Name: Ashwini Machey
Country: India

Year: 2024
Volume: Volume-9, Issue-2 (July-December)
Page Number: 168-172

ABSTRACT
The Singpho tribe, one of the prominent frontier communities inhabiting the tri-junction region of India, China, and Myanmar, possesses a rich cultural heritage, distinct social organization, and significant historical background. Related communities of the Singpho are found in the Yunnan Province of China, where they are known as the Jingpo, and in the Kachin State of Myanmar, where they are identified as the Kachin. Ethnographic studies indicate that the Jinghpaws constitute one of the most influential groups among the Kachin communities, comprising major clans such as the Lahpai, Marip, Maran, Lahtaw, and Nhkum. The present study adopts a longitudinal survey method to examine the myths of origin, lineage traditions, and family structure of the Singpho tribe, with special emphasis on changing family dynamics. The study highlights the significance of oral traditions in preserving collective identity and tracing ancestral lineage. According to Singpho mythology, a semi-divine ancestral figure descended from heaven and gave rise to six brothers namely Gam, Nong, La, Du, Tang, and Yawng, from whom the major lineages of the community emerged. Among them, Shapawng Yawng is regarded as the ancestral forefather of the Singpho people. The findings reveal that the Singpho family system is predominantly patriarchal and patrilineal, with inheritance, lineage, and chieftainship transmitted through the male line. Traditional customs relating to marriage, inheritance, kinship, and domestic responsibilities continue to play an important role in maintaining social order and cultural identity. At the same time, processes of modernization, education, migration, and economic transformation have influenced shifts from joint to nuclear family structures and encouraged changing gender roles and occupational patterns. Despite these transformations, the study concludes that the Singpho community continues to preserve its core cultural values, kinship ties, and customary traditions, thereby maintaining a balance between tradition and modernity.

Keywords: Singpho tribe, myths of origin, familial traditions, lineage