SILAPATHAR, April 20 � Adis and Misings have the same origin, migration and settlement, speak the same language, possess same antique ornaments and metals, practise and preach the same religion, i.e., Donyi-Poloism and similar rituals. Adi-Misings belong to the family of the Indo-Chinese group of Mongoloid stock.
The Adis of Arunachal Pradesh and Misings of Assam as well as those living in Arunachal Pradesh gathered at Murkongselek in Jonai recently to reinvigorate the auspicious relationship of the Adis and Misings.
The Abor-Miri Students� Union was constituted in 1947 and led by a few far-sighted student leaders belonging to Abor (Adi) and Miri (Mising) groups in the erstwhile Abor Hills, now East Siang, West Siang and Upper Siang districts. The headquarters was at Pasighat. Later, the name of the union was changed to Adi-Mising Students� Union. Late Daying Earing and Martin Dai were the first president and secretary respectively of the union. Adi means hills or mountain, hence the people who live in the hills are known as Adis.
In 1951, the Mising tribe was divided into two groups: pro-NEFA and pro-Assam during the chief ministership of Gopinath Bardoloi. Under the chairmanship of Gopinath Bardoloi, a public meeting was held to discuss whether the Misings should remain in Assam or NEFA (now Arunachal Pradesh) where the pro-NEFA group wanted to remain in NEFA, while the pro-Assam group desired to remain in Assam. Later, Gopinath Bardoloi declared Mising-populated areas as �transferred areas� and annexed them to Assam.
In 1959, the Adi-Mising Students� Union was replaced by the All NEFA Students� Union under the leadership of late Talom Rukbo as president and late Bakin Pertin as general secretary. Now, the All NEFA Students� Union has become the All Arunachal Pradesh Students� Union.
After formation of Arunachal Pradesh, the major portion of Mising community living in the Brahmaputra Valley came under the jurisdiction of Assam. To revive the lost glory of the Adi and Mising communities, the Adi-Mising delegates discussed how it could be made possible. The main objective of the meeting was to bring the Adis and Misings under one umbrella and one identity of their original culture, tradition and language.
All communities of the world are trying to protect their racial identity by preserving their rites and rituals, traditional faith, authors and language.
It may be pertinent to add here that 90 per cent of the Mising dialect is similar to Adi. Food habits, lifestyle, costumes and attire of Misings are also similar to those of Adis. There are also some groups of people having similar names of Adis along with similar cultural traits settled in the plains of Assam and foothill areas of Assam-Arunachal Pradesh. The Adi-Misings live close to one another in the hills and they have close ethnic, linguistic and cultural relationships. The two communities, Pasi and Miyong living in Arunachal Pradesh, speak the same dialect as do the Mising.
The Adi-Mising people feel that they should concentrate on the development of their kebang system of rural self-administration and Jani Agom or Adi Mising Agom language. The Adis and Misings can develop a Adi-Mising Agom or Tani Agom language into written literature in the wider sense. Though the Misings have been living in the Brahmaputra Valley since several hundred years, the Misings still speak the same Tani Agom or Adi-Mising Agom.
The Misings were one of the main tribes of the present Adi communities who had migrated from Tibet a little earlier than the Adis. The Misings occupied the area upstream of the Dihang (Siang) river, while the Miyongs inhabited the area north of the Dibong, the Padams lived between the Dibong river and Galos lived between the Subansiri river in the west and Dikari river in the east. The Misings had been emigrating to the plains, particularly in the upper region of the Brahmaputra Valley around 13th century AD when the area around Sadiya was ruled by the Chutiya king.
In the greater interest of Adi-Misings, a new committee of Adi-Misings living in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh namely, Adi-Mising Kebang was constituted with Raju Mudok as president and Okom Yosung as general secretary.
The delegates� session of Adi-Mising Lemo Kebang and cultural exchange meet adopted four resolutions at Sirki Nane complex, Murkongselek. The meeting also constituted a drafting committee of bylaws with Talu Dai as chairman.