Memba

The Memba population of 3,500 is centered around Tuting and Geling, near the Siang river in the West Siang and Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh not very far from the Tibetan border. A sizeable population can be found in the nearby Yargab-Chu valley in Mechuka. The life of the Memba revolves around the Mechuka Gompa, similar to the Monpa of West Kameng and Tawang. In some context, however, they were sometimes considered under a collective tribe of Adi.

The Memba are agriculturalists and grow cash crops in the terracecd fields, and crops like rice, maize, millet, potato, cereals amd paddy. Orchards of Oranges are also grown in that area. Boiled rice is their stapled diet.

In every village, watermills are installed by making a fall of 15 to 20 feet, and the water is made to rush through the grooved wooden channels which below rotate the blade of the shaft which is attached to the grinder of the mill. Their house, like most of the other Tibetan Buddhist tribes, is made of stone and wood. Their house is raised above the ground and the First floor is covered with wooden planks, with the walls made from stones.

The Membas follow Tibetan Buddhism and have their own script, Hikor, which isderived from the Tibetan script. In every village, there is a small Gompa presided by a Buddhist Lama. As devout Buddhists, they follow all the intricate details of rituals of Buddhist puja, hoisting at least a Buddhist prayer flag or a string of small Buddhist prayer flags in front of every household. Festivals that were celebrated by the Memba include Lhosar and Choskar. Polyandry is prevalent among them.