page_title: Dima Hasao district
section_title: Biates
hierarchical_section_title: Dima Hasao district / Culture / Kukis / Biates
caption_attribution_description: English: A scenic view of Khobak Village, en:Dima Hasao, Assam, India
context_page_description: Dima Hasao district, earlier called North Cachar Hills district, is an administrative district in the state of Assam in Northeastern India. As of 2011, it is the least populous district of Assam.
  Dima Hasao district is one of the two Autonomous hill districts of the state of Assam. The district headquarter Haflong is the only hill station in Assam, a tourist paradise, also named the Switzerland of the north-east.
context_section_description: The Biate people are one of the oldest hill tribes of India. They were the first to settle in present-day Mizoram, from where they were pushed by later immigrants further north to other parts of North Eastern India. Today, the Biates are found in all the states of North east India except Arunachal Pradesh.
  The Biates have their own dialect and cultural traits which are expressed through many festivals in different occasions. Among them the agricultural festivals like Nûlding Kût, Favang Kût, Ringmuthar Kût, Cemchoi Kût, Pamchar Kût are important. Jolsuak and Salu lâm are observed to honour the brave hunters of ferocious animals.
  During the festive days they consume liberal quantities of Zu rice beer while dancing and singing their traditional dances like Buantum-lâm, Kolrikhe-lâm, Rikifacho-lâm, Parton-lâm, Sulribum-lâm, Thingpuilethluk-lâm, Mebur-lâm and Dar-lâm in tune with their musical instruments named Dar-ribu, Jamluang, Khuang etc.
  Both the boys and girls wear their traditional dresses and ornaments during performance of these dances. The girls put a decorated cane ring as a head gear and drape their favourite Jakua, Choipuan, Puanbomzia etc. The boys wear Lu kôm, Zakua, Diarkai etc. The girls ornaments include Rithei, Kuarbet, Banbun, Ritai etc.
  On the first day of broadcasting seeds in their jhum fields, the Biate women perform Mebûr lâm dance to please ‘Bu pathian’, their god for crops and bounty. They dance with bamboo tubes in their hands and touch each other in a rhythmic way.
  After they return from the fields the women sometimes gather in a courtyard and perform Rikifachoi lâm, imitating the wild parrots pecking grains from their jhum fields.
  In winter, almost all Biate women go to a nearby stream or riverlet and dance Tuipuilen thluk in praise of the legendary mermaids. They break their bodies like waves in an ocean in tune with the accompanying flute.
caption: A scenic view of Khobak Village
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