Origin

The Tiwa tribe, once known as the Lalung tribe, is a significant ethnic group in Assam. They are part of the Mongolian ethnic group and belong to the Tibeto-Burman linguistic group, with ties to the Bodo-Naga tribes.

While there isn't much written evidence of their history, their culture is deeply rooted in various aspects such as festivals, rituals, customs, oral literature, and historical texts like the Assam Buranji. The name "Tiwa" originates from the words "ti" meaning water and "wa" meaning superior, reflecting their connection to water and perhaps their reverence for it. They are recognized as a scheduled tribe in Assam, although they are referred to as Lalung in historical documents and the Indian Constitution. The Tiwa tribe is divided into two groups: the Plains Tiwas and the Hill Tiwas, each with distinct cultural characteristics. The Plains Tiwas reside in the flat lands of the Brahmaputra valley, where they have been heavily influenced by the dominant non-tribal population. As a result, many Plains Tiwas speak Assamese and practice a religion with elements of Assamese Hinduism. They follow a patrilineal descent system and typically adopt common Assamese surnames.On  the other hand, the Hill Tiwas live in areas such as the West Karbi Anglong district of Assam and the Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya. They have a unique descent system that could be described as "ambilineal," where children may take the name of the mother's clan. However, due to the influence of neighboring patrilineal populations, it's not uncommon for children to inherit their father's name if the mother joins his family. The Hill Tiwas maintain their indigenous religion, which revolves around the worship of local deities. Both groups of Tiwas speak a language similar to other Tibeto-Burman languages in the region, with many common roots and grammatical similarities. In the hills, they use the Roman script, introduced by early foreign missionaries for writing religious and literary texts. Despite the differences between Plains and Hill Tiwas, both groups share a rich cultural heritage that reflects their long-standing presence in the region.