Communities
The Khasi people
The matrilineal hill people of Meghalaya, keepers of the sacred groves and the root bridges.
The Khasi are the largest community of Meghalaya, speaking a Mon-Khmer language unlike any of their neighbours’. Society traces descent through the mother’s line: youngest daughters inherit, clan names follow mothers, and the Ka Syiem (chieftainess) institutions still anchor traditional governance in the himas.
Their relationship with land is religious: sacred groves like Mawphlang are protected by oath, monoliths mark ancestors, and the living root bridges are grown and maintained by village clans over generations.
At a glance
The Khasi people essentials
Language
Khasi (Mon-Khmer family)
Signature craft
Living root bridges, cane work, KA Sohpetbneng lore
Etiquette
Meet them respectfully
Ask before photographing people or rituals, dress modestly at festivals and ceremonies, accept hospitality graciously, and let local hosts lead. Culture here is lived, not performed: curiosity with manners opens every door.
Around it