West Jaintia Hills Police

CULTURE AND HERITAGE

West Jaintia Hills District is the home of one of the major tribes of Meghalaya popularly known as the ‘Jaintias’ or the ‘Pnars’ and other sub tribes like the ‘Wars’, the ‘Bhois’ and the ‘Biates’. Like the Khasis, the Jaintias are believed to be remnants of the first Mongolian overflow into India. They established themselves in their present homeland in the remote past and owing primarily to their geographical isolation they succeeded in maintaining their independence until the consolidation of the British administration in this part of India.

Jaintia are a matrilineal society which is a very rare and unique practice where the children take the identity or family title solely from the mother. Women are very lucky in this way, because they are treated with equal rights but the head of the family is always the father. Amongst the Jaintias, it is the youngest daughter who inherits property and has the obligation to take care and look after the family members in case of any financial or health problems.

The people inhabiting the district are the Pnars, Wars, Bhois (Karbis) and Biates mainly. So it is obvious that not one language is spoken. But the main language widely used by the inhabitants of this district is the Pnar Language which is different in every sense from the Khasi language of the East and West Khasi Hills District of this State of Meghalaya. As is shown there is no written script for this language and Khasi is used for educative purposes.