The Mizo People, Highlanders of the Northeast

In the far southeast of India, on steep and forested ridges between Bangladesh and Myanmar, live the Mizo people, the highlanders of Mizoram. A community of Tibeto-Burman origin, unified from many clans and overwhelmingly Christian, they are known across India for their close-knit and egalitarian society, their extraordinary love of song, and one of the most complete cultural transformations in modern history.

From the spectacular Cheraw bamboo dance to the ethic of selfless helpfulness called tlawmngaihna, from jhum cultivation on the hillsides to the churches that now stand at the centre of their life, the Mizo carry a distinctive and vibrant culture. This article traces their origins, language, homeland, society, religion, and traditions, and the remarkable modern history of a hill people who reshaped their world within a century.