The Khamba or Khemba, are a people who inhabit the Yang-Sang-Chu valley of Arunachal Pradesh, near the borders with Tibet and China. Within the valley, they live in the villages Yorton, Lango, Tashigong, Nyukong and Mangkota[citation needed].

Diorama and wax figures of Khamba people in Jawaharlal Nehru Museum, Itanagar.

The Khamba are adherents of Tibetan Buddhism and use Hingna, their own script,[1] which is based on the Tibetan script. However, due to relative isolation from Tibet and occasional contacts with the Adi tribes, they are also somewhat influenced by the Donyi-Polo faith in their beliefs. In every village there will be a Buddhist Lama. Festivals that are celebrated are parallel with the Memba, which includes Losar, the Tibetan New Year.

Lifestyle

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Wheat and maize are principal crops cultivated by the Khamba. Their houses, which are made from stone and wood, are based on a structure that strongly resembles the Monpa.

References

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  1. ^ Roland J. L. Breton (1997). Atlas of the Languages and Ethnic Communities of South Asia. SAGE Publications. p. 213. ISBN 0-8039-9367-6.
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