Meeting the Khasi people
Carrying betel leaf at the "very natural" backpack
The Khasi are a tribal group of people living in the Khasi hills of Srimongol and Habiganj mostly while a vast majority live in the north east Indian estate of Meghalaya. Most of the people working as support staff at the tea estates in Sylhet division are generally Khasi people. Known as the worshippers of nature, but over the years Christian missionaries have been successful with this indigenous community by converting about 90% of the approximately 25 000 Khasis in Bangladesh says one of the headmen at Aliachara Khasia Punjee. As far as Khasi history goes, betel leaf farming has been their profession and till date it is still true. However, being the minority they are continuously being evicted from their homesteads for which they are losing land to tea estate owners and soon their identity will be at stake.
Betel Leaf Plantation
Khasi Children