One of the majority number of indigenous communities habitating in CHT are the Tripuras having their own language 'Kokborok' without alphabets. A huge number of them also live in the province of Tripura as well as in Assam, Mizoram etc. Both the Tripuras living in separate regions like CHT, Bangladesh and India have some uncommon differences between them in various issues. They have a vast and rich history of their own.
Like all other indigenous people, they have their own cultures and traditions to follow. Their food culture, languages differ from each other. Their Gods and festiveness are very affluent. The Tripuras mostly follow the Hinduism. For the people of CHT, their characteristics vary from other communities.
Now coming to the one of the prominent varieties is their attire or clothing. Not to mention, the Tripura women do weave their raiment with their own hands with cotton and they differ in colors and patterns. Women play a huge role both in indoors and outdoors socially and financially. Unlike the Chakma people, they have their own acquaintance about each of their clans which can be known by noticing the patterns of the dress which is very interesting.
The Tripuras have wholly 36 clans and this factor play a role in their weaving. According to each of their clans, they have slight differences in their accents or tune. So the attire namely 'Rinai' and 'Risa' also slightly changes in It’s name like 'Rignai-Risa', Rinai-Nagi, Rinai-Khaichoingtoi or like Chang Risa, Bokhrokh Risa and so on.
The Rinai is like the Pinon which is worn on the lower part of the body and Risa is a piece of handmade cloth with rich artwork which is very Khadilike and it is wrapped around the chest of the women's body. The ornaments like Sange, Sikol, Achili, Chandrahar, Bengki har, Nafu, Barbali etc are put on around neck, arm, hands, nose and also for feet.
The Red and blackish one is the most used attire by Tripuras. But also, the colors like orange, yellow, white, blue and other intense colours are used with unique patterns. Rinai-Risa' is named by the 'Nyaithang' clan.
Also they use 'Kubai' used as headwear for both men and women. This white piece of costume has some explicitly delightful arts with colors on the borders.
At present, although all of the raiments are not used only by one clan but by all of them even the non-Tripuras also wear this clothing as it is spread across almost all CHT. The exchange of wardrobes among all the communities are noticed nowadays with time. So, sometimes it’s not easily possible to know about the particular clan just by looking or observing the raiments but the accent of language is the one way to get to know about it.
However, as a heterogeneous society in Bangladesh living with all other communities too, the exchange of wardrobes is not only visible but also the languages are being mixed up. But holding the original sources may it be language or attire, the Tripura women are protecting it from being veered for a very long time. The attire is one of the distinguishable part for a community and it must not lose it’s history with the changing eras.
Written by Priase Chakma
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