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Children of the Singpho community are named according to the order they are born in the family, incorporating numbers into their names.

About Singphos Community

• An Ethnic Group: Singphos community is an ethnic group inhabiting 27 countries, including China’s Yunnan province. They are not as complex as other tribal societies. 
  • In India, they mostly inhabit the Changlang and Namsai districts of Arunachal Pradesh, and the Tinsukia district of Assam.
• Division: The Singpho society is divided mainly in three groups such as Sisen, N’khum and Mirip which is further divided into a number of clans each under a chief. 
  • The clan organisation is based on lineage or sub-lineage. 

Characteristic Features of Singphos Community

• Reflecting birth order Names: In a family of seven Singpho brothers, the eldest has Gam in his name followed by Nong, La, Du, Tang, Yong, and Yun. 
  • For seven Singpho sisters, the sequence is Ko, Lu, Roi, Thu, Kai, Kha, and Pi.
  • Their names may also have the name of the clan or an ancestor. 
• Chieftainship: It is an important feature of Singpho society. 
• Patriarchal System: The Singpho family system is patriarchal and lives in a joint family. 
  • But now-a-days with a changing situation the family is slowly and gradually breaking up from a joint family to a single family. 
• Expert Weavers: The Singpho women are experts in weaving and they make their own dress themselves. 
  • Up till now women are using hand-spun and prepared home-made dresses.

News Source: The Hindu