Chak is regarded as one of the smallest ethnic group. According to the census of 1991, there were only 2000 Chak population with 372 families. Their settlements are concentrated in Naiskhyongchhari upazila of Bandarban district in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh , according to the Bomang royal book of Bandarban Bomang circle and some documents of coronation of Bomang king. The' Chak ethnic group was enlisted as 'Mingsak' . Chaks belong to the Mongoloid race having yellowish complexion, medium face with a fatty snap-nose and folded eyelids. Chak society is divided into two clans and each clan is divided into several sub-clans. Each clan have its separate symbol called Jaloa or Paita (a sort of twisted cotton rope). According to Thoai Shoi Khain, an anthropologist and researcher, their ancestral was from the Yunan, China. Chak women's still love to wear their large size earnings . They believe in the concept of reincarnation and their variety of ritual's of birth, death and the marriage ceremonies are very exclusive in nature. Their mother tongue belongs to 'Sak' or 'Lai' group of Tibet-Burman branch under the Sino-Tebetean . The written form of their language is very unfamiliar for our country , although they are enriched in their culture and literature. Chak poet's and lyricist's have composed many beautiful poems and songs. The leading Chak poets and lyricists of Bangladesh are Wang Ching Chak, Cha Ma Prue Chak, Nang U Chak, Chaichha Aung Chak, Maungnu Chak, Mong Koching Chak and Mong Mong Chak. They performed on various indigenous musical shows and played instruments like flute, drum and bell. Chak religious leader Mahathero Gandarba Wengsar took an initiative for education in the chak community in 1959 and his effort started yielding positive result from 1966 when the first Chak graduates came out successfully. Since then, the education rate of the Chak community has steadily increasing and now many of them are engaged in government and private services. They wear their handmade traditional attires . Chak males love to dress up with Kotung Pangre (dhuti) and Apong (turban) and Chak ladies like to wear Nafi (a sort of skirt) and Rangkeng (brassier). It is a tradition of the Chak community to weave a special type of blanket with distinctive designs and to make ornaments in its own design. Chak women usually use extra-large earrings, and their unique earrings helps to identify them. Chak are followers of Buddhism but they often worship other gods and goddesses like Laxmi or Waigyu. They celebrate religious and folk festivals throughout the year. Chak Society is a patriarchal society. Only their son's inherit their family property. The government appoint's the headman,( village leader ) of the community basis of competency potency and hereditary rights. The Chak lifestyle is agro-based, and they are closely linked with jhum cultivation and plain field cultivation. They build up their unique prayer houses with their materials. They respectively name their houses and village "king'. Rice, vegetables, dried fish, fresh fish, and meat are their favorite foods. Being a small ethnic group, the Chak community in Bangladesh has maintained its rich cultural trend in all spheres of life. This achievement has given them a separate identity. Their ceremonial performances seeking divine blessings for maintaining the inter-class harmony and welfare of a newborn baby are unique in terms of composition and practice.
Written by Athina Chakma
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