Short Thread on Austroasiatic Indian Tribes

A common myth is thinking Austro-Asiatic tribals in India like the Mundari, Ho or Santali are aboriginal or "first inhabitants" or "aadi-vaasi" of India.

They are very recent (3-4 kya) Austro-Asiatic immigrants from South-East Asia.

Their patrilineal haplogroup O2a-M95 is from east, south-east asia. Around 65-70% of Munda speakers have this, indicating patrilineal descent from migrants. Gond, Nihali could possibly be of of the same stock too, who had a language shift.

South Munda have a 73% frequency of O2a, whilst it is at 62% for North Munda. The admixture event date is 3-4kya for South Munda and 1.5-2kya for North Munda.

The Sino-Tibetan speakers in North-Eastern India are also not the first inhabitants of the subcontinent, although they are erroneously given the epithet of aadivaasi. Depending on who you consult, the Sino-Tibetan homeland is in Eastern Tibet or Yellow River Valley in China.

The Ahom people of Assam are also not native to Assam, they are 12th century migrants from modern day Burma.

Their Ahom language is now exinct & a part of the Tai-Kadai family of languages.

All ethnic Ahom now have Assamese as their mother tongue.