Origin

The origin of the term "Karbi" remains uncertain, as historically they referred to themselves as Arleng, which translates to "man" in the Karbi language. The label "Karbi" was adopted by others to refer to them. The term "Mikir" is now considered derogatory, with no definitive meaning in the Karbi language. It's speculated to possibly derive from "meker. The Karbi tribe, recognized within the Constitution Order of the Government of India, is significant in the hill areas of Assam. Racially, they belong to the Mongoloid group, while linguistically, they are part of the Sino-Tibetan cluster. The origins of Sino-Tibetan language speakers trace back to western China near the Yang-Tee-Kiang and Howang-ho rivers. From there, they migrated along river courses, including the Chindwin and Irrawaddy rivers, eventually settling in Assam. The Karbis, among others, migrated to Assam from Central Asia in waves of migration. However, tracing their early settlement history is challenging due to the lack of written documents and archaeological evidence. References to the Karbi people can be found in historical chronicles and Buranjis, but these sources also provide limited insights into their early history. Folk tales and folklore serve as the primary sources for understanding the early history of the Karbis.