Garo - History and Cultural Relations

There remains no record of when the Garos migrated and settled in their present habitat. Their traditional lore, as Recorded by A. Playfair, indicates that they migrated to the area from Tibet. There is evidence that the area was inhabited by stone-using peoples—Paleolithic and Neolithic groups—in the past. After settling in the hills, Garos initially had no close and constant contact with the inhabitants of the adjoining plains. In 1775-1776 the Zamindars of Mechpara and Karaibari (at present in the Goalpara and Dhuburi Districts of Assam) led expeditions into the Garo hills. The first contact with British colonialists was in 1788, and the area was brought under British administrative control in the year 1873.