practices that link them to other Tai peoples of Southeast Asia.
Etymology
The name "Man" refers to the collective identity of the Tai-speaking people of Assam who share a common cultural and linguistic heritage. Over time, colonial and administrative writings classified them under separate names—Khamti, Turung, Aiton, Phake, and Khamyang—but in essence, these are geographical branches of one unified tribe.
History
The Man (Tai-speaking) tribe traces its origins to the Tai migrations from Southeast Asia, particularly from regions of present-day Myanmar, Yunnan (China), and Thailand, during the medieval and early modern periods. Historical records suggest that these groups migrated into Assam between the 13th and 18th centuries, integrating into the Brahmaputra Valley while maintaining their Tai identity.
They share historical connections with other Tai communities in Southeast Asia, such as the Shan of Myanmar, the Lao of Laos, and the Thai of Thailand. In Assam, they established small settlements while continuing to practice their distinct cultural and religious traditions.
Language and Script
The language of the Man tribe belongs to the Tai-Kadai language family. While spoken forms vary slightly across regions (Khamti, Turung, Aiton, Phake, and Khamyang), the script remains uniform—the traditional Tai script.
Unlike many tribes whose languages survive only orally, the Man tribe retains a written tradition, making their tongue a full-fledged language and not a dialect. Manuscripts, inscriptions, and religious texts in the Tai script continue to be preserved.
Religion
The majority of the Man (Tai-speaking) tribe practice Theravāda Buddhism, adopted before their migration and still central to their cultural identity. Monasteries (Vihars) are important religious and social institutions in their villages.
Religious practices include:
- Observance of Buddhist festivals like Poi Sangken (Water Festival) and Poi Lu Fra (Idol Donation Festival).
- Use of Pali and Tai manuscripts in Buddhist ceremonies.
- Veneration of Buddha.
Culture
The cultural life of the Man tribe is rich and deeply tied to Tai traditions:
- Dress: Traditional attire includes longyi-style garments and blouses, similar to Southeast Asian Tai clothing.
- Food: Staple diet includes rice, fish, bamboo shoots, and fermented foods.
- Arts: Classical music, traditional dances, and oral storytelling continue to thrive.
- Festivals: Festivals are tied to the Buddhist calendar and agricultural cycle.
Despite regional variations, these practices remain common across all sub-groups, emphasizing their cultural unity.
Social Structure
The Man (Tai-speaking) tribe traditionally organizes itself around Buddhist monasteries, village councils, and kinship ties. Marriage customs, inheritance, and social ceremonies follow Tai traditions, with some regional adaptation due to interaction with Assamese society.
Demography
The Man people are settled mainly in:
- Districts of Assam such as Karbi Anglong ,Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Lakhimpur, Sivasagar, and Jorhat.
- Smaller settlements exist in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.
Population estimates vary due to census classifications under sub-groups, but collectively, the Man(Tai-speaking) tribe constitutes a significant Tai presence in Northeast India.
Identity and Unity
Although often categorized separately as Tai Khamti, Tai Turung, Tai Aiton, Tai Phake, and Tai Khamyang, these are not distinct tribes but sub-geographical branches of the same Man tribe. Geographic dispersal led to minor linguistic changes, but the cultural identity, Tai script, and Buddhist faith remain shared.
Modern scholars and community leaders increasingly emphasize the unified identity of the Man tribe to preserve their language, culture, and rights within Assam and India.
Related Ethnic Groups
The Man (Tai-speaking) tribe shares ancestry and cultural similarities with:
- Shan (Myanmar)
- Lao (Laos)
- Thai (Thailand)