International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
9 th August 2004

 

 
Indigenous People
Indigenous People of Bangladesh
Chakmas
Marma
Tripura
Santals
Garo
Manipuri
Tanchangya
Hajong
Magh
Rakhain
Mru/Mro
Lushei
Oraon
Munda
Murong
Khasia
Pankho
Bawm
Bedey
Bagdi
Khumi
Rajbangshi
Chak
khyang
Pahari
 
Key Figures on
Indigenous People
Documents on
Indigenous People
Location Map of
Indigenous People
   

 

 

 

Indigenous People of Bangladesh : Lushei

Indigenous Day 2004

"You must teach your children that the ground beneath their feet is the ashes of our grandfathers. So that they will respect the land, tell your children that the earth is rich with the lives of our kin. Teach your children that we have taught our children that the earth is our mother. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of earth. If men spit upon the ground, they spit upon themselves."  
- Chief  Seattle, 1854

Lushei, The a small ethnic community living in the chittagong hill tracts. They belong to the Tibeto-Burman group of the Cino-Tibetan community and speak the Kuki-Chin dialect. They live in the hilly regions of rangamati and bandarban districts. According to the 1981 census, the number of Lusheis was 1,098, but the 1991 census showed the number as 662 and the number of Lushei households as 124. The number may have gone down due to their exodus to neighbouring Mizoram State where their ancestors still live. In 1961, the Lushei population in Mizoram was 2,11,807.

Historical Background:

Many Lushei people also went to Myanmar, not so much to settle there but to do hunting. Some people regard Lushei and Lushai as synonymous but in fact Lushei is the name of an ethnic community, while Lushai means a group of ethnic communities living in Mizoram. Once upon a time, the Lusheis hunted for human skulls. This is why they were dreaded by others.

At present, they are Christians and are no longer known to be head hunters. In the 19th century, hordes of Lusheis used to plunder villages in Kachar, sylhet, noakhali, chittagong and Chittagong Hill Tracts and kidnap other people and force them to work in their farm, and to do other work. In 1871, two British generals led an expedition against Lusheis. This is known in history as the Lushei Expedition.

Social System:

Family Structure:  Lusheis have a patriarchal society. In the past, Lusheis did not have a king of their own. Every village used to have a chief and he was known as Lal. [Sadat Ullah Khan]

Source: Banglapedia


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