A brief history of the Tongchangya community in the northeastern states

The Tongchangya people are an indigenous group in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh while in Mizoram, they use the Tongchangya surname under the Chakma Scheduled Tribes residing in the Chakma Autonomous District Council and Lai Autonomous District Council of Lawngtlai District in South Tripura,Tripura they use the Chakma surname and in Rakhine State of Myanmar they are known as Daingnak. 

In an exclusive interview with Ven Visuddhananda Thera head monk of Digboi central Buddha Vihar un Tinsukia district and Ven Ariyajyoti Thera a PhD scholar from Kolkata University they said at Burma and Bangladesh Tongchangya people are considered as an independent ethnic group, while in India they are classified under the Chakma. 

The name Daingnak meaning "black shield," was assigned by the Arakan king, referring to a protective shield used by the Sak people in war as they migrated from Arakan to the Chittagong Hill Tracts in 1418 AD. Over the years, they continued to migrate between Arakan and the Chittagong Hill Tracts and upon arriving in Toingang(a tributary of Matamuri, Bandarban District, Bangladesh), they were named Toin Gangya (Dwellers of Toingang) said Ven Ariyajyoti Thera. 

The Tongchangya presently in Mizoram even during British India while official records from 1933 document the Chief Debicharan Tongchangya and Chief Lukkisury by the Tega River as the leadership of Debicharan Tongchangya continued until the abolition of the Mizo chieftainship system in 1952, with his grandson Lombomuni Tongchangya said Ven Visuddhananda Thera head monk of Digboi central Buddha Vihar. 

Thus, the name evolved into Tanchangya and Tongchangya as the Tongchangya community people are primarily located in the southeastern part of Bangladesh, particularly in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (Bandarban, Rangamati), with smaller populations in the bordering areas of Lawngtlai District, Mizoram and South Tripura(Tripura) India as well as in Arakan State and Yangon Division, Myanmar as they are one of the recognized indigenous groups in Bangladesh and are related to the Chakma people sharing linguistic and cultural ties due to centuries of close interaction said Ven Ariyajyoti Thera. 

The Tongchangya language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman family, although its current usage resembles the Indo-Aryan language family as the Tongchangya people have their own script known as "Salami Path" the modern Tongchangya language is related to Chakma, Assamese and Chittagonian language said Ven Visuddhananda Thera. 

The Tongchangya population is estimated to be around 2,00,000, though exact figures may vary while in Mizoram most Tongchangya children attend school due to the establishment of educational institutions even in remote areas in contrast the percentage of school-going children in Arakan and the Chittagong Hill Tracts(CHT) is lower as many engage in shifting cultivation in areas without government schools said Ven Ariyajyoti Thera. 

The Tongchangya people engage in jhum cultivation, weaving,fishing,handicrafts, small-scale trade and government jobs Bisu is a traditional festival celebrated around the same time as the Bengali New year marking the beginning of a new year  Religious the festivals celebrated by Tongchangya people are Buddha Purnima,ashari Purnima, Madhu Purnima,Pavarana, Kathina Civar Daan Utsav and Sanghadana are celebrated according to their respective months, along with seasonal observations like Sanghadana, Pindu Dana, and Atthaparikkhara Dana said Ven Visuddhananda Thera. 

Tongchangya people cuisine features rice as the staple food, along with bamboo shoots,fish and vegetables while popular dishes include fish paste,raw and boiled vegetables,chilies cooked with bamboo and sticky rice with bamboo curry Tongchangya women traditionally wear Pait Kabo (dresses made of five pieces of cloth), pinuin(a long wrap-around skirt) Kagoi (shirt), khari(shawl), padui (belt) and Khabong/Gaba (headgear) often adorned with elaborate handwoven patterns as Tongchangya men traditionally wear duri (loincloth) and a shirt though modern clothing is also common now a days said Ven Ariyajyoti Thera. 

Traditionally, the Tongchangya people build houses on stilts, known as Bhat gho(main house) and Tong gho(guest house) using bamboo and wood suited to their hilly environment while the traditional Tongchangya musical instruments include Basi (flute), khengong (mouth organ), bela (violin),cuma,Shinga/Shingal and Duruk/ Duduk the Popular games include Ghila Khala, Naring Khala, Putti Khala, Poh Khala, Mait Khala, Kumuk Khala, Guli Khala, Seh Khala, Kattoli Khala, and Luga Lugi Khala said Ven Visuddhananda Thera. 

The majority of the Tongchangya people practice Theravada Buddhism, often mixed with animistic beliefs and indigenous rituals a small number of Tongchangya in Mizoram adhere to Christianity as their identity is deeply rooted in their language (Tongchangya) traditional customs and a close connection to nature as they maintain distinct cultural practices and values said Ven Visuddhananda Thera and Ven Ariyajyoti Thera.

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