Who Are the Khasi?
The Khasi are an Austroasiatic indigenous people of Meghalaya, India, numbering approximately 1.4-1.6 million. They speak Khasi, a Mon-Khmer language unrelated to the Tibeto-Burman languages of most neighboring peoples—evidence of ancient migration patterns. The Khasi inhabit the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya, centered around Shillong, the state capital. Like the neighboring Garo, the Khasi practice matrilineal descent, with property and clan membership passing through women. The Khasi are famous for their living root bridges—architectural marvels created by training the aerial roots of fig trees to form functional bridges over streams and chasms.
Living Root Bridges
The Khasi's living root bridges are extraordinary bioengineering achievements. In the wet monsoon-drenched hills, conventional bridges quickly rot. The Khasi developed a technique of guiding the aerial roots of Ficus elastica (rubber fig) trees across streams, training them over bamboo scaffolds and hollowed betel nut trunks. Over 15-30 years, roots grow strong enough to support human traffic. Some bridges are double-decked. Unlike built structures, these bridges grow stronger with age—some are over 500 years old. UNESCO has listed them as World Heritage Sites. The bridges embody Khasi ecological knowledge and patient, multigenerational thinking about infrastructure.
Matrilineal System
Khasi matriliny means children take their mother's surname and belong to her clan (kur). The youngest daughter (ka khadduh) inherits ancestral property and responsibility for family members. Upon marriage, men join their wife's household. However, public authority—village headmen (rangbah shnong) and traditional chiefs (syiem)—has traditionally been male. This creates a system where women control property and lineage while men hold political positions. Debates about modifying the system arise periodically, with some men's rights groups advocating for change, while others defend matriliny as central to Khasi identity. The system shapes gender relations in distinctive ways.
Contemporary Khasi
Modern Khasi society shows significant Christian influence from Welsh Presbyterian missionaries, with the majority now Christian. Shillong, in the heart of Khasi Hills, is a major educational and administrative center. English and Khasi are widely spoken, though youth increasingly prefer English. Traditional practices including the Nongkrem dance festival continue alongside Christian observances. Environmental tourism around living root bridges brings economic opportunities. Coal mining has created environmental and social conflicts. The Khasi continue to negotiate modernity while maintaining matrilineal identity and traditional governance structures. How they balance development, environmental protection, and cultural preservation defines their contemporary path.
References
- Nongbri, T. (2008). Gender and the Khasi Family Structure
- Bareh, H. (1967). The History and Culture of the Khasi People
- Ludwig, F. (2008). "Living Root Bridges in Meghalaya"