The Language of the Modhupur Mandi (Garo), Volume 2

6.89 Castes, Tribes, Ethnicity

Dozens of other tribe and caste names could, of course, be included here, the number being limited only by the knowledge of the speakers. I have included only those that are regularly used by the people of Modhupur.

a-di-ba-si n. aboriginal, tribal, native. <B

A˙-beng, Am˙-beng n. the Garo subgroup occupying the western part of the Garo Hills, as well as the Garos of Bangladesh.

A˙-bi-ma n. the name that the Garos of Modhupur use for themselves.

A˙-chik n. used by many Garos as a term for their own ethnic group, but used by the Modhupur Garos to refer more specifically to those living in the Garo Hills, and to the dialect that is perceived to be in use there.

A˙-pal n. the word used by the Garos of Modhupur to name the Garos who live along the Indian border in the north Mymensingh area of Bangladesh.

A˙-rong-ga, Ha˙-rong-ga n. the word used by the Garos of Modhupur as a name for the Garos of the Garo Hills.

dom n. Hindu caste that raises and sells pigs. <B

Ga-ro n. the word used by non-Garos to refer to those who more often refer to themselves as Man-de, Man-di or A˙ chik.

Gu-ru-sot-o n. the Hindu denomination of the Mandai people and of the Hindu Garos. <B

jat n. group, ethnic group, tribe; caste; species, kind, variety. <B

jat-ska n. belonging to one's own group.

Mat-chi n. a subgroup of Garos who have never been seen by the Modhupur people, but who are said never to wash and to eat cats and dogs. Some believe them to have lived in or near to Modhupur at an earlier time.

-ska dns. of their own kind, that sort of person: tro-ska contemporaries, of the same generation; jat-ska of the same ethnic group.